Bicentenario-Ayacucho Biosphere Reserve

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, inscribed 2023, in Peru. Located in Peru’s Central Andes, the Bicentenario–Ayacucho Biosphere Reserve spans a diverse Andean landscape that includes the historic Pampa de Ayacucho. This high-altitude plain, protected as a Historical Sanctuary, was the site of the decisive 1824 battle that secured Peru’s independence from Spanish rule. Celebrated for harbouring the world’s largest population of Puya raimondii, known locally as “titanka”, the reserve is rooted in Quechua culture and communal stewardship. Its objectives are to conserve biodiversity and cultural heritage, foster agroecological and nature-based development, and serve as a living laboratory for research, monitoring, education and demonstration.