Altomayo Conservation Initiative – Benefit sharing Mil agros Sandoval Environmental Policy Coordinator CI Peru m.sando

1. AltomayoConservation Initiative–BenefitsharingMilagros SandovalEnvironmentalPolicyCoordinatorCI Perum.sandoval@conservation.org

2. Alto Mayo Protected Forest (AMPF) - Context • Peruvian Yungas - Cloud forests • Elevation range : 800 – 4,000 masl (2,600-13,000 feet) • Part of the Peruvian National System of Protected Areas • 182,000 ha (450,000 acres) core zone, and 425,405 ha (1 million acres) including buffer zone • National protected area with one of the highest deforestation rate in Peru approx. 4,530 hauntil year 2000 according to its Master Plan

3. Altomayo Protected Forest (AMPF) - Importance • Area of great value for the conservation of biodiversity and fresh water resources (AZE, Huancabamba depression) • Harbors many endemic and endangered species • “Yellow-tailed Wooly Monkey” (Oreonaxflavicauda) • “Mono tocónandino” (Callicebusoenanthe) • “Andean Bear” (Tremarctosornatus) • Fresh water provision: Headwaters that supply water to the important municipal and agricultural areas (food security) • Cultural values (indigenous communities) • Tourism Long-whiskered Owlet

4. AMPF Facts • Created in 1987; SERNANP on site presence since 2000; Master Plan 2008 • According to the Master Plan around1,000 families live within AMPF boundaries, most of them are illegal settlers. • More recent estimates put this figure between 3,000 and 5,000 families • The AMPF is a protected natural area with one of the highest deforestation rates in Peru (0.34% yr-1) • Key drivers of deforestation= coffee production and subsistence agriculture

5. IIRSA highway Major cities Protected area Buffer zone Indigenous communities

6. Alto Mayo Conservation Initiative (ICAM) Goal Promote the well-being of the population and the conservation of biodiversity in AMPF through an innovative management model for NPA´s, based on the value and incorporation of its ecosystem services for the benefit of local and regional economies

7. Designing a REDD+ initiative for the Alto Mayo Protected Forest Objectives of the initiative: • Conserve the AMPF and its ecosystem services • Reduce deforestation of primary forests in AMPF and its buffer zone • Promote sustainable economic activities and improve human well-being standards • Restore and maintain critical ecosystem services – water provision and regulation, scenic beauty, biodiversity.

8. Strategies of the ICAM • Strengthen the management of AMPF – technical capacity, operational leadership and the management committee. • Align the production systems with the objectives of AMPF, including conservation agreements with the populations in favor of AMPF. • Ensure the sustainability of the management of AMPF through financial mechanisms over a long time period(i.e., REDD and PES) • Implement a communications strategy – change the local population´s relations with AMPF. • Integrate AMPF in regional policies and processes through a healthy and sustainable economic model.

9. Threats to biodiversity Financial Tools No deforestation. No land trafficking Adapt conventional productive systems Riverine vegetation restoration efforts Improved agricultural practices (technical support, organic fertilizers, equip) Efficient cooking stoves Tree nurseries Conservation Agreements Conservation Agreement Opportunity Cost Conservation Actions Benefits

10. Legal challenges • Protectedarea (speciallegislation). • Settlers are mostlyillegal. • Legal framework of conservationagreement: whosignstheagreements? • Signing of agreementsimpliesgrantingrightsoverarea? • Identifybenefitsthatpromoteconservationactivities /avoidestablishing new threatstothearea. • Whattype of benefits: group? Individual? • Long termsustainability of agreements • Agreementterm / renovation • Causes foragreementtermination – whathappensifsettlerdoesn´tfollowagreement?

11. Improvement of livelihoods and biodiversityconservation Conservationactions • Willnotallowclearing of primaryforestincludingriverineforests and upperwatersheds • Willnotallowclearing of vegetationonslopeshigherthan 60% • Control theentrance of new migrantstothezone. • Prohibitthecutting of timberforcommercialpurposes. • Socioeconomicbenefits • Technicalassistance and inputs (eg.organicfertilizers) foragriculturalcrops • Capacitybuilding in production and certification of organicshadegrowncoffee (articulationwithexistingassociations) • Improvedcookedstoves • Installation of nurseriesforagroforestrysystems and coffee • Building of communalhouses and parkrangerposts. • Salaries forpatrolling and control

12. Lessonslearned • Conservation agreements have been implemented (200by September 2012) • Around 50% of thereturnsobtainedbycarboncredits are usedtofundConservationAgreements. • Stakeholderengagementunderthisframeworkisboundbythe PA legislation. • Distribution of incentives to the local population (Organic products for coffee cultivation, improved cook stoves) • Governance:Conservationagreementshavebecomeaninnovative legal instrumentthat can support PA authority´sleadership in protectedareas. • Conservationagreeements are aneffective pro poorbenefitdistributionmechanism.

13. Think outside the box: AMPF project is innovating on several fronts: technical, legal, financial, pro-poor benefit distribution mechanisms, etc. as model to inform national and regional policies: Instrument opens up possibility of workingwithsettlers in PA toachieveconservationgoals. • REDD should be a catalyst for Green Economies: benefits from REDD should be used to improve community livelihoods (e.g., improve production and quality of coffee and access to preferential markets) • Manage expectations with communities, governments, donors, etc. LESSONS LEARNED

14. THANKS! • Our gratitude to: • The Walt Disney Company • CI´s Ecosystem and Finance Division • CELB • CSP • Verde Ventures • GCF • CI´s Science and Knowledge • Communities of San Martin • Peruvian Natural Protected Areas Service • Ministry of Environment