Peru has achieved a significant milestone for nature, wildlife, and our climate by establishing a new protected area in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. The Putumayo-Algodón Regional Conservation Area, spanning an impressive 283,000 hectares (nearly 700,000 acres), has now been officially preserved.
This lush region sits where three mighty rivers meet, the Napo, Amazon, and Putumayo, and is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. It’s home to jaguars, harpy eagles, black caimans, giant river otters, and over 1,800 plant and animal species. Some of them are found nowhere else on earth.
The Amazon rainforest plays a vital role in maintaining global stability. Its expansive forests absorb significant amounts of carbon dioxide, helping to cool the Earth and mitigate the effects of climate change. The recently designated protected areas include swampy peatlands and vibrant upland forests, two of the planet’s most effective ecosystems for storing carbon.
“Every hectare protected here means more space for jaguars to roam, more clean water for river otters, and more security for the Indigenous communities who depend on this forest,” said Luis Espinel, Vice President of Conservation International Peru. “This would not have been possible without the joint efforts of indigenous communities, government authorities, and civil organizations coming together to protect biodiversity.”
The creation of this protected area also strengthens the rights of 16 Indigenous communities who live in and care for this land. They’ve now received formal legal recognition, which helps protect their culture, their livelihoods, and the forest they’ve stewarded for generations.
Local leaders say this move will help stop illegal logging and gold mining, which jeopardize the environment and their way of life. They now have the power to safeguard their homeland and ensure that the vibrant rainforest and its rich biodiversity are preserved for future generations to come.
This new Amazon conservation area also connects with three other protected zones, forming a massive corridor of over 1.8 million hectares. It’s a vital piece of Peru’s promise to protect 30% of its natural ecosystems by 2030 as part of their global “30×30” pledge.
Every hectare protected means more clean air, more clean water, and more hope—for wildlife, for people, and for the planet. The Amazon is often called the “lungs of the Earth,” and protecting it is one of the most powerful ways we can protect ourselves.
This milestone was achieved through the collaborative efforts of Indigenous communities, the Peruvian government, and conservation organizations like Conservation International, the Andes Amazon Fund, Re:wild, and many others.
This victory illustrates that by working together, we can create meaningful change to protect the Amazon rainforest, our precious wildlife, and future generations.
