Expedition

Peru Expedition 2024

We’ve been visiting our conservation areas in Peru and are sending our regards from the rainforest!

In March, we were finally able to visit our conservation areas in Peru again! And we’re really impressed by everything that’s taking shape there, and how the projects and the organisation are continuing to develop!

But do take a look for yourself:

Group of people gathered in an open-air wooden pavilion surrounded by tropical forest for a workshop or meeting.
The teams from WI Germany and WI Peru engaged in an intensive and fruitful exchange.
Aerial view of boats moored between reddish water and dense forest with golden and green canopy.
Our jetty on the Tambopata River – from there we head to the Secret Forest Research Station.
Reddish-brown ape hanging from branch surrounded by lush green leaves in forest canopy.
The howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata) are already there too. 
Man wearing yellow backpack standing on muddy riverbank beside boat with canopy and forest in background.
Following heavy rainfall, the banks of the Tambopata were still damp and muddy.
A peccary walks along a rocky riverbank surrounded by grass and reeds in its natural habitat.
The lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris) on the riverbank is not bothered by this.
Tourists boarding boats with large coloured canopies at a riverbank, surrounded by lush green vegetation.
The steep embankment also proved a challenge when the solar panels for our new forest rangers’ station arrived.
Aerial view of a rural area with solar panels, a green-roofed structure, and vegetable crops surrounded by trees.
The large panels, which we have the Audi Environmental Foundation to thank for, now form the roof of the new green classroom currently under construction.
Young man showing beekeepers a honeycomb frame outdoors with green forest backdrop.
During our expedition, we visited the agroforestry trial site and Bruno, our forest guardian, showed us the current progress of our beekeeping project.
Beekeeper in dark green shirt examining yellow honeycomb frame covered with bees outdoors
Bruno is our bee expert. His knowledge has been passed down through the generations in his family – there is no training centre for beekeeping in Peru.
Beekeeper holds a honeycomb frame covered with hundreds of honeybees clustered on hexagonal cells.
We are investigating which plants attract bees and whether they produce enough honey – to help local people use beekeeping as a source of income.

Joining us on our journey halfway around the world were team members from our longest-standing partner, the Dresden-based tour operator DIAMIR. Once there, they saw our work for themselves and visited the forest they have been protecting for over four years.

Fabian Kahl, known from the TV programme “Bares für Rares”, and his partner Yvonne were also part of the trip. The jewellery and antiques experts accompanied us to our conservation areas and looked over our shoulders – and those of the researchers from Fauna Forever – as we went about our daily work. Together with his community, Fabian will also be supporting us in the future with the protection of the Peruvian rainforest, and will be raising awareness on his social media channels about issues such as the consequences of gold mining in the rainforest and environmental destruction.

Together, we were able to admire the initial progress made in our recently launched agroforestry projects and even lent a hand with the planting ourselves. We also got to know the new members of our forest guardian team, who work tirelessly every day to protect the forests. 

Two people examine corn plants in a field while recording observations in a notebook.
We then measured the plants growing on our trial plot and assessed how well they were growing in each environment.
Bearded man in cowboy hat completing a clipboard form in an agricultural field with lush green trees in background.
Every step is documented by Šimon, our agroforestry coordinator.
Two smiling people crouching beside a seedling in a vegetable garden.
Fabian Kahl and his partner Yvonne also lent a hand with the planting. Once the work was done, each of the volunteers was allowed to give one of the plants a name.
Person holding several seedlings with green foliage in black planting pots at a garden nursery.
Mona, however, only had eyes for one plant: her beloved coffee!
Team of volunteers celebrating a tree-planting initiative in a forest, holding up seedlings with dirt-covered roots.
Together with Gabriela, our botany coordinator, we planted young açai palms – the fruit of which is known as a superfood.
Small brown lizard being measured with a ruler held by two people's hands.
Research continues apace even at night, for example as part of the caiman transect, which is studying population trends among the three native species of caiman. 
Woman wearing headband working outdoors at wooden table with laptop and mobile device in lush garden.
Sometimes the rainforest even becomes an office – for Marie, for example, when she’s analysing the data from the audio sensors that help us monitor the bird population.
Man with open mouth juggling black fruits in lush tropical greenhouse setting with green foliage.
Of course, there’s no shortage of fun either – for example, when Dr Chris Kirkby shows us his secret talent with Brazil nuts.
Hiker with green backpack running on muddy trail through tropical rainforest with other hikers in background.
Many of our research projects take us deep into the Secret Forest.
Person walking through lush jungle trail surrounded by towering trees, dense green foliage, and fallen logs.
It’s easy to get lost amongst the thousands of shades of green.

Whilst we were there, work also began on building a solar power station! Thanks to support from the Audi Environmental Foundation, the Secret Forest Research and Forest Guardian Station now finally has self-sufficient energy. This means no more having to transport petrol for kilometres from the city, and no more noisy generators! 

And finally, we spoke with the scientists from the Tambopata Research Centre about their macaw research and conservation project to explore the possibility of collaboration. 

As you can see, there are lots of things in the pipeline or already underway. So 2024 is definitely going to be just as exciting as last year! And the next expedition is already just around the corner... 

Overhead view of a large group of approximately 50 people posing on green grass with raised hands.

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