Sustainability

San Jorge Community

The San Jorge Community is located on the left bank of the Marañon River, next to our Ecolodge; As one of our joint sustainable projects, we decided that all of our staff who work at the Ecolodge be members of San Jorge. From the very beginning, we provided them the adequate training in all areas, and continue to include hotel management and hospitality workshops for our local staff.

In addition, we have been working on various projects to rescue their local culture and enhance their skills as sources of economic income. We can highlight:

• The rescue and enrichment of the Kukama language

• The creation of the Pua Kamatawara group (“Working Hands”, in the Kukama language). This project was conceived at the very beginning. First, with our economic and logistical support only, we began to organize the group of women who making and sell handicrafts. Also, we hired an instructor in ancestral chambira fiber weaving techniques. Later on, the Spanish Cooperation Agency, using funds from the Araucaria Nauta Project, built them a professional space, like as small market, where each woman has her own table to set up and sell her arts and crafts. It was a huge improvement to laying out their goods on the sidewalk, and a big boost to the community’s economic income

• The design and implementation of Personality Development workshops using the performing arts, in cooperation with Universidad Científica del Perú – Iquitos. These workshops developed body expression techniques and the importance of disinhibition for effective communication at the Ecolodge

• The design and implementation of training the women of the community on producing soaps, clay facial masks and repellents using leaves and flowers that grow in the forest of the Ecolodge

NINE OF OCTOBER (9 de Octubre) Community and the Mainani Park Rangers

Located on the left bank of the Marañon River lives the 9 de Octubre Community. Our lodge primarily supports the Park Rangers known as the Mainani (guardians in the Kukama language). Under the direction of the National Service of Natural Protected Areas (SERNANP), the Mainani carry out community surveillance in the Nauta Caño (a tributary of the Marañón river) area of the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve (RNPS). We support them alongside our guests from International Studies Abroad educational programs and Purdue University through donations. Examples of previous donations include mosquito nets, blankets, engines for their boats, wooden boats and life jackets to facilitate their surveillance work. We also maintain constant communication with this special group so they will feel supported and motivated to continue their conservation efforts even though they are not allowed to use the natural resources because those types of management plans have not yet been designed.

Twenty of January (20 de Enero) Community

20 de Enero is located within the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. This community is dedicated to the preservation of the aguaje palm tree, an important element of the Amazonian people’s economy; of the fauna; and the environment in general. When we visit, we hire local “guides” who demonstrate to our visitors how to climb the aguaje palm tree as an alternative to cutting the tree down to get the fruit. In addition to these “guides”, the Aguaje Palm Management group sells products derived from this fruit such as oils, soaps and others. This way, not only do we support the community, but our guests do as well.

Aguaje preservation

The aguaje is a very important palm tree for the conservation of the environment and for the economic and social development in the Peruvian Amazon. It is a tree that contributes with the fight against climate change because it is part of the largest carbon stores in the lower tropics, the Amazonian wetland forests. Due to its popularity and high consumption, these trees used to be cut down to obtain their fruit without any control, to the point where the species were endangered: it takes about 15 years for the palm tree to grow. That is why through our work with the communities we changed the way the aguaje fruit is collected, replacing the cutting with climbing the palm tree to collect the fruits. This activity is included as part of the experiences listed in some of our tours. This way we help preserving the species and generate more income to the communities.

Preservation of turtles

Between the months of October and November, nature gives us a unique opportunity: witnessing a ritual that brings us closer to a fundamental milestone in the life of an endangered species: the release of the Taricaya (Amazonian river and lake turtles). This process takes place when their eggs hatch, after approximately 70 days of incubation. The release of Taricaya turtles allows them to continue with their life cycle of reproduction and repopulation of the species. Pacaya Samiria Amazon Lodge was a pioneer and for several years has carried out a constant and recognized work for the conservation of this species. Within its facilities it has a lake whose physical and environmental conditions are optimal for the successful release of Taricayas. Unlike natural beaches, where only 30% of the eggs deposited are born, in our lake an average of 70% is born. We offer our visitors the possibility of sponsoring released Taricayas and obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship.