From the Andes to the world: restoring landscapes to take care of water and life
My name is Lizet Mejía.. I am a young Andean woman from Peru, environmental engineer and ecosystem restorer, born and based in Huaraz, Ancash region, in the heart of the Cordillera Blanca.
I grew up among mountains, rivers and high Andean forests, learning from a young age that water is not only a resource, but a living being that sustains the life, culture and memory of our peoples.
My path to restoration began by observing how glaciers retreat, forest fires become more and more frequent and the forests of queñuales, ancient trees of the Andes disappear in silence. These losses not only erode biodiversity, but also compromise the availability of water for communities. In my own family, the agricultural activity that my grandparents used as a livelihood stopped being profitable due to water scarcity.
Witnessing how the lack of water triggers extreme drought events prompted me to take action. Today, most cities in the Cordillera Blanca depend on the fresh water generated in the upper parts of the basins; however, various studies warn of a progressive loss of this vital source. Faced with this reality that we were already beginning to experience, at Qinti Peru we decided to act, betting on the restoration of the high Andean ecosystems as an urgent and collective response.
I am currently Project Coordinator at Qinti Peru, an organization that promotes the restoration of high Andean ecosystems with a community, youth and gender approach. Our work is carried out mainly in the buffer zone of the Huascarán National Park, a territory of enormous ecological and cultural value, but also highly vulnerable to climate change and environmental degradation.
The landscape where we work is marked by queñual forests (Polylepis sp.), high Andean lagoons and headwaters that regulate water for thousands of people downstream.
In recent years, more than a hundred forest fires have affected these ecosystems in Ancash, degrading soils, reducing biodiversity and weakening local water security. Added to this is the accelerated retreat of glaciers and prolonged droughts, which especially threaten children and young people in rural communities.
Faced with this reality, at Qinti Peru we believe that restoration cannot be imposed from the outside. Restoration is born from the community. Our project seeks to restore queñual forests through assisted regeneration and planting, but also to strengthen local capacities to take care of the territory in the long term.
We work together with youth, rural women, schools, water committees and Quechua-speaking peasant communities, recognizing and revaluing the ancestral knowledge that has historically protected these landscapes.
Woman from the community of Pedro Cochachin in reforestation day in the surroundings of the Radian lagoon. Photo credits: Lizet Mejía – Qinti Perú
Our activities include participatory diagnoses of degraded areas, community nurseries of queñuales, planting days, environmental education workshops, community monitoring and interpretive walks. In addition, we integrate art, music, puppets and bird watching as tools to reconnect children and young people with nature, promoting identity, care and pride in their territory.
What motivates me deeply is seeing how people become guardians of the forest and the water.
I have learned that restoring a landscape is also restoring links: between generations, between science and local wisdom, between people and the Earth. That’s why my work combines citizen science, environmental education, and community action, with a strong ethical conviction of climate justice.
Being part of the Restoration Stewards program represents an opportunity to amplify this local work, learn from other youth restoring landscapes in different parts of the world, and strengthen a global network of youth-led action.
I firmly believe that youth-led restoration is key to tackling the climate crisis, because we are the ones who will inherit the consequences, but also those who are willing and willing to act now.
I want the world to know that the Andes are not just mountains: they are sources of water, biodiversity and living culture. Restoring the queñuales is protecting the future, and doing so from youth is an act of hope, resilience and deep love for life.