Growing at an altitude of 5,000 meters above sea level, polylepis is the highest living plant in the world, possessing the ability to absorb and retain water from clouds and melting snow, which it slowly releases through the porous moss covering the trees, thus providing spring water and the upper reaches of the Amazon River.
In the past, polylepis covered vast areas. However, after hundreds of years of deforestation and infrastructure development, its coverage has now shrunk to just 500,000 hectares (equivalent to 1 – 10% of its original area), leading to the degradation of the native ecosystem and the loss of polylepis’ role as a natural barrier against flooding and erosion. The water security of millions of people living at the foot of the Andes is also threatened.
Having indigenous Quechua grandparents, biologist Constantino Aucca Chutas from Peru feels a duty to protect the land of his ancestors and the residents living there.
“I grew up near rivers and loved watching the magnificent flora and fauna. I told myself it would be wonderful to pass all of this on to future generations,” Chutas shared with CNN.
In 2018, he co-founded Accíon Andina, a joint initiative between two non-profit organizations: Global Forest Generation (USA) and Asociación Ecosistemas Andinos (Peru), aimed at restoring forests in the highlands and protecting local communities dependent on these forests. The work started in Peru and then expanded to Ecuador, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Colombia, with the ultimate goal of restoring 1 million hectares of Andean forest by 2045.
To date, Accíon Andina has planted over 10 million trees with the help of thousands of indigenous families. According to Chutas: “The first time we united along the Andes was under the Inca Empire. The second time we united to fight for independence. The third time we unite is for polylepis.”
Biologist Constantino Aucca Chutas – (Photo: CNN).
Pachamama
The Inca civilization dominated the Andes during the 15th and 16th centuries AD, worshipping Pachamama, or “Mother Earth.” The deep respect for nature ingrained in indigenous culture made the vulture, jaguar, and snake representations of heaven, earth, and the underworld of local beliefs.
Chutas states: “In Inca culture, they respected rivers, mountains, and the environment. They managed nature and lived in harmony with it. This is something we need to learn and practice.”
The people also believe in the concepts of Ayni and Minka – working together for the common good. Chutas is determined to revive these ideas to help save the forests in the highlands, which is why he reached out to the Quechua community for assistance.
Every year in the valleys around the city of Cusco, Accíon Andina organizes a tree-planting festival called Queunã Raymi. The event begins with ancestral rituals (dancing and music) to honor Pachamama. Then, people of all ages don traditional attire to bring polylepis seedlings up the mountains.
In return for their assistance, Accíon Andina provides medical support, installs solar panels for many villages, ensures legal land rights, and establishes protected forest areas that prohibit resource extraction.
Quechua community planting trees in the mountains – (Photo: CNN).
Working Together
This initiative is seen as a model for community-based conservation efforts and received the Champion of the Earth award from the United Nations in 2022.
According to Elizabeth Mrema, Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme: “This community-led forest restoration effort is an example of how people and communities can come together for nature, creating jobs and enhancing global conservation efforts. The ecological benefits of polylepis forests are immense. They prevent soil erosion, retain moisture, and keep rainwater, lichen, moss, and a host of other plants, playing a crucial role in water security.”
