Sixty percent of Peru is blanketed with thick Amazon rainforests rich in biodiversity that are under siege by opportunistic forces grabbing land to harvest the rich natural resources and establish megafarms. Once these high-integrity forests fall to mechanized agriculture, stored carbon in the wood, roots and soil will be released into the atmosphere and wildlife will perish.

Rainforest Trust and our partner, Centro para el Desarrollo del Indígena Amazónico (CEDIA), are working to protect 3,825,000 acres of critical rainforest habitat in the Loreto region of the Peruvian Amazon. By supporting Indigenous communities in securing land tenure and management rights for their territories, we can ensure a future for this imperiled ecosystem and the species that call it home.

Save Rare Amazonian Species Facing Decline

The vast Loreto region—as big as Montana—is home to abundant wildlife. But habitat loss and degradation are affecting many endangered species that depend on this ecosystem for survival. The Giant Otter has experienced a population decline of more than 50% in the past 25 years. Black-faced Black Spider Monkeys have suffered a 50% decline in population since the 1980s and the White-bellied Spider Monkey also struggles from accelerated habitat loss and hunting. Populations are also declining for the Lowland Tapir, Yellow-spotted River Turtle and the Yellow-footed Tortoise.

Support Indigenous Communities’ Role in Conservation

Rainforest Trust has successfully partnered with CEDIA for nearly 25 years to safeguard more than 18.8 million acres of Peruvian Amazon rainforest. CEDIA’s work focuses on helping Indigenous communities achieve land ownership and management rights through current Peruvian law. The Loreto region of northeastern Peru is home to 100,000 native people, the largest Indigenous population in the Peruvian Amazon. These communities are ready to move forward, and the time is right because there is significant political will for Indigenous land titling.