Bosque de Pomac

The Bosque de Pomac Historic Sanctuary is located in the District of Pítipo, Province of Ferreñafe (Department of Lambayeque). It embraces a surface of 5887.38 hectares, which represent 0.41% of the Department’s total area, and the River La Leche crosses it by the middle.

Its definite categorisation as a Historic Sanctuary has contributed in establishing a solid base to face deforestation and the loss of genetic quality amongst the wild flora and fauna species. Besides defining the guidelines to propose the modalities and intensities of its indirect utilisation, for best managing and conserving this protected natural area and its zone of influence.

The Bosque de Pomac Historic Sanctuary protects 0.2% of the total area of the Pacific Tropical Desert, where two of the three life zones developing on this type of zone are found in here, the Super Arid Tropical Desert and the Super Arid Pre-Mountainous Desert. Various vegetal communities develop in here, such as the Dense and Semi-Dense Forests, Shrubs, and the most important natural concentration of locust trees in the country.

The Algarrobal (forest of locust trees) is the dominating community in the north of the country. It is mainly associated to the sapote (Capparis angulata) and to the faique or long spine (Acacia macracantha), the bichayo or oval-leaf clustervine (Capparis ovalifolia), and bushes such as the Vallesia dichotoma in a lesser proportion. This forest has a high economic value in non-woodwork products, such as the algarroba, honey, as well as for eco-tourism.

The biological diversity of Bosque de Pomac is high despite being degraded, with up to 26 bird species and 7 mammals existing in this protected area.

The zone also holds important archaeological samples of the Sicán or Lambayeque Culture, from around 900 - 1100 AD. There are vestiges ranging from small mounds to monumental pyramids in good state of preservation. The Sicán Culture had a massive and large-scale metallurgical technology. The funerary offerings found in elite tombs dug down to 20 metres deep amazed for their richness.

There is a small settlement of peasants in the neighbouring area dedicated to small-scale stockbreeding and incipient agriculture. With the recognition of Bosque de Pomac as a Historic Sanctuary under the nation’s protection, alternatives with an adequate social organisation for the indirect use of the forest resource will be sought, in view that this area has been suffering constant invasions and pressure from the populations settled in the vicinity.

The objectives of the Bosque de Pomac Historic Sanctuary are to preserve the set-cultural unity conformed by the forest and the archaeological compound of Sicán, and to guarantee the natural quality of the formation of the Dry Tropical Forest.