With human activities like deforestation driving the rise in greenhouse gas emissions, we’ve witnessed a spike in global temperatures. The earth’s temperature has been recorded as being 33.98°F (1.1°C) warmer than it was in the 1800s.
As a socially and environmentally conscious tour operating company committed to kicking climate change to the curb, we’ve invested our time and effort into reforestation initiatives and annual clean-up programmes within the Peruvian Andes
Driven by a passion to protect and preserve our planet starting from the uplands of Peru, we also seek to raise awareness on climate change and its catastrophic consequences among our local communities to inspire our Peruvian brothers and sisters into climate action.
‘Plant a tree, preserve our planet’
According to Global Forest Watch, Cusco lost 111 kha of its tree cover between 2001 and 2021, equivalent to 65.1Mt of CO₂e emissions.
Agriculture related forest fires were found to be the reason for 75% of Peru’s deforestation. These jaw-dropping numbers propelled us into action.
Through our ‘Plant a tree, preserve our planet’ project, we carry out reforestation efforts to restore the natural beauty and environmental integrity of Peru’s biodiverse forest landscape. Through this initiative, we are also dedicated to raising awareness among our local community of farmers on how to reduce the incidence of agriculture related forest fires in a bid to protect Peru’s forests.
Having done our research into the most effective methods of reforestation, we’ve focused our efforts on planting Polylepis trees (Queuña) using seeds, as they provide an abundance of ecological benefits. The Polylepis tree’s ability to trap fog increases its water retention capacity, increasing infiltration of water into the soil which in turn reduces soil erosion.
Up to date, we have planted 500 trees as part of our ‘Plant a tree, preserve our planet’ initiative. And, this year alone, we hope to plant 1,000 Polylepis trees for the benefit of the Quishuarani community in Cusco.
The reforestation of trees indigenous to the high Andes of Peru like Polylepis, which grow up to 9 – 13 m tall at elevations as high as 5,000 m / 16,404 ft. above sea level, is imperative to Peru’s fight against climate change as these species of trees, classified as evergreen, offer more than just increased tree cover of Peru’s landscapes but also the promise of ecological fortification and climate resilience through the process of photosynthesis
Through our ‘Plant a tree, preserve our planet’ initiative, we hope to plant 5,000 Polylepis trees by 2025.
With up to 1.5 million tourists visiting Machu Picchu every year, its pathways are littered with plastic bottles and other garbage, threatening the sanctity of the trails leading to the ancient Incan citadel which now lies on the verge of desecration.
As a company dedicated to preserving the natural beauty of the Andes of Peru, we organize annual clean-up drives during the off season between November and March to combat this social phenomenon with the aim of restoring the trails to their original, pristine state for the undisturbed enjoyment of tourists, local communities and future generations of Peru.
By choosing MACHU PICCHU EXCURSIONS to explore the great Andes of Peru, you choose to support and contribute to our social and environmental initiatives organized and implemented by our passionate team of guides, porters and chefs who are dedicated to preserving and protecting our wonderful Peru.