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Recovery of the Circuit of Four Lakes
[last updated March 31, 2009 3:57 AM]
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General Information
Partnership website(s) |
Expected TimeframeJanuary 2005 - May 2011 |
Partners
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Major Groups:
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| UN System:
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Other intergovernmental organizations:
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| Other:
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Thematic Focus
Primary Themes:
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Secondary Themes:
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Geographic Coverage
Geographic Scope: Local
Country(ies) where the partnership is being implemented: Peru |
National Focal Points
This partnership has not made any contact with the national focal points for sustainable development in the countries involved
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Goals and Objectives
Summary of the partnership's goals and objectives
Surging from a pressing environmental need, this Partnership was implemented by the Indigenous NGO Yachay Wasi (based in New York City, USA and in Cuzco, Peru) to assess and stop the growing chemical contamination of 4 Andean mountain lakes, one of them affecting the village of Acopia in Peru, birthplace of Luis Delgado Hurtado, Yachay Wasi co-founder and president, who now resides in Cuzco, Peru.
This environmental and educational project is geared to the recovery of the circuit of 4 lakes located in the provinces of Acomayo and Canas, Dept of Cuzco, in the Peruvian Andes (altitude: 3,600 meters (11,811 feet)). There are several Indigenous communities living near these lakes with a 2002 estimated population of 25,518 inhabitants.
Lakes are: Laguna Acopia near the village of Acopia, Lagunas Pampamarca and Asnacocha (Mosoqllaqta) near the village of Mosoqllaqta, Laguna Pomacanchi near the village of Pomacanchi.
The inhabitants of these respective Indigenous villages and many other smaller Indigenous communities rely on these waters. The contamination of these lakes has been a growing problem over the past few years. The lakes waters are not used for drinking, but the fish, a daily staple from these lakes, can become a potential health hazard.
The Project has the goal to clean the 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 ways to prevent future contamination, which will include recycling of solid waste, building/upgrading septic tanks and laundry facilities in some villages.
One way of recovering the biological diversity of this area was initiated in May 2008: planting Native Trees around lakes and communities.
This environmental and educational project is geared to the recovery of the circuit of 4 lakes located in the provinces of Acomayo and Canas, Dept of Cuzco, in the Peruvian Andes (altitude: 3,600 meters (11,811 feet)). There are several Indigenous communities living near these lakes with a 2002 estimated population of 25,518 inhabitants.
Lakes are: Laguna Acopia near the village of Acopia, Lagunas Pampamarca and Asnacocha (Mosoqllaqta) near the village of Mosoqllaqta, Laguna Pomacanchi near the village of Pomacanchi.
The inhabitants of these respective Indigenous villages and many other smaller Indigenous communities rely on these waters. The contamination of these lakes has been a growing problem over the past few years. The lakes waters are not used for drinking, but the fish, a daily staple from these lakes, can become a potential health hazard.
The Project has the goal to clean the 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 ways to prevent future contamination, which will include recycling of solid waste, building/upgrading septic tanks and laundry facilities in some villages.
One way of recovering the biological diversity of this area was initiated in May 2008: planting Native Trees around lakes and communities.
Targets and Progress
Partnership targetsThe STUDY was needed to accomplish the following:
- 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. - 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 detergents and pharmaceutical discards. - EDUCATION of communities and establishment of adequate septic tanks and laundry facilities will be a substantial part of the project. - FUND RAISING: Additional funding partners are needed to add to the grant received from Rotary International, Australia and Rotary Foundation, USA. The FIRST PHASE OF PROJECT which consisted of cleaning the waters and banks (over ground and underground) of Lake Pomacanchi, then Lake Acopia was accomplished from September 2007 thru February 2008. Environmental training of communities around these two lakes took place while the work is done. Fund Raising for PHASE 2 is ongoing. Campaign of One Million Native Trees in the Circuit of Four Lakes started in May 2008 as a request from local biologists who worked on the First Phase. |
Progress against targetsThe STUDY, funded by Yachay Wasi and led by its president, was conducted in August 2004. Report of Study and Lab results are available in Spanish and English. Photos and maps are also available.
In November 2004, a BUDGET PROPOSAL including various costs for entire project was prepared in Spanish in Cuzco, Peru and translated in NYC. Documents, including photographs are available on demand. FUND RAISING RESULT: A substantial Pledged Grant was confirmed by Rotary International District D9500, Australia in January 2005. A matching grant from Rotary Foundation, USA, was applied for in 2005. Matching grant for pledged grant was approved on 14 December 2006. The total amount of grant: $30,000 was received by Rotary Club del Cusco in August 2007. Rotary Club del Cusco will mete out the necessary funds to Yachay Wasi in Cuzco which will accomplish the work. START OF FIRST PHASE OF PROJECT: Work started in September 2007. Conclusion of First Phase: end of February 2008. OTHER FUND RAISING ATTEMPTS: Meetings have taken place with UNDP in NYC and in Lima, Peru in 2004, 2005. Several Foundations were contacted, including MacArthur and Kellogg Foundations in USA, without results. PRIOR AND INFORMED CONSENT was obtained by President of Yachay Wasi from mayors of Indigenous communities affected and from some local associations. PROMOTION: A Partnership for Sustainable Development was registered in March 2005 by Lead Partner Yachay Wasi in New York with the UN Commission on Sustainable Development and Yachay Wasi manned an Information Desk on 12 April 2005 during CSD-13, on 9 May 2006 during CSD-14 and on 7 May 2007 during CSD-15 at UN Hqrs in NYC. In 2007, the Recovery of the Circuit of Four Lakes Partnership was mentioned in the Report of the Secretary-General for Sustainable Mountain Development (Doc. A/62/292) and the Information to the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues from Department of Economic and Social Affairs, also in 2008 (Doc. E/C.19/2007/3/Add.6 and Doc. E/C.19/2008/4/Add.8). During CSD-16 in May 2008, Yachay Wasi manned an Information desk and had a Presentation on 12 May 2008 in UN Hqrs. In April 2008, Recovery of the Circuit of Four Lakes was selected as one of the Best practices for Sustainable Development by ECOSOC NGO Section and Yachay Wasi manned a 4-days display during the Hi-Level segment of ECOSOC Substantive Section in early July 2008 at UN Hqrs in NYC. PHASE 2 Fund Raising: attempts to obtain funding have not succeeded as of March 2009. MILLION NATIVE TREES: The First Stage was successfully completed during the rainy season of Jan-Feb 2009: planting 6,000 native saplings around Lake Acopia and communities of Acopia and Santo Domingo. Funding for this initiative is entirely paid for by the General Public at $ 1.00 per tree. Yachay Wasi is a Planting Partner of UNEP Billion Trees Campaign and has joined UNEP CN.Net network. It has 2 featured pages on these websites. |
Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer
Arrangements for Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer
- Education/building awareness
- Institutional strengthening, including local participation
The partnership, after obtaining prior and informed consent, intends to sensitize and create consultation with the Indigenous communities benefiting from Project in order to involve inhabitants as principal actors conscious of the preservation of their environment. The plan of empowerment and training will be accomplished starting from family cells, educative centers, clubs, civil authorities and military, through participative events jointly with civic action, as a major initial step in the implementation of the Project and periodic events in future.
Relationship to International Agreements on Sustainable Development
How the partnership contributes to the implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21, and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation
The partnership "Recovery of the Circuit of Four Lakes" contributes especially to the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation "Protection and managing the natural resource base of economic and social development" and other points as listed:
Relevant Sections of Agenda 21
Relevant Sections of Agenda 21
Promoting sustainable human settlement development; Managing fragile ecosystems: sustainable mountain development; Conservation of biological diversity; Protection of the quality and supply of freshwater resources: application of integrated approaches to the development, management and use of water resources; Environmentally sound management of solid wastes and sewage-related issues; Recognizing and strengthening the role of indigenous people and their communities; Promoting education, public awareness and training
Relevant Sections of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation Protection and managing the natural resource base of economic and social development ; Sustainable development in Latin America and the Caribbean; Participation of major groups
Coordination and Implementation
Coordination Mechanism of the PartnershipYachay Wasi in Cuzco, Peru (thru its Quechua speaking Indigenous President Luis Delgado Hurtado) coordinates between the Peruvian major groups: Asociacion de Pescadores del Circuito de Cuatro Lagunas, Communities of Acopia and Santo Domingo (officially thru their Mayor), Community of Pomacanchi (officially thru its mayor), Community of Mosoqllacta (officially thru its Mayor) and the Rotary Club del Cusco.
Yachay Wasi in New York City ( thru its UN Main Rep. Marie-Danielle Samuel) coordinates with Yachay Wasi in Peru and Rotary International District 9500 in Australia. Rotary International District 9500 in Australia coordinates with Yachay Wasi and the Rotary Club del Cusco, and Rotary Foundation, USA. |
Implementation Mechanism of the PartnershipThis partnership revolves around an environmental field project with Yachay Wasi as Project Leader:
Field work will be accomplished thru the leadership of Yachay Wasi in Peru in collaboration with the Asociacion de Pescadores del Circuito de Cuatro Lagunas. Prior and informed consent has been obtained from the Mayors of Acopia & Santo Domingo, Pomacanchi and Mosoqllacta to perform the field work in their respective districts. As the field work is going on, Yachay Wasi will organize educational and training sessions in the various communities affected by the lakes contamination in order to prevent this problem from recurring. The leadership of the Communities of Acopia, Pomacanchi and Mosoqllacta will assist Yachay Wasi in this endeavor during the project which affects their communities. Yachay Wasi in New York is conducting fund raising and promotion on an international level. Yachay Wasi in Cuzco, Peru has applied to 2 sectors of UNDP with no results. Rotary International District 9500 in Australia, now having secured the required assistance of Rotary Club del Cusco, has followed up with a matching grant application to Rotary Foundation in USA which was granted in December 2006. In accordance to RI rules, Rotary Club del Cuzco received funds in August 2007 from Rotary Foundation, manage these funds and meted them out to Yachay Wasi in Cuzco which implemented the work. |
Resources
Funding Currently AvailableAmount in US$: 41,775
Source(s): NGO - Other
$ 9,500 Donation from Yachay Wasi $15,000 Grant from Rotary International District 9500, Australia $15,000 Matching Grant from Rotary Foundation, USA $ 2,275 from General public |
Non-financial resources availableType(s): Staff
Source(s): NGO
Volunteers from NGO Yachay Wasi in Cuzco, Peru assist in implementation of work. Project leader, who is also President of Yachay Wasi, is donating his time to this project as Rotary Foundation stipulates that no amount of grant can be given to Yachay Wasi officers. Volunteers from NGO Yachay Wasi in New York, USA fund raise, promote and communicate. |
Funding SoughtRequired Amount in US$: 50, 000
Source(s) already approached: ADDITIONAL FUND RAISING started after the First Phase of Project was completed (February 2008):
BioLabs Foundation, USA - April 2008 - Denied SwissRE, Geneva, Switzerland - May 2008 (semi-finalist only - November 20008) Kyoto Water Prize 2009 - November 2008 (semi-finalist only - March 2009) Rotary District 9500, Australia (process started in February 2009) Others foundations are being contacted |
Non-financial resources soughtRequirement(s): Other
Technical assistance required to dispose of solid waste: plastic, pharmaceutical discards, etc...which is being removed from lakes water & banks and temporarily stored in a field. Source(s) approached and details:
UN-HABITAT UNESCO various sectors |
Additional Information
Additional Relevant Information
This project is being implemented in a rural area of the Peruvian Andes by a small Indigenous NGO Yachay Wasi based locally but also in USA, in consultative status with UN/ECOSOC and in Operational Relations with UNESCO, enabling contact on an International level. This NGO had the bounty to interest a major partner: Rotary International in Australia. The Project Leader, also NGO President, resides in Cuzco, speaks Quechua as he is of Inka heritage. He is native of one of the villages affected where he keeps a family home. He has demonstrated, over the past ten years, his concern for his people by carrying out the NGO smaller projects in this village and representing his people as UN meetings.
He has been able, after consultations, to obtain prior and informed consent from project beneficiaries who are also Indigenous and include local authorities. Project will be accomplished mostly by local Indigenous workers.
This scenario may be duplicated in other areas of the world where Indigenous peoples reside.
Progress in obtening funds has been slow: two years before first confirmed partial grant. A major problem in raising funds is that US foundations interested in environment do not readily fund to projects in Peru. Contact so far with UN Agencies has not been positive: UNDP/GEF/SGP; UN-Habitat (technical assistance); UNESCO World Water Assessment Programme.
He has been able, after consultations, to obtain prior and informed consent from project beneficiaries who are also Indigenous and include local authorities. Project will be accomplished mostly by local Indigenous workers.
This scenario may be duplicated in other areas of the world where Indigenous peoples reside.
Progress in obtening funds has been slow: two years before first confirmed partial grant. A major problem in raising funds is that US foundations interested in environment do not readily fund to projects in Peru. Contact so far with UN Agencies has not been positive: UNDP/GEF/SGP; UN-Habitat (technical assistance); UNESCO World Water Assessment Programme.