On Human Impacts on the Andean Cordilleras

Andean Cordilleras are unique mountain paradise, and some are some of the planet's natural treasures. Their beuaty, quiet, and pure landscapes, however, are under threat. Three issues will have major impacts on the future of these mountain range. The outcome of each has yet to be determined: through proactive action, trekkers and climbers can make a positive impact.

The amount of garbage abandoned on trails in the Cordilleras is an issue of concern. If the international trekking and climbing community are able to solve this problem internally, perhaps we can avoid a fate similar to that of Machu Picchu in Perù. There, the Perù National Institute of Natural Resources has taken a heavy-handed approach to the garbage issue by requiring visistors to hire a guide (> USD 60 a day), limiting group sizes, and charging a USD 50 entrance fee (per person) - all control by an international profit-making organisation. The guide requirement especially infringes upon the opportunity for 'freedom of the hills'. If garbage is still an isue if/when each Cordillera become parks, administrators may take a heavy-handed stance. However, if garbage is no longer an issue, perhaps they will spend more of their time on trail and toilet construction, signage, and lobbying against the encroaching mine rather than on policing trekkers and climbers.
Trekking groups are the dominant source of garbage on Andean trails. Although trekkers themselves are often concscientious of the issue, they fail to tke proactive arole that is necessary to ameliorate the problem. Arrieros (donkey drivrs) are often left to break camp and prepare the donkeys for the day's trekwhile trekkers scurry ahead. This offers the windowof opportunity for arrieros to dump garbge. Coming from a life of economic struggles, arrieros understandably focus on matters such as ffeding a family rather than on maintaining clean trails. Trekkers and climbers should make it clear to the arriero that he is being paid to bring all garbage along and not dump it.
Create incentive for good behavior. Use the arriero contracts that guarantees part of wage only when the arriero presents the garbage at the end of the trip, and offer economic reward for picking up garbage that was already there. The aim is for arrieros to learn that trekkers value pristine wilderness and recgnise their own incentive in maintaining it.

The second major issue harming the Andean are industrial activities, especially mining. In the Cordillera Huayhuash, Japonese-owned Mitsui Mining & Smelting operates above Pallca, just below the western flanks of Rondoy. The impact of this project on both the environment and local inhabitants of the area has been sharply criticized. In 1995-96, Mitsui negatiated with the locals into allowing mining 'exploration' to continue. That was likely the last chance to completely halt the project. Since then, environmental groups have tried to keep Mitsui's presence in check. In june 1999, an aquifer was accidentally perforated causing the heavy situation of the Llamac River above the villages of Pocpa and Llamac. In the resulting confrontation between villagers and police who were guarding the mine , three villager were wounded when the police opened fire on protestors. The Cordillera Huayhuash has since officilaly became a Reserved Zone, which explicitly recognises the rights and traditional land use by local communities of this region. That case of the Huyahuash is common across the Andean and, hopefully, they should a more sustainable approach to use of natural resources should be taken. Some of the most beuatiful part of the Andes such as the Huayhuash should even gain the higher designation of a "Protected Landscape".

A third major issue presently threatening the Andean mountains is solid human waste and toilet paper. Many groups feel that it is unrealistic that they carry a bucket through the circuit for this purpose. The result is that boulders surrounding camps become smelly, unasanitary places. The cleanliness of the drinking water is under threat. As short-term solution, bring a steel shovel and dig small pit toilets. The long-term solution is to build pit or composting toilets. Trekkers and climbers can contribute to this cause by donating or volunteering with the organisation. (see: Best Practices: How to Build a Pit Toilet)