| Protecting the Tumbesian Dry Forests of Peru
Diminished by 95%, Tumbesian
Dry Forests
are a worldwide conservation priority |
The Tumbesian tropical dry forests of northwestern
Peru and southwestern Ecuador are characterized by trees that lose
their leaves in the dry season, and are considered a world-wide
priority for biodiversity conservation due to the great number of
endemic species they contain. However, these forests are severely
threatened by human intervention, and over 95% of their original
surface has been lost as a result of development activities.
 In
this ecosystem, NCI works at a number of important sites that prioritize
protected areas and unique species. Within the cross-border La
Ceiba - Pilares region, we work with local community members
to develop forest management plans and to promote sustainable development
activities. At the El Angolo
and Talara Reserves (24,700
acres and 162,000 acres, respectively) we are assisting in a number
of training courses, and helping to conserve endangered species
such as the Peruvian Plant-cutter with the participation of local
communities and regional governments. We are also working with the
Limón Community to
protect crucial areas of forest that provide habitat for the critically
endangered White-Winged Guan. NCI also collaborates with the regional
government to establish a Regional
System of Protected Areas in Piura, including critical areas
such as the Limon dry forests, the plains of Talara, and the humid
cloud forests. Work is underway to replicate this system in the
bordering regions of Tumbes and Lambayeque. The goal is to assure
wildlife ranges increase by enhancing connectivity among the region’s
ecosystems.
To further support the protection of tropical
dry forest ecosystems, NCI has implemented the DarwinNet
project to effectively distribute information and make knowledge
of tropical dry forests more accessible. DarwinNet is a binational
initiative that aims to gather, analyze and disseminate information
on the region’s dry forests, and stress the necessity of undertaking
conservation measures.
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