Mission air to air

The lomas of Peru are rare and unique ecosystems. Spanish for ‘hills’, the Peruvian coastal lomas are fog deserts where it seldom rains. Plants here use moisture from the fog that rolls in from the Pacific to grow. These plants are related to many common ones that we all know, including potato and tomato, and may well be the source of future food, allowing us to grow food in harsh desert conditions. 

Scientists from the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in London, England have been on a mission to protect this special area for many years. In June 2024 they were finally successful when the Peruvian Government formally declared 6,449 hectares of this ‘fog oasis’, Lomas Amara y Ullujaya on the coast of Peru, as a conservation area.

Remarkably, the scientists were helped in their research by a unique paramotoring mission, which capitalised on the powered paraglider’s low-tech, low-impact, low-and-slow flying capabilities – proving that using paramotors to explore fragile ecosystems in Peru is actually more environmentally friendly...