Del Potencial a la Acción: OMEC y Conservación Inclusiva en Perú

The Punta Balcones Environmental Conservation Area (ACA), created in October 2023 in the La Brea district of Peru, covers 913.39 hectares of critical marine-coastal biodiversity, including the westernmost point of South America. While it offers a mechanism for local municipal management and potential ecotourism development, the area faces significant legal gaps, a lack of an active Management Committee, and severe environmental threats from hydrocarbon legacy pollution and land invasions. Current efforts are driven by the Municipality of La Brea, the Regional Government of Piura, and youth volunteers from DISLAB, but sustainable management is hindered by limited local capacity and the absence of updated municipal planning instruments.

• The Punta Balcones Environmental Conservation Area (ACA) was established in October 2023, covering 913.39 hectares in the La Brea district of Talara, Piura. It protects critical habitats including the 'Punta Pariñas' and 'Punta Balcones' peninsulas and the 'Balcones' marine wetland, which serves as a refuge for endangered and vulnerable bird species such as the Peruvian flamingo (Phoenicopterus chilensis) and the Peruvian booby (Sula variegata/Larosterna inca).
• The ACA faces severe environmental degradation due to the hydrocarbon industry, specifically within Oil Block VII (Lote VII). As of April 2025, the Organismo de Evaluación y Fiscalización Ambiental (OEFA) identified 10 environmental liabilities related to poorly abandoned wells. The La Brea district concentrates 1,835 environmental liabilities, representing more than half of the 3,264 existing nationwide.
• Governance of the ACA is hindered by legal instability and a lack of operational management structures. While the Municipality of La Brea is responsible for its management, the required Management Committee has not yet been formed. Furthermore, the Organic Law of Municipalities (Law No. 27972) does not specify requirements for the creation and management of ACAs, leading to a lack of legal strength and stability.
• Land invasions and illegal titling pose a significant threat to the ACA's integrity. Poor municipal management has facilitated the granting of possession titles within the conservation area, resulting in conflicts between local residents and the government, including legal complaints against municipal officials.
• Ecotourism is identified as a primary opportunity for economic development and conservation, though it currently lacks infrastructure. A technical table formed in April 2025 by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur) and the Regional Government of Piura is promoting an investment program for the 'Playas del Norte' destination, valued at approximately US$ 140 million, which includes the ACA.
• Local youth and civil society, specifically the volunteer group Desarrollo, Innovación y Sostenibilidad La Brea (DISLAB), are key drivers of conservation through environmental education, art, and beach clean-ups. However, they report a generally passive attitude from the broader citizenry and a lack of awareness among both officials and youth regarding national conservation agendas.
• Financial opportunities for the ACA include a social development fund from the hydrocarbon sector (Lote VII), which as of 2024 totaled US$ 348,919. Access to these funds requires projects developed with local organizations, as the Municipality cannot access them directly.

APA

Isola, S., & Herz, K. (2025). Del Potencial a la Acción: OMEC y Conservación Inclusiva en Perú. WWF International. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/1824/Peru_CS_Area_de_Conservacion_Ambiental_Punta_Balcones.pdf

Chicago

Isola, Sandra, and Katia Herz. Del Potencial a la Acción: OMEC y Conservación Inclusiva en Perú. WWF International, 2025. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/1824/Peru_CS_Area_de_Conservacion_Ambiental_Punta_Balcones.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Isola |first1=Sandra |last2=Herz |first2=Katia |title=Del Potencial a la Acción: OMEC y Conservación Inclusiva en Perú |publisher=WWF International |date=December 2025 |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/1824/Peru_CS_Area_de_Conservacion_Ambiental_Punta_Balcones.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{isola2025del, author = {Isola, Sandra and Herz, Katia}, title = {{Del Potencial a la Acción: OMEC y Conservación Inclusiva en Perú}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2025}, month = dec, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/1824/Peru_CS_Area_de_Conservacion_Ambiental_Punta_Balcones.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }