 This area preserves a portion of the tropical yungas forest in the upper Mayo River basin, while protecting soil and water from erosion by deforestation, as the area is the water supply of populations in the Mayo valley.In 1963, the Peruvian government granted protection over the area declaring it the Alto Mayo National Forest by Law No 442; however, in the 1970s, many people started to occupy the area and clear the pristine forests.Moreover, workers that build a road across the national forest, began to hunt individuals of yellow-tailed woolly monkey for their meat.