Why should I get involved with nature in Peru?

Unique and species-rich nature

The tropical rainforest of the Madre de Dios region is a unique ecosystem. Its primeval forests are home to the world's greatest biodiversity. Nowhere else on Earth has such a diversity of life forms. Mysterious jaguars and playful monkeys are just as much at home here as clumsy tapirs and jungle giants draped in liana vines. There are ten times more reptiles and amphibians here than in Germany, about 10% of all bird species in the world can be observed here, and on just one hectare of forest, you can find more tree species than in all of Europe - just to name a few examples.

Climate Conservation

The rainforest plays a significant role in the greenhouse effect and the warming of the atmosphere in two key ways.

First, large amounts of CO₂are stored in the biomass of the rainforest. If the forest is cleared, huge quantities of CO₂are released into the atmosphere, contributing further to climate change. This happens, for example, through the still practiced practice of slash-and-burn agriculture, often for cattle ranching, which releases vast amounts of CO₂ are released. Estimates suggest that around 10-15% of annual CO₂ emissions are linked to these slash-and-burn activities.

Second, tropical forests are also of critical importance for the climate because they help balance temperature differences and regulate global rainfall distribution.

Greenhouse gases are distributed evenly in the atmosphere. According to the principle of climate neutrality, it doesn't matter where emissions are produced or saved. What truly matters is that the global concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is reduced. Therefore, protecting Peruvian rainforests is a tangible contribution to climate protection. Learn more here

Wilderness has a positive impact globally

The protection of wilderness areas has many positive impacts: stable rainfall, clean air, clear water, biodiversity, climate preservation, peaceful retreats for rest and relaxation, stunning landscapes, space for adventure and challenge, and a reflection to our roots. The location where we protect these places has no bearing on how much we can globally benefit from these positive outcomes.

There is still wilderness in Peru

Wilderness is the only place where natural processes can unfold undisturbed. It is here that countless species find suitable habitats. Wilderness areas are therefore refuges where species can survive in the long term. When conservation areas are established, biodiversity can spread out from there. Even in Germany, there were once vast primeval forests with ancient trees. The fact that nothing of that remains today shows that wilderness is not a given. It is our responsibility to protect the remaining wilderness areas, no matter where they are located.

Saying thank you to nature

The natural balance is only maintained if we no longer just take, but also give. Therefore, it is time to finally give back to nature. Let's say thank you for everything nature provides us with - let's protect nature together.

Legal certainty and permanent protection

The land is purchased by Wilderness International and our sister foundations, Wilderness International Peru and Wilderness International (Canada), through land registry entry. Our statutes specify that the land must be left untouched and visited only for research and documentation purposes. The foundation construct prevents the rights over the disposition of property from resting with any one person. Rather, the foundation, and thus its land, always belongs to all the people involved in the foundation at the time. This ensures the long-term protection of the purchased land. We always make an advance payment when purchasing land. Your donation refinances the purchase. In this way, we ensure that the exact piece of forest you have selected is actually protected for your donation. In Peru, board member Chris Kirkby is on the ground with our partner organization Fauna Forever. In addition, local people monitor the protection of the areas as part of our Forest Guardians program and earn a living in this way.

Acute threat

The scientific community describes the impact of rainforest destruction as the greatest natural disaster since the last ice age. According to FAO, about 10 million hectares of tropical rainforest were lost annually between 2015 and 2020, with the Amazon being the most damaged annually (FAO and UNEP 2020). Amazon Conservation (ACCA) estimates over 2 million hectares of primary forest loss in 2020 in the nine countries involved , an area the size of Israel. Peru holds a sad record in third place (Finer/Mamani 2020). The extinction of a single plant species is often associated with the extinction of another 10 to 30 animal and plant species, since most organisms in the rainforest are interdependent (Spitzer et al. 2004). Millions of species have thus disappeared together along with the forest in recent decades.

The last areas are exposed to various threats, such as gold mining and deforestation and slash-and-burn agriculture or cattle grazing.