Peru to plant one million trees around iconic site of Machu Picchu

President of Peru Martin Vizcarra launched a plantation drive campaign on January 9 for reforestation of 1,000,000 trees near Machu Picchu archeological site in order to prevent it from from mud slides and forest fires.

Vizcarra has vowed to plant one million trees in the 35,000-hectare protected archeological complex that features the stunning Inca citadel.  A statement was released in which he said the government is planning to plant one million trees in the protected zone around the Machu Picchu sanctuary, as per the reports. 

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Plantation drive to prevent mudslides

According to the reports, the historic site of the Inca empire faces increased risks of mudslides due to torrential rainfall in the winter and forest fires during the summer. The president ensured that reforestation of the site won’t just protect the archeological site but would also save the flora and fauna in the region. He said the effort and commitment should be from the government, the region, the municipality and all the citizens who want to protect this world wonder.

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Peru restricts tourist spots

This is the second such initiative taken in the last eight months to protect Peru's most popular tourist destination. Earlier in May, Peru began restricting areas of the site from tourists in an attempt to prevent degradation. In 2017, the authorities started limiting the number of people who could visit the restricted site at a time. Presently the visitors travel to the site through Cusco Airport which is situated about 75 miles away. Despite the limited air travel and difficult trek, about 1.5 million people visit Machu Picchu annually, according to the reports. 

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