Huascarán National Park ( es, Parque Nacional Huascarán) is a

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...

vian national park that comprises most of the mountain range known as

Cordillera Blanca The Cordillera Blanca (Spanish for "white range") is a mountain range in Peru that is part of the larger Andes range and extends for between 8°08' and 9°58'S and 77°00' and 77°52'W, in a northwesterly direction. It includes several peaks ove ...

(the world's highest tropical mountain range) which is part of the central

Andes The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...

, in the region of

Ancash Ancash ( qu, Anqash; es, Áncash ) is a department and region in northern Peru. It is bordered by the departments of La Libertad on the north, Huánuco and Pasco on the east, Lima on the south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. Its capital i ...

. The park covers an area of 340,000 ha (ca. 3.400 km²) and is managed by the Peruvian Network of Protected Natural Areas: SERNANP (Servicio Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas). It was designated as a

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

in 1985 by

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

, is also a well-known mountaineering spot and harbors a unique biodiversity with plant species such as the Queen of the Andes, trees of the genera '' Polylepis'' and ''

Buddleja ''Buddleja'' (; ''Buddleia''; also historically given as ''Buddlea'') is a genus comprising over 140 species of flowering plants endemic to Asia, Africa, and the Americas. The generic name bestowed by Linnaeus posthumously honoured the Revere ...

'', and animals such as spectacled bears, condors, vicunas and tarucas. The park is approximately long from north to south and averages about in width. The western slope of the Cordillera Blanca drains to the

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the contin ...

via the

Santa River The Santa River ( es, Río Santa) is a river in the South American Andes mountain range in the Ancash Region of northwest central Peru. River Course Lake Conococha, at an altitude of 4,050 m above sea level and at , is considered the headwat ...

and the eastern slopes drain to the Marañon River, and ultimately to the Amazon River and the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

History

Official efforts to protect this area started in 1960, when Senator Augusto Guzmán Robles presented a bill to the Peruvian Congress for the creation of Huascarán National Park. In 1963, the Forestry and Hunting Service (''Servicio Forestal y de Caza'') presented a preliminary project for the delimitation of the Cordillera Blanca National Park, covering an area of 321,000 hectares. On February 18, 1966, a government resolution prohibiting the logging and hunting of native species in the area of the Cordillera Blanca was issued. Later that year, the Patronage of Huascarán National Park was formed in Yungay. In 1967, Curry Slaymaker and Joel Albrecht,

Peace Corps The Peace Corps is an independent agency and program of the United States government that trains and deploys volunteers to provide international development assistance. It was established in March 1961 by an executive order of President John F ...

volunteers, formulated delimitation proposal on an area of 85,000 hectares; and simultaneously, the Forest Regional Service of

Huaraz Huaraz () (from Quechua: ''Waraq'' or ''Waras'', "''dawn''"), founded as San Sebastián de Huaraz, is a city in Peru. It is the capital of the Ancash Region (State of Ancash) and the seat of government of Huaraz Province. The urban area's popul ...

established the

vicuña The vicuña (''Lama vicugna'') or vicuna (both , very rarely spelled ''vicugna'', its former genus name) is one of the two wild South American camelids, which live in the high alpine areas of the Andes, the other being the guanaco, which live ...

and queen-of the-Andes surveillance zone for an area of approximately 10,000 hectares. Finally, on July 1, 1975, Huascarán National Park was created by decree No. 0622-75-AG, with an extension of 340 000 hectares. Definite delimitation of Huascarán National Park was possible through the reversion of land to state control by means of compensated land expropriation. The park's boundaries avoided the inclusion of settlements when possible, but several communities continue to raise livestock, although park authorities try to regulate the practice. In 1977, UNESCO recognized Huascarán National Park as a

Biosphere Reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or ...

, which covers the

valley, well beyond the park's boundaries, encompassing many villages and towns. In 1985 the park was declared a

Three summits of Huandoy ^ Peru - panoramio

Geography

Huascarán National Park protects the Cordillera Blanca, which is the world's highest tropical mountain range. Located in the central Peruvian Andes, the park's 340,000 hectares cover an elevational range from around 2,500 m to the several snow-capped

peaks Peak or The Peak may refer to: Basic meanings Geology * Mountain peak ** Pyramidal peak, a mountaintop that has been sculpted by erosion to form a point Mathematics * Peak hour or rush hour, in traffic congestion * Peak (geometry), an (''n''-3)-d ...

above 6,000 m. Among those peaks are

Huascarán Huascarán () (Quechua: Waskaran), Nevado Huascarán or Mataraju is a mountain in the Peruvian province of Yungay ( Ancash Department), situated in the Cordillera Blanca range of the western Andes. The southern summit of Huascarán (Huascará ...

(Peru's highest at 6,768 m),

Huandoy Huandoy (probably from Quechua ''wantuy,'' to transfer, to transpose, to carry, to carry a heavy load) or Tullparaju (possibly from Quechua ''tullpa'' rustic cooking-fire, stove, ''rahu'' snow, ice, mountain with snow,) is a mountain located ins ...

, Copa,

Huantsán Huantsán, Huantsan (modern Quechua orthography: Wantsan) or Tunsho is a mountain in the Andes of Peru. It is located in Ancash Region and is part of the Cordillera Blanca mountain range, a sub-range of the Andes. It has four peaks, with a maxim ...

and many others. Other geographical features inside the park include:

U-shaped valley U-shaped valleys, also called trough valleys or glacial troughs, are formed by the process of glaciation. They are characteristic of mountain glaciation in particular. They have a characteristic U shape in cross-section, with steep, straight s ...

s, 660 tropical

glacier A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. It acquires distinguishing features, such as ...

s (the largest glaciated area in the tropics), 300 glacial lakes and high

plateau In geology and physical geography, a plateau (; ; ), also called a high plain or a tableland, is an area of a highland consisting of flat terrain that is raised sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side. Often one or more sides ...

s intersected by

ravine A ravine is a landform that is narrower than a canyon and is often the product of streambank erosion.creeks.

Climate

The climate in the park has two well defined seasons: a rainy season from December to March and a dry season from April to November. During the rainy season thunderstorms are frequent and the fields and mountain slopes are covered in many shades of green; however, the dry season brings sunshine almost every day and cloudless but cold nights. Daily temperatures in the rainy season can go from a maximum of to a minimum of ; while in the dry season the maximum can be and the minimum .

Ecology

Being the highest tropical mountain range in the world, the Cordillera Blanca boasts a variety of climates from subalpine to alpine and

tundra In physical geography, tundra () is a type of biome where tree growth is hindered by frigid temperatures and short growing seasons. The term ''tundra'' comes through Russian (') from the Kildin Sámi word (') meaning "uplands", "treeless mou ...

. The valleys and mountain slopes are covered with scattered high Andean forests and

puna grassland The puna grassland ecoregion, of the montane grasslands and shrublands biome, is found in the central Andes Mountains of South America. It is considered one of the eight Natural Regions in Peru,Pulgar Vidal, Javier: Geografía del Perú; Las Oc ...

Fauna

More than 120 bird species have been reported in this area including the

Andean condor The Andean condor (''Vultur gryphus'') is a giant South American Cathartid vulture and is the only member of the genus ''Vultur''. Found in the Andes mountains and adjacent Pacific coasts of western South America, the Andean condor is the larg ...

, the

torrent duck The torrent duck (''Merganetta armata'') is a member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae. It is the only member of the genus ''Merganetta''. It is placed in the shelduck subfamily Tadorninae after the "perching duck" assemblage to which ...

, the puna tinamou, the brown pintail, the

Andean crested duck The Andean crested duck (''Lophonetta specularioides alticola'') is one of two subspecies of the crested duck. It is much rarer than its sibling subspecies, the Patagonian crested duck. Description The Andean crested duck is a medium-sized du ...

, the

giant hummingbird The giant hummingbird (''Patagona gigas'') is the only member of the genus ''Patagona'' and the largest member of the hummingbird family, weighing and having a wingspan of approximately and length of . This is approximately the same length as ...

, the yanavico, the white-tufted grebe, the giant coot, the chiguanco thrush and the Andean gull. More than ten species of mammals have been observed in the park, several of them

endangered An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and in ...

, including the colocolo, the Andean mountain cat, the spectacled bear, the taruca deer, the

, the

white-tailed deer The white-tailed deer (''Odocoileus virginianus''), also known as the whitetail or Virginia deer, is a medium-sized deer native to North America, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru and Bolivia. It has also been introduced t ...

, the puma, the

northern viscacha The northern viscacha (''Lagidium peruanum'') is a species of viscacha, a rodent in the family Chinchillidae. It is known from Peru and Chile, at elevations from 300 to 5000 m, and may also be present in Bolivia. Description The northern visca ...

, the

long-tailed weasel The long-tailed weasel (''Neogale frenata''), also known as the bridled weasel, masked ermine, or big stoat, is a species of mustelid distributed from southern Canada throughout all the United States and Mexico, southward through all of Central A ...

, the hog-nosed skunk and the Andean fox.

Flora

Some 779 plant species have been identified inside the park, the queen of the Andes (''Puya raimondii'') being one of the most representative and an object of conservation. Other plant species present in the park are: '' Polylepis racemosa, Escallonia resinosa,

Alnus acuminata ''Alnus acuminata'' is a species of deciduous tree in the Betulaceae family. It is found in montane forests from central Mexico to Argentina.Zuloaga, F. O., O. N. Morrone, M. J. Belgrano, C. Marticorena & E. Marchesi. (eds.) 2008. Catálogo de la ...

, Senna birostris, Vallea stipularis,

Lupinus ''Lupinus'', commonly known as lupin, lupine, or regionally bluebonnet etc., is a genus of plants in the legume family Fabaceae. The genus includes over 199 species, with centers of diversity in North and South America. Smaller centers occur ...

'' spp''.,

Vaccinium floribundum ''Vaccinium floribundum'', commonly known as mortiño or Andean blueberry, is a slender shrub that grows in the northern Andes in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela at elevations from . It can reach high or it can be dwarf and prostr ...

, Calamagrostis vicunarum, Festuca dolichophylla, Jarava ichu,'' ''Azorella'' spp., etc. Peru 2010

Activities

Visitors to the park can enjoy activities such as

hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

, wildlife watching, mountain biking,

skiing Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow. Variations of purpose include basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee ( ...

, mountaineering,

trekking Backpacking is the outdoor recreation of carrying gear on one's back, while hiking for more than a day. It is often an extended journey, and may involve camping outdoors. In North America tenting is common, where simple shelters and mountain h ...

and cultural tourism. Huascarán has 25 trekking routes and 102 mountaineering spots. The park also has potential for research in many scientific areas, such as:

meteorology Meteorology is a branch of the atmospheric sciences (which include atmospheric chemistry and physics) with a major focus on weather forecasting. The study of meteorology dates back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did no ...

geology Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other astronomical objects, the features or rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Ea ...

glaciology Glaciology (; ) is the scientific study of glaciers, or more generally ice and natural phenomena that involve ice. Glaciology is an interdisciplinary Earth science that integrates geophysics, geology, physical geography, geomorphology, c ...

botany Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek w ...

limnology Limnology ( ; from Greek λίμνη, ''limne'', "lake" and λόγος, ''logos'', "knowledge") is the study of inland aquatic ecosystems. The study of limnology includes aspects of the biological, chemical, physical, and geological characteris ...

zoology Zoology ()The pronunciation of zoology as is usually regarded as nonstandard, though it is not uncommon. is the branch of biology that studies the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and ...

ecology Ecology () is the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere level. Ecology overl ...

, and

wildlife management Wildlife management is the management process influencing interactions among and between wildlife, its habitats and people to achieve predefined impacts. It attempts to balance the needs of wildlife with the needs of people using the best availabl ...

. There are 33

archaeological site An archaeological site is a place (or group of physical sites) in which evidence of past activity is preserved (either prehistoric or historic or contemporary), and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology a ...

s within the park, which include: cave paintings, ancient settlements, terraces for agriculture, tombs, fortresses and irrigation works. There's also a pre-Columbian road between the towns of Olleros and Chavin.

Environmental issues

Among the main common threats to the park are glacier retreat due to global warming; hydropower projects; legal and

illegal mining Illegal mining is mining activity that is undertaken without state permission, in particular in absence of land rights, mining licenses, and exploration or mineral transportation permits. Illegal mining can be a subsistence activity, as is the ca ...

operations with low environmental standards; and

loss of biodiversity Biodiversity loss includes the worldwide extinction of different species, as well as the local reduction or loss of species in a certain habitat, resulting in a loss of biological diversity. The latter phenomenon can be temporary or permanent, de ...

to agricultural land and pastures (the latter mainly due to a conflict between the park's purposes and the ancestral rights to the land by the locals).

Management and Protection Requirements

In the 1960s, overhunted Andean camelid vicunas were endangered and concerns about the iconic Andean Queen led to the establishment of a watchtower on what is now part of the property . Huascaran National Park was then established in 1975 by Supreme Order under the National Forest and Wildlife Act. The national park also forms the core area of the Huascaran Biosphere Reserve since its recognition by UNESCO in 1977. Originally under the jurisdiction of the Department of Agriculture, Huascaran National Park and the much larger biosphere reserve are now managed by the National Reserve Service. His SERNANP under the Ministry of the Environment. Subject to proper management, this allows for a comprehensive conservation and management approach that includes the densely populated and intensively used valleys adjacent to the property. Property management should be guided by a master plan and a local board to ensure community participation. Since the establishment of the national park, the major bottlenecks have been the lack of budget and personnel, which limit the effectiveness of the national park. This makes it difficult to meet the many challenges Huascaran faces. There is a small but growing population on the site. Their existence stems from pre-national park customary rights, requiring negotiated agreements on the use of natural resources, particularly cattle grazing. Many communities have grown close to the site, most notably Callejon de Huayras, an intensively used canyon west of Huascaran National Park. There appear to be clear laws prohibiting mining of mineral resources in national parks, but there is not only an interest in the resources, but also an interest in the site and plans to build a hydroelectric dam on the site. I have. The spectacular scenery and significant archaeological value already attract large numbers of national and international tourists, including highly specialized climbers, so a potentially less damaging activity could be tourism. Yes, there are opportunities for local economies, conservation funding and visitor education, while taking the risk of undesirable environmental and cultural impacts. Overarching challenges that require monitoring and preparation are the rapidly retreating glaciers, the main source of life on site and the intensive use of adjacent valley life.

References

External links

Huascaran National Park. Official site (in Spanish)

Huascaran National Park. Map.

Official UNESCO website entryProfile at protectedplanet.net
{{DEFAULTSORT:Huascaran National Park Biosphere reserves of Peru World Heritage Sites in Peru Protected areas established in 1975 Geography of Ancash Region Tourist attractions in Ancash Region

History

Geography

Climate

Ecology

Fauna

Flora

Activities

Environmental issues

Management and Protection Requirements

See also

References

External links