NEW: The Partnership Recovery of the Circuit of Four Lakes is mentioned in the UN Secretary General report to the 62nd Session of the General Assembly: Sustainable Mountain Development. (see Peru, page 7) - Report (Spanish) Peru pagina 7, Report (French) Perou page 8

The First Phase of the project received a grant from Rotary International. It consists of cleaning the waters and banks (over ground and underground) of Lakes Acopia and Pomacanchi. Environmental training of communities around these two lakes will take place while the work is being done. Acopia will be the first village where a new septic tank and laundry facilities will eventually be built.

The Rotary International Grant, which was received in August 2007, is being managed locally by Rotary Club del Cusco in cooperation with Yachay Wasi, Cusco which is implementing the work.

Project leader is Alberto Delgado Aaroz. Coordinator is Engineer E. David Perez Mercado. Environmental Biologist is Carla Zusunaga Palomino.

On 17 November 2007, Rotary Club del Cusco President Federico Alarco and past president Flavio Miraval met in Acopia with project coordinator E. David Perez Mercado and Yachay Wasi president Luis Delgado Hurtado, to inspect work accomplished. A positive review was given.

(Photo at left: Luis Delgado, Flavio Miraval, David Perez, Federico Alarco - Yachay Wasi office in Acopia, 17 November 2007)

(Photo at right: Federico Alarco, Luis Delgado, Flavio Miraval in front of Lake Acopia with Lake Pomacanchi in background, 17 November 2007)

First Phase Implementation: During the months of September, October and November 2007, solid waste was collected from the waters and banks of the lakes, also from discharge rivulets coming from the villages. This solid waste was collected in plastic bags and will be temporarily stores in a field.

This solid waste contains plastics and pharmaceutical discards, which must be recycled properly. Technical assistance is needed !

The Mayor of Acopia gave special support to the project with equipment and manpower.

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Environmental training took place with the communities in the villages near the lakes including Acopia, Santo Domingo and Huayrachapi. Some sessions involved the students of Acopia Secondary School.

On 23 November 2007, Yachay Wasi representatives met with Dr. Alejandro Soto Reyes of the Compania de Television Cusquena (CTC) who aired news of the project and of the beauty of the Circuit of four lakes on his Sunday show.

(Photo at left: Dr. Alejandro Soto Reyes, Luis Delgado Hurtado, Sandra Ramos Delgado, David Perez Mercado - 23 November 2007)

19 April 2007: UN Radio (Spanish) interview with Luis Delgado Hurtado, President of Yachay Wasi- Broadcast: El sueno de una organizacion indigena peruana es legar lagos sin contaminacion a la humanidad....

SOME BACKGROUND:

This environmental and educational project is geared to the recovery of the circuit of four lakes located in the province of Acomayo, in the department of Cuzco, in the Andes of Peru.

These lakes are Laguna Acopia near the village of Acopia - native village of Yachay Wasi president - , Lagunas Pampamarca and Asnacocha near the village of Mosoqllaqta, Laguna Pomacanchi near the village of Pomacanchi. The villagers and many smaller communities located near these lakes rely on these waters. There are 36 Indigenous communities living near these lakes with a 2002 estimated population of 25,518 inhabitants. The lakes are located at an altitude of 3600 meters.

The contamination of these lakes has been a growing problem over the past few years.

A study was funded and conducted by Yachay Wasi in August 2004.

Work accomplished:

Investigation of the extent of contamination of the lakes and of the impact on the environment in the area.

Evaluation of the various geographic spaces near the lakes to determine the areas most contaminated.

Seven Laboratory tests were performed on the waters of Lake Acopia (near banks and center of lake).

During the field work accomplished around the four lakes, coordination was realized with local mayors to establish prior and informed consent.

Conclusions of study point to the need to clean the lakes waters and banks of existing solid trash and to prevent further chemical contamination from modern detergents and pharmaceutical discards. Education of communities and establishment of adequate septic tanks and laundry facilities will be a substantial part of the project.

Report of Study and Lab results are available in Spanish and translated in English.

Project has the goal to clean the lakes waters and banks of these four lakes and to recover the biological diversity, flora and fauna representative of this important site; to educate and assist the communities on way to prevent future contamination, which will include building septic tanks and laundry facilities in some villages.

FUNDING Steps.

Budget available in Spanish and English