It is a school essay by students Abigail, Catora Chicaña, from the Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion de Andagua school, from the Colca Geopark and Andagua Volcanoes, in the fourth year of secondary school, whose essay revolves around the geopark, on the flora, fauna, culture and geological heritage from the perspective of the local population.
A geopark is a natural area where the beauty of nature can be appreciated without the intervention of man.
In Peru we have a Geopark called "Colca and Volcanoes of Andagua" located in the department of Arequipa, in the provinces of Caylloma and Castilla. It was declared a geopark by UNESCO on April 17, 2019, due to the great variety of natural places it has, the flora and fauna. On this occasion we are going to focus on what is "The Valley of the Volcanoes" Andagua.
It should be noted that in the district of Andagua there is something that stands out more than other places and is the number of volcanoes that surround it, there are more than 25 volcanic cones in this district, among which the "Twin Volcanoes" stand out, the great and majestic "Pucca Mauras" and the small "Jechapita". These volcanoes, apart from making Andagua an attractive place, give birth to a large number of stories, myths, legends and stories that capture the attention of everyone who comes to these places. The majesty of these volcanoes makes Andagua the Valley of the Volcanoes.
Now we are going to talk about the great variety of flora that exists in the district. We know that in Andagua the great majority of the population is dedicated to agriculture, where potatoes, beans, barley and corn are mainly grown, and alfalfa and oats are also planted for livestock feed. But if there is something that draws attention in terms of the flora of the district, it is the wild plants that grow in the district, such as They are the Shanki or Sancallo that They are cacti; the Shakawi, which could be said to be part of the Shanki family, only sweeter and rarely found, the airampo and the Pull'we and others. These plants mentioned provide wild fruits that are edible, some of these grow in the hamlets around Andagua, apart from that, they also have a great variety of medicinal plants such as eucalyptus, nettle, hatin, chinchirkoma, etc. that are used to cure wounds, some respiratory diseases and other ailments.
There is also a great diversity of flora. As well as the majority of the population is dedicated to agriculture, another large part of this is dedicated to livestock, mainly of cattle for the production of milk or meat, but they are also dedicated to the breeding of fighting cattle to be part of the festivities such as bullfights at Patron Saint festivals, in the hamlets of Andagua they are also occupied in the grazing of camelids and sheep. But we also have the wild fauna such as the Añas ( skunk), the deer, the vicuña , the fox, the condor, the puma and a large number of wild animals: many of these animals are found in the hamlets and annexes such as Charja, San Antonio, Ajllhua, Orahuasto and others , Andagua's wildlife is very rare and visitors are able to observe it. appreciate the beauty of these wild animals.
Tourist places are also something that manages to capture the attention of every visitor. Andagua draws attention for the number of volcanoes that surround it but it also has other wonderful tourist places to visit, such as the Shankillay Waterfall, a place that is magical for its natural beauty, we also have The Mirador de Antaymarca, as its name suggests, is a viewpoint that, upon arrival, gives you a splendid view of the entire district, apart from the fact that the walk to these places is very entertaining and with striking landscapes. There are many tourist places , but each one with a different essence and also a different history.
Finally we have the wise men of the district, These people are the ones who give meaning to these places, they are the ones who know the origin of the places that you can see in the district. It is known that the same population is the one that gives meaning to the place since with each action they carry out they demonstrate the great devotion and respect they have for the place where they live, each custom shows us the respect they have for the geological heritage that was left to them, each tradition shows us the great respect they have for the fauna and flora of the district.
So We came to the conclusion that Andagua was named a Geopark , by , the great variety of volcanoes, flora and fauna are enough proof to make one realize that Andagua is worth saying, it is a geopark! Because as Albert Einstein said, "look deeply into nature and you will understand the best."