Pagaibamba Protection Forest is a protected natural area in the region of Cajamarca, Peru.[1] The area was declared a protection forest in order to preserve the water supply of surrounding towns, preserve the water cycle of the area, protect road infrastructure and protection of soils by preventing erosion.[1][2]
History
The Pagaibamba Protection Forest was established on June 19, 1987.[1]
Geography
This protection forest is located in the district of Querocoto, Chota Province, Cajamarca.[1][2] It covers an extension of 2,078.38 hectares (8.0247 sq mi) and protects a mountainous area dissected by small creeks.[1] Elevations in the area are between 2300 and 2800 m.[3]
Climate
Mean annual temperatures have a maximum of 10,9 °C and a minimum of 6,5 °C.[1] The annual average precipitation has a maximum of 1,722 mm and a minimum of 834 mm.[1]
Ecology
Flora
According to the Holdridge life zones classification, the vegetation type is a wet tropical mountain forest.[1] Among the plant species reported in the area are: saucecillo (Podocarpus sp.), roble amarillo (Ocotea sp.), lanche (Myrcianthes sp.), suro (Chusquea sp.), queñual (Polylepis sp.), aliso (Alnus acuminata), palm trees, tree ferns, etc.; growing in association with tall grasses.[1][2]
Nature watching, trekking and scientific research are the main activities in the area.[1][2][4]
Environmental issues
Deforestation is threatening the forest's area of extension.[2] In late 2016, Pagaibamba was one of several protected areas in northern Peru affected by human-caused wildfires.[7][8][9] These fires were caused by slash-and-burn agricultural practices that went out of control coupled with drought.[7][8] The burning of forests to open land for crops is considered illegal in Peru.[7]
^Weigend, Maximilian; Rodríguez, Eric; Arana, César (2005). "Los bosque relictos del noroeste de Perú y del suroreste de Ecuador". Revista Peruana de Biología. 12 (2): 189. doi:10.15381/rpb.v12i2.2390.
^Pacheco, Víctor Raul; Ruelas, Dennisse (2023-06-21). "Systematic revision of Thomasomys cinereus (Rodentia: Cricetidae: Sigmodontinae) from northern Peru and southern Ecuador, with descriptions of three new species". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 461: 1–72. doi:10.1206/0003-0090.461.1.1.
^Venegas, Pablo J.; Duellman, William E. (2012-03-28). "Two syntopic new species of the Pristimantis orestes Group (Anura: Strabomantidae) from northwestern Peru". Zootaxa. 3249 (1): 47–59. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3249.1.5. ISSN1175-5334. APPENDIX. Specimens examined. Pristimantis chimu: PERU: Cajamarca: Bosque de Protección de Pagaibamba, 3000 m[dead link]