(c) Integrated Conservation Program to Support the Rio Abiseo National
Park.
The Rio Abiseo National Park is one of the most important protected
areas in Peru. Due to the combination of high endemism, endangered
ecosystems and relevant archeological sites, UNESCO declared it World
Natural and Cultural Heritage. the Park preserves most of the Abiseo River
upper watershed, from the highlands to the premontane forest. Neighboring
communities comprise two well differentiated cultures, the Andean and the
complex mis of montane people and recent migrants. APECO has been
supporting this Park since its establishment in 1983. Among other projects,
the Association conducted a 4 year fieldwork of fauna inventory in the Park
upper range. This Program has similar components as the above mentioned,
but it is focused in the Park's biodiversity conservation and in supporting
rural development of neighboring communities. The socioeconomic
diagnosis of the Huallabamba river right bank (mentioned in (b) ) will be the
basis for a participatory planning process with montane forest neighboring
communities. In 1994 this Program started promoting organic agriculture
among Andean and montane forest rural women; the project is conducted in
agreement with 17 local Mothers Clubs. Simultaneously this project is
supporting the Park administration on the montane forest front. Additionally
to these activites, we have started to make efforts to understand the main
reason which are jeopardizing the survival of an endangered Andean deer,
the taruca (Hippocamelus antisensis); and non-formal environmental
education activities with school children may be starting later this year.