CHICAGO The Field Museum announced today that it has received 409,416 euro (approximately $537,344 US dollars) from The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation for a three-year project: Establishing new conservation landscapes in Amazonian Peru.
Ten years of rapid biological inventories by The Field Museum's Environment, Culture, and Conservation (ECCo) team have resulted in the protection of 12 vast landscapes in Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. Eight of these areas are in Peru a total of two million hectares in that country (an area the size of Massachusetts) have been officially declared with full recognition from the national government and 4.2 million additional hectares await final categorization and/or approval from the Peruvian Cabinet.
In addition, just last month, thanks to anticipated funds from The Prince Albert II Foundation, ECCo's work resulted in another area in Peru that is about the size of Delaware being officially declared a National Reserve. The new reserve is largely dedicated to the indigenous people, the Matses.
Ongoing changes in political structure and skyrocketing pressure from extractive industries now threaten these 4.2 million hectares of forests, once close to protection. With the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation funds, ECCo will focus on getting these forests legally secured in the next three years. Simultaneously, ECCo will work with Peru's NGOs and new Ministry of Environment to continue to pursue compensation for avoided deforestation as a mechanism for investing in living forests.
The project will address the following challenges:
| Contact: Nancy O'Shea noshea@fieldmuseum.org 312-665-7103 Field Museum Source:Eurekalert |