Alto Mayo Protection Forest

Description

The Alto Mayo Protection Forest is an area of protected forest land in the Yungas of northern Peru. It is situated in the departments of San Martín, in the Yorongos, Rioja, Elías Soplín Vargas, Nuevo Cajamarca districts, and in the Rioja and Moyobamba provinces.

Created in 1987, the protected area covers 1,820 square kilometres (450,000 acres) of forest land along the upper Mayo River basin (Between 77°4553 - 77°1217 W longitude and 5°2304 - 6°1056 S latitude.)

It was decided to create this controlled area so that the natural fauna (for instance, the Yellow-tailed Woolly Monkey (Lagothrix flavicauda/Oreonax flavicauda) and the Cock-of-the-rock (Rupícola peruviana)) and flora (dense rainforest and numerous species of orchid) did not go out of existence. There was also the intention of guaranteeing the normal supply of water for human, agricultural and industrial consumption in other parts of the region.

The Yantalo District, 12 km (7.5 mi) from Moyobamba is 18 minutes from Moyobamba and is the entrance to the most beautiful forest on the shores of the Rio Mayo. Yantalo is also the center of the Yantalo Peru Foundation, devoted to improve the health and educational conditions of the local population of about +3000 persons. On April 14, 2008 the Ground Breaking ceremony for the Clinica Adelina Soplin took place. This facility will have 16 beds and its main feature will be internet consultations with Peruvian and international medical schools [telemedicine].

Since 2005 and as of JUL'08, eight medical /dental /educators missions have gone to Yantalo from Canada, United States and Peru! The Peruvian American Medical Society is very active with the Foundation and its members are alos providing medical services to the Community.

By 2009, the school of 600 kids in Yantalo will be connected to internet via satellite. Hughes representatives in Peru made a significant financial contribution to the Foundation. The satellite system will be installed in the Clinic upon completion.