Last updated: May 2025
The intervention of the Ecological Park of La Molina is an urban-landscape design project developed between the San Martín de Porres University, through the IVUC, the Institute of Housing, Urban Planning and Construction, and the Municipality of La Molina (7). This is the first ecological park in the city of Lima, located in a characteristic ecosystem such as Las Lomas, between 600-1000 m.a.s.l. (1). It is a natural area that is part of the hill system of Villa María del Triunfo, located in the Subtropical Coastal Desert ecoregion, and is part of the Regional Conservation Area ‘Sistema de Lomas de Lima’ (7). The City Council decided to open this space in 2022 to the public, as a 200-hectare area, designed to bring people closer to nature, through outdoor activities and environmental education about its fauna, flora and microclimates (1). Thus, citizens can enjoy a recreational area with multi-purpose spaces and sports circuits; a cultural area where workshops and an open-air amphitheatre are held; an ecological interpretation area with exhibition galleries and an interpretative route; and an administrative and control area (1). The park also envisages reforestation efforts in areas that are currently arid and infertile to convert them into green areas for the enjoyment of citizens (1). In 2023, conservation efforts were reinforced for an additional 50 hectares, due to the danger posed by encroachment and land trafficking (4).
Ecological Park in La Molina
Andina - Agencia Peruana de Noticias
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Parks and urban forests
- Large urban parks or forests
Key challenges
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Habitat and biodiversity restoration
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Rewilding
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
- Enabling opportunities for physical activity
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Social interaction
- Environmental education
- Sense of community and community engagement
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Environmental Degradation
- Deforestation and forest degradation
- Soil degradation and loss
- Desertification
- Land use and Socio-economic change
- Rapid urbanization
- Resource Scarcity and Competition
- Land rights conflicts
Key priorities
Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration), Social Justice and community
Focus
Maintenance and management of urban nature, Urban reforestation, restoration of street trees, Ecological restoration of ecosystems, Soil remediation and revegetation, Ecological restoration of existing green spaces, Restoration and protection of ecosystems (including water ecosystems), Protection of natural ecosystems, Habitat restoration, Monitoring and maintenance of habitats and/or biodiversity, Habitat mapping, restoration and monitoring-focused management
Project objectives
- To create a green space to increase public health and safety, focusing on recreation, sport, socialisation and economic reactivation of the city (1).
- To bring citizens closer to nature, and offer spaces where they can spend quality time with their families (2)
- To preserve and restore ecosystems and biodiversity in the Municipal Forest Ecological Park (3)
- To promote care for the environment (3, 4, 5, 7)
- To reforest areas that are currently barren and infertile (7)
Implementation activities
To bring citizens closer to nature, the park has implemented a bird observatory and spaces for outdoor extreme sports such as cycling, trekking, rock climbing, and hiking. Additionally, there are recreational spaces for families, a greenhouse, rest areas for visitors, and viewpoints (2). A cultural area has also been established, hosting workshops and an outdoor amphitheatre, along with an ecological interpretation area, an administrative and control area, and basic services like water, electricity, and sewage (1). To preserve and restore ecosystems and biodiversity within the Municipal Forest Ecological Park, tree-planting events have been organized, involving residents, sports associations, municipal workers, and educational institutions (3). Specialists have provided the necessary compost to enrich soil conditions and drainage, and have offered technical advice, labour, and guidance (4).
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity restoration:
- Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
- Restore species (native, endangered, or unspecified)
- Restore native species
- Public engagement
Main beneficiaries
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Government-led
Type of initiating organisation
- Regional government
- Local government/municipality
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
- Dissemination of information and education
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The Municipality of La Molina and the Regional Government of Metropolitan Lima: project implementers and executors. The municipality has been the project funder (1)
Local community (residents, sportsmen and educational institutions): visitors to the park and involvement in activities such as tree planting (3, 5)
San Martin de Porres University, through the IVUC, Institute of Housing, Urbanism and Construction: collaboration with the Municipality of La Molina to develop the park design (7)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Unknown
Type of enablers
Governance innovations (such as public private partnerships)
Financing
Total cost
€500,000 - €2,000,000
Source(s) of funding
- Public local authority budget
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
- Membership or entrance fees
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of goods
- Provision of labour
- Provision of expertise
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services)
- Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Green space and habitat
- Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Achieved increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Increased conversion of degraded land or soil
- Expected increased conversion of degraded land or soil
- Increased number of species present
- Achieved increased number of species present
- Increased presence and recovery of wild species
- Achieved increased presence and recovery of wild species
Economic impacts
- Generation of other type of work opportunities (e.g. voluntary, work for rehabilitation)
- Achieved generation of other type of work opportunities (e.g. voluntary, work for rehabilitation)
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved social cohesion
- Expected improved social cohesion
- Improved liveability
- Expected improved liveability
- Improved access to urban green space
- Achieved improved access to urban green space
- Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
- Achieved increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
- Health and wellbeing
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Expected gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Improved physical health
- Expected improved physical health
- Education
- Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
- Expected increased knowledge of locals about local nature
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Unknown
References
1.
Municipalidad de La Molina (n.d.). NUEVO PARQUE ECOLOGICO FORESTAL SERA LA ATRACCION EN LA MOLINA. Accessed on August 28, 2024, [Source link];
2.
Municipalidad de La Molina (2024). LA MOLINA: ABREN PARQUE ECOLÓGICO FORESTAL DE AVENTURA TOTALMENTE GRATUITO. Accessed on August 28, 2024, [Source link];
3.
Peruvian Government (2022). Siembran mil árboles en el parque ecológico forestal de La Molina. Accessed on August 28, 2024, [Source link];
4.
Justo Medio (2023). Fortalecerán Parque Ecológico Forestal de La Molina. Accessed on August 28, 2024, [Source link];
5.
Diario Oficial del Bicentenario El Peruano (2022). Autoridades y vecinos siembran mil árboles en el Parque Ecologico Forestal de La Molina. Accessed on August 28, 2024, [Source link];
6.
Pravatiner, M., Piperis, R. (2022). Registros herpetológicos del Parque Ecológico de La Molina, Lima, Perú. Accessed on August 28, 2024, [Source link];
7.
Universidad de San Martín de Porres (n.d.). Parque Ecológico de La Molina – 2018. Accessed on August 28, 2024, [Source link];
8.
Municipalidad de La Molina (2020). COMPENDIO ESTADISTICO Año 2020 . Accessed on August 30, 2024, [Source link];
9.
UNDP (2019). Aprueban Área de Conservación Regional para proteger las lomas de Lima. Accessed on August 30, 2024, [Source link];
10.
Latina Noticias (2024). Colchón de nubes en el corazón de Lima: ¿Cómo llegar al Parque Ecológico de La Molina?. Accessed on August 30, 2024, [Source link];
Cloud sea. One of the main attractions of the Ecological Park in La Molina.
Andina - Agencia Peruana de Noticias
Inaugiration ceremony of the Ecological Park in La Molina.
La Molina's Municipality
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.