Climate Action Peru Project #52493

Help us to take care of 11 million trees in Cusco

by Pachamama Raymi

Help us to take care of 11 million trees in Cusco

Project Report | Sep 25, 2026
Help us to take care of 11 million trees in Cusco

By Ruth Soledad Bustamante Mamani | Help us to take care of 11 million trees in Cusco

The farming families of the Peruvian Andes are the protagonists of their future

Dear Donors,

We would like to express our sincere gratitude for your continued support of farming families. We reaffirm our belief that the future of the planet lies in the hands of family farmers. This project continues to generate significant environmental, economic, and social benefits for rural communities.

We are currently carrying out our fourth forestry campaign, with activities focused on both the care and management of established forests and the establishment of new plantations.

Over the past few months, as part of our commitment to forest protection, we have focused our efforts on forest management activities, particularly pruning work carried out in 12 communities and their annexes. We have also established firebreaks in the intervention areas to reduce the risk of forest fires and conducted training on forest fire prevention and response in coordination with the Cusco Fire Department.

We continue to manage and maintain 15 forest nurseries, which are currently producing approximately 1.8 million trees for planting between December 2026 and February 2027.

We have also begun setting up new nurseries to ensure the production of seedlings for the 2027 forestry campaign and to continue our efforts to restore and recover degraded areas.

There is still a long way to go. We continue to learn and strengthen our work together with participating communities and local governments, building local capacities and promoting actions to restore, protect, and care for our ecosystems for present and future generations.

Forest management (2026)

Training on forest management provided by the project supervisor to farmers in the communities prior to the start of tree pruning.
One of the main activities to guarantee a successful forest plantation and ensure high-quality timber for the future is sustainable forest management. As a critical first step in this process, formative pruning aims to straighten the pine and promote height growth, removing lower branches to foster straight development and a clean, knot-free trunk that will maximize the long-term value of the timber resource.
Evaluation of plantation survival: We have conducted assessments of the establishment of plantations from previous years, obtaining an average survival rate of 70%, which is very positive considering the adverse conditions in which the plantations are located.
Community training: We have conducted training sessions with communities on risk prevention and forest management.
Risk prevention is essential, as a fire could compromise the work carried out to date and pose a risk to human life. Accordingly, firebreaks have been established by cutting and removing ichu grass, a highly flammable material, with the participation of more than 70% of families across the communities.
We continue with the management and care of the nurseries, where 1.8 million seedlings are being produced across 15 nurseries in 6 districts. Consistent and adequate watering is essential to ensure their proper development and growth.
Proper nursery management is essential. One of the key practices is root pruning, which promotes the development of secondary roots and helps produce more hardened and resilient seedlings, better prepared for establishment in their final planting sites.
Many communities have taken the initiative to fence their planting areas to protect them from domestic livestock and wildlife. This initiative demonstrates the communities’ commitment to protecting their plantations and their growing awareness of the benefits provided by forested areas.
Some communities have also implemented mulching techniques to protect the plants from potential periods of extreme drought associated with the El Niño phenomenon. One example is the community of Vilcabamba, in the district of Huanoquite, where this practice has been implemented to help conserve soil moisture and support plant survival.
We have also begun preparing new nurseries for the production of forest seedlings for the 2027 campaign. The incorporation of green manure and compost will be essential to improve production.

The project remains aligned with ten Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

MAIN OBJECTIVE:

The Project has as its main objective the eradication of rural poverty in the district through a comprehensive strategy that addresses the most relevant causes of rural poverty. To achieve this, the project focuses on environmental restoration, the improvement of human health, and the strengthening of cultural identity within families and communities.

Restoring eroded soils is not only possible, but essential. Although it is more challenging than intervening in earlier stages, the social, environmental, and economic benefits of rehabilitating degraded land make it a smart and necessary investment. By supporting this effort, you’re not just helping to heal the Earth — you're empowering communities, protecting biodiversity, and building a more sustainable future. Every contribution makes a real and lasting impact.

Our next steps:

Continue with field operations for the management and maintenance of nurseries.
Continue with the management and maintenance of forest plantations.
Strengthen forest fire prevention and control measures.
Prepare the planting plan for the 2026 forestry campaign.
Strengthen community capacities for the sustainable use of forest plantation by-products, including mushroom harvesting starting in December.
Continue with the certification process for the forest plantations.
Generate income for communities through the sale of carbon credits.
Continue strengthening community capacities in management and organizational development.

Help us with your donation to Planting Prosperity!

Thank you for your generosity and continued support. Together, we are creating a better.

BLESSINGS, TEAM PACHAMAMA RAYMI

Attachments:

Informe_Global_Giving___ayudarnos_a_cuidar_11_millones_de_rboles_en_Cusco__SEPTIEMBRE_2026.pdf (PDF)

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Jun 3, 2026
Help us to care of 11 millon trees in Cusco

By Ruth Soledad Bustamante Mamani | Help us to care of 11 millon trees in Cusco

Dear Donors,

Thank you for your continued generosity and commitment to rural communities in the Peruvian Andes. Your support is helping farming families restore degraded lands, strengthen their livelihoods, and build resilience to climate change.

We firmly believe that the future of our planet depends on the stewardship of smallholder farmers. Through their dedication, knowledge, and hard work, degraded landscapes can be transformed into productive ecosystems that benefit both people and nature.

Your Impact at a Glance

Thanks to your support, the project has achieved the following results:

2,129 farming families actively participating
39 rural communities involved
More than 2,800 hectares restored over the last three years
1.2 million trees planted during the 2025–2026 forestry campaign
More than 14 million trees planted since the beginning of Pachamama Raymi's restoration efforts
15 community nurseries established
2.5 million seedlings currently in production for future planting campaigns

These achievements are helping restore degraded soils, reduce erosion, improve water retention, increase biodiversity, and create new economic opportunities for rural families.

Progress During the 2025–2026 Forestry Campaign

The third forestry campaign was successfully completed in March 2026. During this planting season, participating families planted approximately 1.1 million trees across highland restoration areas in the districts of Accha, Ccapi, Ccapacmarca, Huanoquite, Omacha, and Paccaritambo in the Cusco region of Peru.

Following the planting season, georeferencing activities entered their final stage. These activities will allow us to accurately determine restoration areas, strengthen monitoring systems, support future certification processes, and facilitate the formal registration of forest plantations.

At the same time, preparations for the next forestry campaign are already underway through seedling production and nursery management activities carried out together with local communities.

Communities at the Center of Restoration

The success of this initiative is made possible by the active participation of local families and communities.

Throughout the year, we continued delivering technical training sessions, capacity-building activities, and coordination meetings to strengthen local leadership and ensure the long-term sustainability of restoration efforts.

Community participation remains one of the project's greatest strengths. Local knowledge, collective action, and a strong sense of ownership are essential to maintaining and protecting restored areas for future generations.

Restoration Creating Economic Opportunities

One of the most encouraging developments has been the growing use of forest by-products, particularly pine mushrooms.

Participating families have become increasingly interested in harvesting and marketing pine mushrooms, which provide an additional source of income while encouraging the sustainable management of restored forests.

In the district of Ccapi, communities generated approximately PEN 30,000 (around USD 8,700) from pine mushroom harvesting and sales during the most recent season. To support this activity, model drying units were installed and training was provided on proper harvesting and post-harvest practices.

These results demonstrate that ecosystem restoration can simultaneously generate environmental and economic benefits for rural families.

Challenges and Lessons Learned

As restoration activities expand, we continue learning and improving our practices.

Field assessments and georeferencing activities highlighted the importance of reinforcing compliance with the project's technical planting standards, particularly maintaining the recommended spacing of 4.5 x 4.5 meters between trees and protecting restored areas from livestock grazing.

In addition, the mountainous terrain and steep slopes reduce the effective restoration area available for planting.

Due to the high-altitude conditions in the project area, average tree mortality remains relatively low at approximately 5% per hectare. Among the species planted, Pinus radiata continues to demonstrate the strongest adaptation and growth performance.

To address potential risks, we continue implementing preventive measures against droughts, forest fires, livestock damage, and other threats that could affect plantation survival.

Understanding and Restoring Degraded Ecosystems

Restoring degraded ecosystems requires both scientific understanding and community action.

Our restoration planning process continues to include:

Mapping and identification of degraded areas.
Ecosystem assessment and diagnosis using the Pachamama Raymi methodology.
Identification of reference ecosystems.
Consultation and collaboration with local stakeholders.

This approach helps ensure that restoration activities respond to local environmental conditions while meeting community needs and priorities.

Looking Ahead

While significant progress has been achieved, much work remains ahead.

Our next priorities include:

Completing the georeferencing of all planted areas.
Advancing the certification of forest plantations.
Creating future income opportunities through carbon credit generation.
Continuing to strengthen community management and organizational capacities.
Expanding restoration efforts in partnership with local governments and participating communities.

A Shared Vision for the Future

The ultimate goal of this project is to reduce rural poverty through environmental restoration, improved well-being, and stronger community resilience.

Restoring degraded lands is not only an environmental necessity—it is an investment in people, livelihoods, and future generations. Every tree planted contributes to healthier ecosystems, stronger communities, and greater opportunities for families living in vulnerable rural areas.

Thank you for making this work possible. Together, we are restoring landscapes, creating opportunities, and building a more sustainable future for the communities of Cusco.

With gratitude,

The Pachamama Raymi Team

Links:

Pictures files

Attachments:

Informe_Global_Giving___ayudarnos_a_cuidar_11_millones_de_rboles_en_Cusco__MAYO2026.pdf (PDF)

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Jan 28, 2026
Help us to take care of 11 million trees in Cusco

By Ruth Soledad Bustamante Mamani | Help us to take care of 11 million trees in Cusco

Estimados donantes,

Queremos expresar nuestra sincera gratitud por su continuo apoyo a las familias campesinas. Reafirmamos nuestra convicción de que el futuro del planeta está en manos de las familias campesinas. Este proyecto continúa generando importantes beneficios ambientales, económicos y sociales para las comunidades rurales.

Actualmente, el alcance geográfico de implementación abarca 38 comunidades rurales ubicadas en los distritos de Huanoquite, Omacha, Accha, Ccapi, Ccapacmarca y Paccaritambo, en la región Cusco, Perú. Desde octubre de 2025, incorporamos el distrito de Paccaritambo, ampliando así el alcance y el impacto del proyecto.

Actualmente nos encontramos en la tercera campaña forestal (diciembre de 2025 – febrero de 2026). Durante esta fase, nos centramos en la plantación y el mantenimiento de árboles, así como en la implementación continua de medidas para mitigar riesgos potenciales como sequías, incendios forestales y daños causados por animales, entre otros.

Aún queda un largo camino por recorrer, con mucho que aprender y construir juntos con las comunidades participantes y los gobiernos locales.

Progreso alcanzado (hasta enero de 2026)

Tercera campaña forestal: actualmente las comunidades están realizando actividades de plantación y nuestro equipo está brindando orientación y apoyo técnico durante todo el proceso.
La extracción de plantas se realiza con el apoyo de los miembros de la comunidad, quienes reciben un jornal por su trabajo. Su participación es esencial, ya que también contribuye a fortalecer sus conocimientos sobre el manejo adecuado de viveros y las prácticas de plantación.
Evaluación de supervivencia de plantaciones: hemos realizado evaluaciones del establecimiento de plantaciones de años anteriores, obteniendo una tasa de supervivencia promedio del 70%, lo cual es muy positivo considerando las condiciones adversas en que se encuentran las plantaciones.
Capacitación comunitaria: Hemos realizado capacitaciones con las comunidades en prevención de riesgos y gestión forestal.
Aprovechamiento de subproductos: Junto con las comunidades, hemos iniciado la comercialización de hongos de pino. Las familias están muy motivadas debido al alto valor que este producto alcanza actualmente en el mercado. Hemos instalado unidades de secado modelo y brindado capacitación sobre prácticas adecuadas de cosecha.
Nuevos viveros: Instalamos nuevos viveros para la campaña forestal 2026, siempre con la participación de las comunidades. La participación activa de la comunidad es esencial para lograr los objetivos del proyecto, ya que su conocimiento del territorio, su compromiso y su apropiación de los procesos garantizan la sostenibilidad y el impacto a largo plazo de las acciones implementadas.

El análisis del ecosistema degradado requiere mucha investigación y acción. Nuestro análisis de la degradación del ecosistema sigue estos pasos:
- Mapeo e identificación de áreas degradadas en las comunidades.
- Diagnóstico y selección de la Metodología Pachamama Raymi.
- Identificación del ecosistema de referencia.
- Consulta con actores locales.

El proyecto sigue alineado con diez Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS ).

OBJETIVO PRINCIPAL:

El objetivo principal del Proyecto es erradicar la pobreza rural en el distrito mediante una estrategia integral que aborda las causas más relevantes de la pobreza rural. Para lograrlo, el proyecto se centra en la restauración ambiental, la mejora de la salud humana y el fortalecimiento de la identidad cultural en las familias y comunidades.

Restaurar suelos erosionados no solo es posible, sino esencial. Si bien es más complejo que intervenir en etapas anteriores, los beneficios sociales, ambientales y económicos de rehabilitar tierras degradadas lo convierten en una inversión inteligente y necesaria. Al apoyar este esfuerzo, no solo ayuda a sanar la Tierra, sino que también empodera a las comunidades, protege la biodiversidad y construye un futuro más sostenible. Cada contribución tiene un impacto real y duradero.

Nuestros próximos pasos:

Continuar la plantación y completar la campaña forestal.
Georreferenciar las áreas totales plantadas.
Proceder a la certificación de plantaciones forestales.
Generar ingresos económicos para las comunidades a través de la venta de créditos de carbono.
Continuar fortaleciendo las capacidades comunitarias en gestión y organización.

Gracias por su generosidad y continuo apoyo. Juntos, estamos construyendo un futuro mejor.

¡Ayúdanos con tu donación a Plantando Prosperidad!

Links:

PHOTOS OF THE 2025 FOREST CAMPAIGN

Attachments:

Help_us_to_take_care_of_11_million_trees_in_Cusco__January_2026.pdf (PDF)

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