7 Communities Respond to Glacier Loss in Peru

Dear donors,
We are pleased to share with you a new report from our project "7 communities respond to glacier loss in Peru". During this reporting period (March-May 2024), the team has dedicated its efforts to coordinating actions to advance our glacier loss response project in Peru. Despite limitations in field activities, significant progress has been made in planning and managing future initiatives.

In previous reports, we have been able to share that significant progress has been made in the restoration of irrigation canals in the communities of Miraflores and Carania in the Nor Yauyos Cochas Landscape Reserve. These efforts lay a solid foundation for future interventions on the ground.

We have also established a valuable partnership with Dr. Kevin Lane, an affiliate member of Instituto de Montaña, for the formulation of a proposal for the restoration of an ancestral dam in Ancash -crucial for water storage in the region-. This proposal was submitted to the Watch 2025, a World Monuments Fund programme that links local heritage conservation with global awareness and local action, in order to gain support for its restoration and ensure a stable water supply for the community's agricultural activities.

It's worth noting that modern dams often experience frequent failures, either due to their vulnerability to earthquakes or their susceptibility to freezing, resulting in their failure, -sometimes as early as one year after construction-. On the other hand, ancestral dams that have been in operation for more than 500 years continue to function, albeit partially.

That is why recently, we met with specialists from the World Monuments Fund Peru office to present the proposal and share the progress made in the restoration of ancestral dams in the Ancash region. During this meeting, we highlighted the use of geospatial methods to identify and verify the viability of these structures, demonstrating our commitment to innovative and effective approaches.

Dr. Kevin Lane is currently on the ground, assessing and prioritising the ancestral dams to be intervened with the available funds. This work, which will begin in June 2024, represents a crucial step towards protecting water resources and strengthening the resilience of local communities in the face of climate change.

We are deeply grateful for your continued support to our project and commit to continue to report on our progress in future reports.