This campaign, started in 2008, was interrupted in Winter of 2014 when drought and high temperatures during the rainy season ruined 5,000 saplings owned by Yachay Wasi. The planting will resume during the Winter of 2016 and Yachay Wasi is counting on the generosity of world citizens once more.

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 High Altitude 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, had 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

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List of DONORS

Photo Left -First Stage: Acopia family on way to planting trees. This photo was shown in UNEP 2009 Annual Report pgs 34, 35

FIRST STAGE:

During the 2008/2009 rainy season, the first stage of the Campaign was implemented: 6,000 native trees were planted around the lake of Acopia and the villages of Acopia and Santo Domingo.

SECOND STAGE:

6,350 native trees were planted in Second stage which took place in January 2010.

THIRD STAGE:

7,435 native trees were planted in February 2011.

FOURTH STAGE:

3,490 native trees were planted in February 2012

Yachay Wasi was a Partner in

UNEP Billion Trees Campaign

The Billion Tree Campaign was handed over on 7 December 2011 to the Plant for the Planet Foundation, a NGO in Germany.

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 was one of the reasons why Yachay Wasi joined UNEP Climate Neutral Network in 2008 which closed in 2011

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"

2011: Native Trees Planting in Peru Andes in UN SG Report

Yachay Wasi "Million Native Trees Campaign"in Peru Andes was mentioned in the United Nations Secretary-General Report on SUSTAINABLE MOUNTAIN DEVELOPMENT (Doc. A/66/294 pg 12 dated 11 August 2011) Informe del Secretario General (pg.13)

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

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