Cordillera Azul National Park

In 1963, the Biavo-Cordillera Azul National Forest was established, spanning 2,178,000 hectares.{{Cite book|title=Parque Nacional Cordillera Azul. Diagnóstico del Proceso de Actualización Plan Maestro 2011-2016|publisher=CIMA|year=2012|isbn=978-612-46157-0-2|language=es}} In 1997, this area was declared as a forest for timber production, leaving it open to logging operations. However, in 1999, Red Ambiental Peruana (an alliance of several NGOs) and COPRI (the authority for rights for timber exploitation) conducted research in the area and agreed to protect the northern part of the forest due to its high biodiversity. In 2000, the Cordillera Azul Reserved Zone was established in the mountainous region of the national forest, and a team from the Field Museum carried out an assessment of the biodiversity in the area. Based on this assessment, the Peruvian Ministry of Agriculture recommended that the area be protected as a national park. The Cordillera Azul National Park was established in 2001 during the tenure of president Valentín Paniagua.{{Cite web|url=http://fm2.fieldmuseum.org/scienceinaction/cordilleraazul/parkstory.html|title=Cordillera Azul : Park Story|website=fm2.fieldmuseum.org|access-date=2017-06-16}}

Cordillera Azul National Park is located in the regions of San Martin, Loreto, Huanuco and Ucayali; between the Huallaga and Ucayali rivers.{{Cite book|title=Cordillera Azul. Plan Maestro 2003-2008|publisher=INRENA|year=2006|pages=50}} Elevations in the park are in the range of 100–2350 m, and the main landscape features are: mountains, hills and ample valleys. Mountains inside the park can have steep slopes, and landslides are frequent. In the southern section of the park, there is an area of highland swamps, at 1400 m of elevation. At the northern end of the park, the Huallaga river opens a water gap in the mountain range, east of Chazuta, this feature is known as Pongo de Aguirre.

Montane forests cover most of the park's area, although it also includes sections of dry forest to the west and lowland Amazon rainforest to the east. Among the plant species found in the area are: Ceiba insignis, Ficus spp., Tabernaemontana sananho, Inga spp., Swietenia macrophylla, Triplaris americana, Miconia spp., Couroupita guianensis, Ocotea javitensis, Sciodaphyllum spp., Erythrina ulei, Alchornea triplinervia, Terminalia amazonia, Calophyllum brasiliense, Pouteria spp., Cedrela fissilis, Epidendrum spp., Schizolobium parahyba, Bactris gasipaes, Cecropia spp., Hevea guianensis, Dracontium spruceanum, Attalea maripa, Brosimum alicastrum, Asplenium serratum, Heliconia rostrata, Carludovica palmata, Solanum grandiflorum, Geogenanthus poeppigii, Myroxylon balsamum, Brunfelsia grandiflora, Calycophyllum spruceanum, Mauritia flexuosa, Virola calophylla, Desmoncus polyacanthos, Podocarpus oleifolius, Theobroma cacao, Cedrelinga cateniformis, Zamia poeppigiana, Amburana cearensis, Margaritaria nobilis, Jacaranda copaia, Eugenia spp., Spondias mombin, Maxillaria graminifolia, etc.{{Cite book|title=Rapid Biological Inventories: Biabo - Cordillera Azul|publisher=Field Museum|pages=160–194}}{{Cite journal|last=Atwood|first=John T.|date=2003|title=Review of the Maxillaria graminifolia (Kunth) Rchb.F. (Orchidaceae) Suballiance|journal=Selbyana|volume=24|issue=2|pages=144–164|jstor=41760129}}

Among the fish found in the park are: Hoplias malabaricus, Rineloricaria lanceolata, Leporinus spp., Piaractus brachypomus, Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum, Zungaro zungaro, Crossoloricaria rhami, etc.

Some of the birds found in the park are: the great tinamou, the fasciated tiger heron, the scarlet macaw, the osprey, the muscovy duck, the violet-headed hummingbird, the sunbittern, the short-tailed parrot, the white-booted racket-tail, the king vulture, the little blue heron, the harpy eagle, the jabiru, the blue-and-yellow macaw, the fork-tailed palm swift, the Cordillera Azul antbird, etc.{{cite journal|last1=Moncrieff|first1=A.E.|last2=Johnson|first2=O.|last3=Lane|first3=D.F.|last4=Beck|first4=J.R.|last5=Angulo|first5=F.|last6=Fagan|first6=J.|year=2018|title=A new species of antbird (Passeriformes: Thamnophilidae) from the Cordillera Azul, San Martin, Peru|journal=Auk|volume=135|issue=1|pages=114–126|doi=10.1642/AUK-17-97.1|doi-access=free}}

Mammals reported in the area include: the Amazon dwarf squirrel, the bush dog, the puma, the common opossum, the brown-mantled tamarin, the Peruvian spider monkey, the jaguar, the white-lipped peccary, the red brocket, the South American tapir, the tayra, etc.

Illegal road building and clearing of forests for agriculture occurs inside the park; park rangers and inhabitants of nearby villages patrol the area.{{Cite web|url=http://www.cima.org.pe/en/cordillera-azul-national-park/protection-of-cordillera-azul|title=Protection of Cordillera Azul, CIMA|website=www.cima.org.pe|access-date=2018-10-30}}

{{Commons category|Cordillera Azul National Park}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.cima.org.pe/en/cordillera-azul-national-park Cordillera Azul National Park. Profile at CIMA.]
• [https://www.protectedplanet.net/303320 Cordillera Azul National Park. Profile at Protectedplanet.net]

{{Natural and Cultural Peruvian Heritage}}

{{authority control}}

Category:National forests of Peru

Category:National parks of Peru

Category:Geography of the Department of Loreto

Category:Geography of the Department of San Martín

Category:Geography of the Department of Ucayali

Category:Tourist attractions in the Department of Loreto

Category:Tourist attractions in the Department of San Martín

Category:Tourist attractions in the Department of Ucayali

Category:Tourist attractions in the Department of Huánuco

Category:Geography of the Department of Huánuco

Category:Protected areas established in 2001

Category:2001 establishments in Peru