Deforestation in Pasco generated losses of up to US$1.750 million

Deforestation in Pichis-Palcazú valley, located in the Department of Pasco, has generated losses of between 811 and 1,750 million dollars over the last 30 years, according to the study “Economic analysis of activities causing deforestation in Pichis-Palcazú” presented today by the Minister of the Enrivonment, Antonio Brack Egg, and the representative of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime for Ecuador and Perú, Flavio Mirella.

This figure would represent the revenue Perú did not get as a consequence of not harvesting wood products in a sustainable way, and was calculated through an analysis of satellite images from years 1986, 1993 and 2007, as well as a quantification of the level of deforestation over an area of 1,364,970 hectares. “The study shows the losses resulting from logging forests irrationally with inefficient activities. Nowadays, bearing in mind climate change and biodiversity conservation, what we have to do is protect our forests and generate wealth while keeping them standing” said Brack in a statement recorded by the Andina agency. Brack added that they will seek to implement activities that allow the recovery of the productivity in those areas that have already been deforested.