Advancing Landscapes in the Andean Amazon (ASLAA) | ICAA

The project aimed to conserve biodiversity in two landscapes, Sucumbíos/Napo, Ecuador, and Cusco/Madre de Dios, Peru. The project's strategy focused on addressing the principal threats to biodiversity and their drivers, including habitat degradation and loss due to deforestation or land-use conversion. The project's main achievements under the first intermediate result (IR1) included the completion of studies and stakeholder validation of the Limits of Acceptable Change methodologies for Chuncho and Colorado clay licks in the Tambopata National Reserve. This allowed for the development of site plans for these tourism attractions. In Palma Real (PR), 30 community members, nearly half of whom were women, began to implement their Tourism Strategy using the CEFE methodology. PR plans to fund components of its strategy into the future with resources secured through an agreement with CONDOR Travel. Under the second intermediate result (IR2), improved environmental governance was achieved through the strengthening of local actors and government entities for natural resource management. The Naranjilla Roundtable approved its 2015 Operational Plan, developed with the Sustainable Landscapes Consortium (SL). The plan optimizes the resources and efforts of 8 organizations to advance sustainable naranjilla production. The Wamaní community developed and approved a control and surveillance system, a self-governance tool designed to halt deforestation and forest degradation and ensure compliance with laws and regulations. The project's main achievements under the third intermediate result (IR3) included the improvement of sustainable livelihoods and ecosystem resilience. In partnership with Galería Ecuador, SL designed nearly 50 new high-quality products with the 36 women of the Sani Warmi Association. The products are representative of their unique Amazonian identity and cultural heritage and enable the association to diversify its handicrafts offering and increase sales prices. 13 Nature Guides in the RFPC improved their income by over 150% and 11 found new job opportunities after completing SL-delivered training courses in 2012, enabling them to secure their guide licenses. The project's geographic focus was on two landscapes, Sucumbíos/Napo, Ecuador, and Cusco/Madre de Dios, Peru. The project worked in various communities, including the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, the Limoncocha Biological Reserve, and the buffer zone of Sumaco Napo Galeras National Park in Ecuador. In Peru, the project worked in the district of Tambopata in the communities of Tres Islas, Palma Real, Infierno, Sonene, Puerto Arturo, and Boca Pariamanu. The project also worked with the Brazil nut gatherer associations RONAP and ASCART. The project's timeframes were from September 30, 2012, to September 29, 2015. The project's implementation focused on three key areas: strengthening the capacity of local actors and government entities for natural resource management, improving local participation in accessing, using, and managing natural resources and policies, and improving sustainable livelihoods and ecosystem resilience. The project's recommendations included the continued support for the development of sustainable natural resource management practices and the improvement of local participation in accessing, using, and managing natural resources and policies.