Peru’s top court has issued a landmark ruling recognizing the territorial rights of the Kichwa people within a protected area in the Amazon — marking a major breakthrough for Indigenous land claims. The decision affirms that Indigenous stewardship is fully compatible with conservation goals, setting a powerful precedent for rights-based forest protection in Peru, according to the Kichwa people and lawyers involved in the case. The ruling, issued on May 15 but made public on Wednesday, came after a legal challenge by four Indigenous organizations on behalf of Kichwa communities in the San Martín region.