Bosques del Alto Saposoa, a New Conservation Concession in San Martín, Perú

Peru’s north-central region of San Martín, home to a bastion of the Amazon’s diversity, secured a new conservation concession in May of 2024. Bosques del Alto Saposoa spans 4,513 acres (1,826 ha) of tropical forests in the Andean foothills. The concession, which was granted to the Alta Saposoa municipal government, seeks to safeguard the high biodiversity of the area while protecting natural resources for nearby communities. It is the second Peruvian conservation concession ever to be run by a municipality. 

What is a Conservation Concession?

Conservation concessions are areas of government land that are voluntarily managed for the purpose of forest protection due to their high biodiversity value. Their administration is assigned to civil society organizations, individuals or associations made up of surrounding communities. In this case, the local municipal government will manage the concession, with assistance from community members and the NGO Amazónicos por la Amazonía (AMPA).

Safeguarding Habitats and Water Sources.

Bosques del Alto Saposoa is characterized by extraordinary levels of biodiversity, and protects habitats for threatened species such as the vulnerable white lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari), Humboldt’s woolly monkey (Lagothrix lagothricha) and military macaw (Ara militaris) as well as the endangered Peruvian spider monkey (Ateles chamek). 

In addition to biodiversity conservation, the new concession strives to preserve the Shitari ravine and the sources of the Shima River, which are vital for the region’s water supply. Approximately 12,000 people will benefit from the protection of these water sources.

Understanding the process of Granting a Conservation Concession

Establishing Bosques del Alto Saposoa was a multi-step process with the involvement of various actors. The Alta Saposoa municipal government worked closely with AMPA first on a detailed technical document, which outlined conservation priorities, entrance points to the new concession, and detailed local knowledge of the species and water sources with local communities and members of the San Martín Regional Environmental Authority. They worked to raise awareness and justify the creation of the concession, while receiving scientific and technical support from the NGO Amazónicos por la Amazonía (AMPA). The final phase of creation included surveys via drone to ensure the ecological integrity of the area, and verify the findings denoting its importance for conservation.

Acknowledgements

The Bosques de Alto Saposoa Conservation Concession was created through the work of local communities, the Municipal District of Alto Saposoa, and the San Martín Regional Environmental Authority. Amazónicos por la Amazonía (AMPA) provided technical support.

Learn more about the different phases of the Conservation Concession’s creation on AMPA’s website (in Spanish):

Step one

Step two

Step three

Step four