Yachay Wasi is continuing its Campaign of planting a Million Native Trees in the Circuit of Four Lakes at an altitude of 3,600 meters (11,800 feet) in the Peruvian Andes. The Third Stage of Native Trees Planting took place during the rainy season in January and February 2011.

The CIRCUIT OF FOUR LAKES is a beautiful area located in the provinces of Acomayo and Canas in the department of Cusco, Peru. The lakes are Lagunas Acopia, Pomacanchi, Mosoqllacta (Asnacocha) and Pampamarca.

This reforestation near the Indigenous communities who live around these lakes is being monitored and will be sustained in the future by the women’s associations in the villages of the districts of Acopia, Mosoqllacta, Pomacanchi and Pampamarca.

This Campaign of planting a Million Native Trees is a necessary outgrowth of a Sustainable Development project in the same area begun in August 2004 by an Environmental study funded by Yachay Wasi.

Yachay Wasi completed in February 2008 the First Phase of this Environmental project RECOVERY OF THE CIRCUIT OF FOUR LAKES with the financial assistance of Rotary International, Australia, USA and Cusco, Peru. This Water and Sanitation project, registered as a Partnership for Sustainable Development with the UN Commission on Sustainable Development, has the goal to stop the contamination of the waters and banks of these lakes from modern chemicals, plastics, pharmaceutical discards... and to instruct the Indigenous communities residing near the lakes how to preserve the environmental health and biodiversity of this area.

The Native Trees, which have been selected by local Biologists, are:

100,000 units each of Chachacomo, Qeuña, Qolle, Kiswar, Molle, 50,000 units each of Sauco, Sauce and 400, 000 units of other species.

CHACHACOMO, of the Family: Grossuliaraceae

Scientific name: Escallonia Resinosa

Small Tree: Height 2-10 meters with trunk of 10-30 cm in diameter,

with small white flowers (July - September) and fruits (September - October)

Habitat: Dry forest formations at 2000 - 4500 meters

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QOLLE, of the Family: Buddlejaceae

Scientific name: Buddleja coriacea

Small Tree: Height 2 - 8 meters with trunk of 15-60 cm in diameter,

with small orange flowers (January - July) and fruits (May - July)

Habitat: 3000 - 5000 meters

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QEUNA, of the Family: Rosaceae

Scientific name: Polylepis incana

Small Tree: Height 4 - 8 meters with trunk of 20-40 cm in diameter,

with small greenish flowers (May - November) and fruits (November - January)

Habitat: 2000 - 5000 meters

SLIDE SHOW

FIRST STAGE: 6,000 native trees were planted in Jan. - Feb. 2009, during the rainy season

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SECOND STAGE: 6,350 native trees were planted in January 2010, during the rainy season

Location and Photos of Second Stage

Yachay Wasi is a Partner in

UNEP Billion Trees Campaign

Quote from Mr. Achim Steiner, United Nations Under-Secretary-General, and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP): "The Billion Tree Campaign is delighted to partner with Yachay Wasi. This initiative will assist in conserving the health of vast fresh water lakes which support communities and wildlife alike. The economic and environmental imperative to restore lost and damaged ecosystems from forests and freshwater to mangroves and wetlands can no longer be ignored if we want growth through job generation and poverty alleviation, all of which are so needed to deliver sustainability in the 21st century." (July 2010)

The Native Trees Campaign is one of the reasons why Yachay Wasi joined UNEP Climate Neutral Network

Yachay Wasi was featured in INDIAN COUNTRY TODAY in March 2009: "Planting one million trees for life in Peru - Incan descendants clean up Mother Earth"

Yachay Wasi is reaching out to world citizens to contribute

$1.00 per tree

Donations will receive a US Tax Exempt receipt by USPS mail

A US personal check or an International money order can also be sent to

Yachay Wasi, Inc., 708 West 192nd Street # 6B, New York, NY 10040

List of DONORS

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