Requena. Thanks to the coordinated work of various public and private institutions, 25 members of the surveillance committees of the Tapiche and Blanco river basins, in the Loreto region; They are now community forest custodians and were part of the "First Workshop on Community Monitoring, Control and Surveillance of the National Forest Heritage for the Sustainable Management of the Community Forests of the Tapiche and Blanco Landscape".
The activity served to strengthen the capacities and knowledge of the members of the committees, so that they can continue working for the defense and protection of the natural resources of the areas in which they live. In addition, they were given the formal accreditations that recognize them as community forest custodians.
Elisbán Ochoa, regional governor of Loreto delivered the credentials and, in turn, provided the participants with a communal surveillance kit consisting of vests, machetes, boots, hoods and flashlights.
The Regional Management of Forestry and Wildlife Development (GERFOR), the Federation of Communities of the Tapiche and Blanco Rivers (FECORITAYB) and the Center for the Development of the Amazonian Indigenous (CEDIA); They were in charge of organizing this activity that took place in the city of Requena on November 30 and December 1 and 2.
Other institutions such as the National Service of Natural Areas Protected by the State (SERNANP), the Regional Production Directorate (DIREPRO), the National Forest Conservation Program (PNCB), were present as speakers; sharing with the participants various control and surveillance mechanisms that each institution has; according to their competences.
Sixto Luna, community specialist of the Technical Unit for Forest Management and Wild Fauna (UTMFC); explained the functions and competencies that community forest custodians will now have; as well as the procedures for an intervention to offenders.
Finally, the participants designed their own surveillance plans, which will help them to initiate actions to protect the basins of the Tapiche and Blanco rivers. It should be noted that during the workshop the use of masks, alcohol and physical distancing were mandatory, in order to respect all biosafety protocols to prevent COVID-19.