Students for Rivers Camp Marañón
The Students for Rivers Camp is a two-week program designed to deepen participants’ understanding of the Río Marañón and actively involve them in its long-term protection. This inaugural edition aims to contribute to the advancement of legal protection for the Marañón River by bringing together young researchers from diverse disciplines and countries.
A group of ten Peruvian and four international university students will travel by raft from the Andes to the Amazon, immersing themselves in one of the most ecologically and culturally rich regions of South America. The program includes workshops, lectures, and discussions led by a multidisciplinary team of experts, offering a platform to translate academic knowledge into actionable project ideas that support the campaign for the river’s conservation.
The Marañón River serves as a vital corridor between the Andes and the Amazon, flowing through fragile ecosystems such as the seasonally dry tropical forest of the Marañón. This little-studied region is home to high levels of freshwater endemism and plays a critical role in sustaining broader Amazonian biodiversity. Ensuring river connectivity is essential not only for the region’s ecology, but also aligns with global priorities amid declining freshwater biodiversity.
Participants will explore various dimensions of the river’s significance, including its threatened species. These include endangered reptiles such as Phyllodactylus delsolari, P. johnwrighti, and P. thompsoni; critically endangered birds like the Marañón Spinetail (Synallaxis maranonica) and Grey-bellied Comet (Taphrolesbia griseiventris); and endangered amphibians such as the Alto Marañón Toad (Rhinella vellardi) and Marañón Poison Frog (Excidobates mysteriosus). Some participants will develop stories and projects centered on these species to ensure their inclusion in the broader conservation narrative.
The ideas and findings generated during the journey will be shared at a public conference and celebration in Chachapoyas, shining a spotlight on the Marañón River. This event will serve as a platform for connection between participants, local communities, organizations, and decision-makers. A collective story, co-created through storytelling, will be published both digitally as a storymap and in printed form, showcasing the participants’ contributions to the protection of the river’s ecosystems and species.
In the long term, the initiative aims to build a strong network of young river advocates capable of driving meaningful change. By rotating the camp through different sections of the Marañón and exploring the creation of a local research center, the project envisions an enduring connection between young researchers, local initiatives, and government bodies. It also seeks to reflect the voices and cultures along the river in legislation that protects the Marañón’s ecosystems.
The program takes place at a pivotal moment: the Marañón River was recently recognized by the courts as a subject of rights, following the efforts of the Huaynakana Kamatahuara Kana Federation—an Indigenous Kukama women’s group. Currently, Conservamos por Naturaleza is developing a legislative proposal to protect the river. Through this program, students are invited to contribute to this process. By bridging academia and grassroots action, the initiative demonstrates that research can be a catalyst for real-world impact, and that meaningful change occurs when knowledge is paired with local collaboration.
