[Theme of the month] May - Biodiversity - Ambassador report - Our Actions

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[Theme of the month] May - Biodiversity
by Anghy Aquino \| 13-05-2022 14:19 0
The valuable biodiversity of Lake Junin that was on the verge of disappearing Every body of water is a valuable ecosystem that harbors great biodiversity, therefore it should be respected and valued as a precious gift from nature which we need for our existence, something that unfortunately has not happened with Lake Junin in recent decades due to irresponsible mining companies, absent authorities, and disinterested population. This lack of action almost caused the extinction of many species that inhabit Lake Junin. Lake Junin also known as Lake Chinchaycocha is the second largest lake in Peru and is located at 4080 m.a.s.l. in the Junin region of Peru. This beautiful lake was declared a Ramsar site, a wetland of international importance, in 1997 due to its rich biodiversity. “Lake Junin” Junín y Pasco. ECOAN. (n.d.). Retrieved May 13, 2022, from https://www.ecoanperu.org/jp.html Lake Junin was home to hundreds of species of migratory birds, endemic batrachians, fish, and birds, so in order to protect this magnificent biodiversity, Lake Junin and its surroundings were declared a National Reserve in 1974. However, that was the only effort made by the authorities. They forgot all the work and dedication involved in protecting a National Reserve and abandoned the lake for many years during which reckless and supposedly formal mining companies used it to dump their tailings. In addition, the population's lack of knowledge about this valuable area contributed to the contamination of the lake through poor agricultural practices and burning of cattail reeds. All this caused the loss of valuable biodiversity, many species of migratory birds stopped visiting the lake and the populations of endemic species decreased dramatically, and it was even believed that some of them had become extinct, since no specimens were seen in the lake. “Contamination of Lake Junin”La agonía de un lago: Reserva Nacional de Junín al borde de la extinción. Panorama. Retrieved May 13, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnulGCs65dc&t=636s&ab_channel=Panorama “Contamination of Lake Junin” La agonía de un lago: Reserva Nacional de Junín al borde de la extinción. Panorama. Retrieved May 13, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnulGCs65dc&t=636s&ab_channel=Panorama “Consequences of Lake Junin contamination”La agonía de un lago: Reserva Nacional de Junín al borde de la extinción. Panorama. Retrieved May 13, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnulGCs65dc&t=636s&ab_channel=Panorama “Consequences of Lake Junin contamination”La agonía de un lago: Reserva Nacional de Junín al borde de la extinción. Panorama. Retrieved May 13, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnulGCs65dc&t=636s&ab_channel=Panorama In spite of all the impact generated by the contamination of Lake Junin, all these bad practices continued for a long time without anyone taking action. Fortunately, with the passing of time and the appearance of an environmental ministry in Peru, some institutions were created to protect the country's national reserves such as SERNANP (Servicio Nacional de Areas Naturales Protegidas por el Estado - National Service of Natural Areas Protected by the State). Thanks to this institution, it was possible to improve the state of Lake Junin, since it began to carry out awareness programs on the importance of national reserves (it taught the inhabitants of the areas surrounding the lake about all the benefits of lake conservation) and organize volunteer programs in the national reserves. In addition, the Ministry of Environment organized and implemented the Chinchaycocha Sustainable Environmental Management Plan (a set of environmental, economic, social, and cultural actions and programs) to contribute to overcoming the lake's contamination. Thanks to all these initiatives, the condition of Lake Junin improved somewhat and its biodiversity was observed again, although not in the same quantities as before. SERNANP poster. Retrieved May 13, 2022, from https://twitter.com/sernanp/status/1270402582964551685 Administrative headquarters of SERNANP in Junin. Retrieved May 13, 2022, from Google Maps Despite all the efforts, the lake's contamination has not ceased, it still persists, but no longer on a large scale as before. Nonetheless, it should be recognized that thanks to these efforts, which are not enough since there is still much to be done, the extinction of the lake's endemic species could be avoided, among them, the Junin flightless grebe (Podiceps taczanowskii), the Junin rail (Laterallus tuerosi), the Lake Junin giant frog (Telmatobius macrostomus), the Three Orestias pupfish, and the catfish Trichomycterus oroyae. Unfortunately, some of these endemic species are seriously threatened and require the full attention of SERNANP to prevent their extinction, which at this rate is not impossible to happen in the coming years, as climate change and environmental problems that still persist in the area are contributing to their early extinction, which I hope with all my heart will never happen because it is one of my greatest dreams to be able to see the biodiversity of Lake Junin, especially two endemic species that I was told about in school and fell in love with when I heard their description, the Junin flightless grebe and the Lake Junin giant frog. “The Junin flightless grebe and the Lake Junin giant frog” Retrieved May 13, 2022, from https://www.ecoanperu.org/jp.html and https://www.canalipe.tv/noticias/ecologia/volvieron-las-ranas-gigantes-de-junin Reference materials: Dourojeanni, M. (2019, December 3). Lago Junín: Cinco Décadas de Descuido. SPDA Actualidad Ambiental. Retrieved May 13, 2022, from https://www.actualidadambiental.pe/lago-junin-cinco-decadas-de-descuido-escribe-marc-dourojeanni/ Reserva Nacional de Junín - Gobierno del Perú. (n.d.). Retrieved May 13, 2022, from https://www.gob.pe/institucion/sernanp/informes-publicaciones/1718889-reserva-nacional-de-junin Plan de Manejo Ambiental Sostenible Chinchaycocha 2017-2021 - Gobierno del Perú. (n.d.). Retrieved May 13, 2022, from https://www.gob.pe/institucion/minam/informes-publicaciones/2451-plan-de-manejo-ambiental-sostenible-chinchaycocha-2017-2021

Former E-gen Ambassador Anghy Aquino

4 Comments

Eco Generation

Eco Generation says :
Hello! Anghy!
Thanks for the good report!
Posted 29-06-2022 13:44

Chelwoon Mentor says :
Hello Anghy, this is your mentor Chelwoon.

Thank you for sharing stories from your local region. If the authorities ignored that the Lake Junin was destroyed, the farmers in that area would have paid the price for what they have done. However, I guess it was difficult for them to easily recognize that their work has affected the ecosystem around their farmlands. In this regard, the role of authorities is very important. They must not only take measures to deal with the environmental issues but also raise the awareness among people and prevent environmental problems by continuous monitoring.

Thank you for the article!

Regards,
Chelwoon

Posted 19-05-2022 11:25

Joon Mentor says :
Hello Anghy, this is your mentor Joon.

It is always sad to hear the new that such beautiful environment is facing hard time with pollution. Though I always say moving into an action is important, a person cannot move something into action if they do not have enough knowledge about it. On that perspective, spreading awareness of such issues is a crucial duty of a government authorities. It is good to hear that environmental ministry was set up so that it could deal with such problems. Hope the lake could keep its state, or get better, so that it could preserve its biodiversity.

Well read your article, and let's keep up!

Best,

Joon
Posted 15-05-2022 00:25

Shreya Kaushik