July 17, 2026
The Case for Quelccaya
A new white paper by Byrd Center paleoclimatologist Lonnie Thompson outlines the case for creating a National Park in Peru's Quelccaya region, home to the world's largest tropical ice cap. The area contains an invaluable 1,800-year climate archive, supplies water to millions of people and supports exceptional biodiversity and cultural heritage. The report highlights growing threats from glacier retreat and expanding mining activity, which place these resources at increasing risk. The paper concludes that National Park designation offers the strongest path for protecting this globally significant landscape for future generations.
This white paper is available to read in both English and Spanish.