USO Y TENENCIA DE TIERRAS EN LA CUENCA DEL GERA

The study aimed to determine the current state of land use and tenure in the area, as well as its relationship with the design of a Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) mechanism. The study was conducted in the framework of the project "Impulsando Mecanismos de Retribución por Servicios Ecosistémicos en el Alto Mayo, Región San Martín - Perú". The study found that there are 28 populated centers in the Gera River basin, with approximately 2,462 households in the area. The majority of the population (48%) resides in Jepelacio and Shucshuyacu. The study identified 182 areas with property titles, covering 14,906.09 hectares (72.36% of the total area of the basin). These properties are owned by natural persons or legal entities (companies or institutions). Two large areas stand out in the study: ZoCRE and Electro Oriente. ZoCRE refers to the Gera-Sisa-Organero Conservation and Recovery Zone, which covers 54,977.16 hectares in the provinces of Moyobamba, El Dorado, and Lamas in the San Martín region, but only occupies 13,137.58 hectares within the basin. This area has a property title (No. 2011-00013996) and is administered by the San Martín Regional Government through the Regional Environmental Authority. Electro Oriente corresponds to a property owned by the Regional Public Service Electricity Company of the East (Electro Oriente S.A.), which covers 942.59 hectares and is where the Gera I Hydroelectric Power Plant is located. The plant has been in operation since 1992, initially as a backup to diesel generators and currently as the main source of electricity for the Alto Mayo population. The study found that 20 of the 28 populated centers are located within the ZoCRE area, mainly in the upper part of the basin, where remnants of forests and water sources can still be found. The study also found that the majority of the population (60%) only has a purchase-sale document, which has no legal validity. This is the case in all populated centers located within the ZoCRE Gera-Sisa-Organero area, which is registered in the National Registry of Public Records (SUNARP) and has a property title in the name of the San Martín Regional Government. Despite the lack of legal documentation, the population has a de facto property right, as more than 50% of the population has lived in the area for over 16 years. Any process that involves sensitization and capacity development with the local population will be necessary to avoid social conflicts and to work together with the population to achieve the objectives of the ZoCRE and improve their quality of life.