Forest Protection through Land Titling for 60 Indigenous Communities

Objective

To secure the land rights of 60 indigenous communities in the Loreto region, ensuring the legal protection and sustainable management of 280,000 hectares of Amazonian forest.

Context and challenges

Indigenous territories in the Peruvian Amazon face increasing threats from illegal logging, mining, and agricultural expansion. Although Peruvian law recognizes ancestral rights, many communities lack formal land titles due to a lack of state resources. Without legal ownership, these populations remain vulnerable to land invasions and are unable to access essential public services or formalize their role as forest guardians.

Why it matters

Securing land tenure is the most effective way to prevent deforestation, as indigenous-managed lands historically show the highest rates of conservation. Legal titling provides a foundation for community autonomy, allowing inhabitants to defend their borders legally, access state education and health programs, and eventually participate in carbon credit markets to fund long-term environmental stewardship.

Areas of actions

• Land Titling and Demarcation: Conducting technical field surveys, soil classification, and administrative filings to obtain official property titles from the Public Registry.
• Institutional Strengthening: Providing training and technical support to help communities manage their internal governance, update official documentation, and interface with state institutions.
• Environmental Protection: Establishing community monitoring committees and formalizing local management plans to ensure the long-term preservation of biodiversity and ancestral resources.

Nouvelle Planète

Nouvelle Planète is a Zewo-certified Swiss foundation founded in 1986. It supports rural populations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America through a partnership-based approach that promotes autonomy and environmental respect. For this project, it works with CEDIA, a local expert organization with 30 years of experience that has successfully helped titling over 350 communities, protecting an area of forest equivalent to the size of Switzerland.