The Parijaro Community joins Cool Earth
The community of Parijaro in the Ashaninka region of Peru has experienced loggers closing in on their pristine rainforest, rather than lose the land to deforestation, they've chosen to join forces with Cool Earth and protect it.
Parijaro, which means "waterfall" in Ashaninka, is located where a river plunges over A 900ft single drop gathering in a semicircular amphitheathre below. This is Peru's 2nd largest waterfall. The community lives near the base. The village is comprised of some 60 to 70 families living in scattered clusters of extended family households. There is a small school which has only been going a few years which Cool Earth will help to develop. Their forest is dissected by deep river gullies and rocky ravines. Sometimes in the dry season, for ease of fishing, they live down on the beaches of the Rio Cutivireni. In the rainy season they tend to live higher up on plateaux where their coffee gardens are mostly found.
In 2004, Ecotribal, Cool Earth's partners on the ground, visited the Parijaro village for the first time and have forged a strong relationship with the community.
Cool Earth and Ecotribal will now work with the community to organise an infrastructure to protect the rainforest from logging and any illegal activity. Projects which work in harmony with the rainforest, such as improving their coffee production will also be progressed along with education and other forms of sustainable income.
An extraordinary history: The Parijaro Community
The community lived for 14 years in exile, returning to their original territory by the Parijaro waterfall in 2002. Between the early 1990's and then, the village had sought refuge from terrorist attacks in the neighbouring, but distant, Urubamba valley. Airlifted out from a tiny airstrip while under siege from Shining Path rebels, the community escaped certain death in a spectacular fashion, carving out the emergency airstrip with bare hands and machetes. Returning to the upper Cutivireni valley in 2002, they were at first part of the Cutivireni wider community, as an Annex; then, formed a separate community taking into their territory a section of the Ashaninka Communal Reserve which buffers the Otishi National Park. All three territories meet at the Parijaro waterfall, which is also home to scores of colourful macaws.
Being higher up the Cutivireni valley, the community of Parijaro live in a cloud forest eco-niche. At over 1000m, their gardens are growing good coffee, though the plants are still young. The community decided to partner Cool Earth in protecting this area of rainforest following the success of the Cutivireni project in the neighbouring community. Keep checking the website for further updates.
