Experts meet in Peru to protect Amazonian forests

Experts from five countries have met in Lima, Peru to update the “Prevention Backpack” with the Integrated Fire Management approach.

The National Service of Natural Protected Areas (Sernanp), an agency attached to the Ministry of the Environment and the Supervisory Agency for Forest Resources and Wildlife (Osinfor), with technical and financial support from the German Cooperation (GIZ), inaugurated the first technical meeting of experts in forest fire prevention in Lima.

“Forest Fire Prevention Backpack”

The meeting aims to update the renowned “Forest Fire Prevention Backpack”, an innovative tool that now incorporates the Integrated Fire Management (IFM) approach to strengthen the protection of Amazonian forests.

The “Prevention Backpack” is a tool that is built in a participatory and playful way using everyday items to teach rural, native and farming communities how to recognize risks, prevent forest fires and respond in their initial stages.

With the support of park rangers as facilitators, the community incorporates prevention messages and generates knowledge based on their own experiences in the area.

Impact and effectiveness

The impact of this tool has transcended borders. In recent years, it has been implemented in Paraguay, Colombia, Ecuador and Brazil, sparking interest in more countries in the region.

Its effectiveness has led to its inclusion in the 2025-2026 Biennial Plan of the Amazonian Forest Fire Network (RAMIF) of the ACTO member countries, as well as in the Prevention Group of the Latin American Forest Fire Experts Platform (GEFFLac), supported by the European Union.

Recognized as an international best practice, the Prevention Backpack is once again at the heart of regional cooperation.

With representatives from Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru, this first technical meeting aims to gather experiences and develop an updated model, replicable throughout the Amazon basin, thereby strengthening the joint response to one of the region’s greatest environmental threats.

Under an Integrated Fire Management approach, the goal is to value the best practices of local communities, recognize the ecological role of fire and its responsible use in the context of climate change.

This process represents both a challenge and an opportunity that Sernanp and Osinfor are embracing with leadership.

Experts meet in Peru to protect Amazonian forests: Summary

Experts from five countries have met in Lima, Peru to update the “Prevention Backpack” with the Integrated Fire Management approach.