Por: Alex Villanueva Spelucín, director ejecutivo de Foncreagro y Sheylla Sánchez Alvitres, coordinadora de Comunicaciones de Foncreagro.

Abstract

"Huella Verde" (Green Footprint) is an afforestation project implemented by Newmont Yanacocha and Foncreagro, an organization that has been implementing agricultural and forestry development projects since 1999. This initiative gives continuity to the experience implemented between 2000 and 2012, when more than 2 million pine trees and other native species were planted in Cajamarca.

Huella Verde focuses on afforesting rural areas with forestry potential where Newmont Yanacocha operates to enhance community development. Currently, 380 families have benefited and 564,300 pine, alder and capuli trees have been planted in 38 villages, covering a total of 513 hectares. The goal is to plant one million trees of timber and native species by 2025.

The intervention strategy includes the identification of areas and species to be planted, the production of seedlings, the design, preparation of the land and planting, followed by the monitoring of the plantations and accompaniment of the producers to ensure the sustainability of the stands formed and that they become generators of timber and non-timber products.

Additionally, silvopastoral systems have been installed and/or adapted, taking advantage of the areas within the plantations for planting improved pastures, expanding the grazing areas for dairy cattle. This is due to the micro-climatic advantages and soil improvement generated by the forests.

The 909 hectares of installed forests are expected to sequester a total of 22,688 tons of CO₂ by the 15th year after planting. In addition to generating economic benefits through the sale of mushrooms, with an approximate income of S/ 1'050,000 per year and S/ 65,448 for the sale of wood; benefits that go directly to improve the living conditions of rural families.

Taking into account that important changes are being experienced in global climate conditions, the Huella Verde project represents an alternative that, through afforestation and reforestation, will contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation, to biodiversity conservation and recovery, and at the same time will allow beneficiary families to improve their income.

In addition, in order to ensure the sustainability of the project, agreements are being established with various institutions: the regional government, the provincial municipality, district municipalities, Serfor, INIA, the National University of Cajamarca and the Peruvian Association of Engineers, with whom we seek to establish a forestry agenda to align strategies, avoid duplication and achieve the efficient use of resources, in order to achieve forestry development in the region and the country.