 The Tropical Andes Biodiversity Hotspot contains the largest percentage of endemic plants and animals in the world.The Piedras River is the longest tributary of the Madre de Dios River and more than 99 percent of its drainage is in the Amazon lowlands, below 400 meters.The capital of the Las Piedras District is the town of Planchón, which is located in the province Tambopata in the Madre de Dios Department 

Large portions of the headwaters of the Piedras River are protected by Alto Purus National Park.