Earlier this year, we celebrated alongside our Bolivian sister organization Conservación Amazónica – ACEAA Bolivia in the creation of the Arroyo Guarichona Natural Area in July, which now protects 199,435 hectares (492,814.8 acres) of vital natural spaces with savannas, lowland forests, and high biodiversity in Beni, Bolivia.

Now, several months later, we’re celebrating again with the official establishment of a new conservation area in Bolivia’s Pando region: the Tahuamanu – Orthon Conservation Area! On September 5th, the municipality of Porvenir and the Governor of Pando, Regis Richter Alencar, enacted the Departmental Law No. 031/2024, creating 308,470.69 (76,2247.7 acres) hectares of protected forests. This area is key to preserving the region’s natural heritage and promoting sustainable development that benefits both the environment and local communities. The establishment of this area consists of 3 major long-term goals: to protect biodiversity and promote the sustainable use of natural resources, secure resources for future generations, and promote the health, food security, access to water, and well-being of all who depend on them. 

Amidst the fires that are sweeping across the Amazon, the news of a new conservation area comes as an encouraging step towards mitigating the expansion of mining and the misuse of land, providing the region with an opportunity to safeguard its ecosystem and resources. The Pando region hosts unique biodiversity and natural resources, including valuable water supplies. Among these, the Tahuamanu and Orthon rivers are vital sources of life and support for many communities that rely on them directly for their economic sustenance. The creation of the Tahuamanu – Orthon Conservation Area also provides the chance to promote scientific research and Pando’s Amazonian identity. 

This achievement was accomplished thanks to the active participation of local communities and municipalities of Porvenir, Filadelfia, Bolpebra, Bella Flor, Puerto Rico, Santa Rosa del Abuná, Villa Nueva, and Ingavi San Pedro, which guaranteed inclusive and committed management of the area. The creation of this new conservation area would also not have been possible without the generous contributions of the Andes Amazon Fund.

Thanks to the hard work of these local participants and Conservación Amazónica – ACEAA in Bolivia, our total number of acres protected has grown from 9.3 million to 10.5 million! We are incredibly grateful for all the hard work that was put into achieving this major milestone, and we look forward to striving for a sustainable path towards a thriving Amazon. 

We are excited to announce that Amazon Conservation will be participating in this year’s COP16: The United Nations Biodiversity Conference in Cali, Colombia!

As nations across the globe are beginning to witness the necessity for environmental action, many may still be wondering: what exactly is COP16, and why does this matter? COP16 refers to the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Enacted in 1992, The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is a global treaty that brings nations together in conserving the planet’s biodiversity and developing sustainable solutions to using its resources. COP meetings are held biennially, and member countries gather to discuss new conservation strategies, and solutions to global issues concerning biodiversity, and assess progress in the implementation of the CBD. While many goals within the CBD require collective action, every nation is anticipated to contribute to making their own agreed-upon goals and targets a reality.

COP16 seeks to assess and advance the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, adopted at COP15, which establishes 2030 targets and 2050 goals to stop biodiversity loss, safeguard ecosystems, and foster sustainable development. As this year’s COP is hosted in an incredibly biodiverse landscape, governments, NGOs, Indigenous leaders, and civil society will be given the opportunity to highlight solutions and opportunities for preserving vital ecosystems and reversing habitat loss: both of which our entire planet depends on. 

In addition to participating in these imperative discussions, our organization will be hosting a special side event that highlights the issue of illegal gold mining, one of the most prominent threats to the Amazon basin. This side-event will detail various solutions devised and implemented to intervene against illegal mining via collaboration with civil society organizations who are monitoring the expansion of gold mining in real-time, compelling governments, and tracking the illicit financial flows that fuel its expansion. 

Date, time, and location of our event is subject to change as COP organizers finalize the schedule of side events. Sign up here to receive updates on it.

We look forward to having a presence at such a globally significant event that strives for conservation solutions that will benefit all who depend on Earth’s most vital ecosystems. 

Learn more about COP16

Out-of-control fires have been sweeping across the Amazon, coating the skylines of countries such as Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru with thick clouds of ash and smoke, leading to wildlife loss, school and facility closures, flight cancellations, and mass evacuations. Following a series of droughts earlier in the year, what was once a 3-month fire season has turned into a flaming 6-month nightmare, causing government officials to desperately seek international relief in hopes of stopping further damage to Amazonian forests and local communities. 

Using novel data from our real-time Amazon Fires Monitoring app, we documented over 260 major fires across the Amazon during last year’s fire season, impacting millions of acres of pristine forests. With this year’s high rates of deforestation in the Amazon and unprecedented droughts, we are seeing another severe fire season. Our Monitoring of the Andean Amazon Program (MAAP) Director Matt Finer has noted that our team is closely monitoring the current situation to help our sister organizations and partners on the ground take adequate action in understanding and preventing the spread of these fires. 

For the past few years, thanks to the generous support of our donor community, Amazon Conservation has helped local governments, communities, and the army in Bolivia – one of the countries most impacted by wildfires – mitigate fire risk by providing technical training and proper equipment to local fire brigades. Unfortunately, many local communities and municipalities’ firefighting teams are extremely underfunded and cannot fight these fires alone. In some parts of the Beni region, local fire brigades don’t even have access to water to combat fires, so this support we provide is vital to help prevent and combat fires. 

Despite these roadblocks, not all hope is lost. You can directly support our on-the-ground fire prevention and response efforts, including purchasing much-needed firefighting supplies and safety gear, mobilizing fire brigades to combat fires in remote regions, and supporting fire-free development and education programs to prevent future fires.

YOU have the power to protect these irreplaceable forests and the wildlife that call them home from potential destruction. Please consider supporting our efforts below. 

 

Take action and donate today!

A series of our previous MAAP reports have demonstrated the emergence and expansion of illegal gold mining deforestation in the heart of the Ecuadorian Amazon, particularly in the area surrounding the Punino River, located between the provinces of Napo and Orellana. In our most recent report on this area (MAAP #206), this mining impact had expended into 1,000 hectares (2,471 acres) of land.

MAAP’s newest report, MAAP #219, provides an update on the growing mining activity in and around the Punino River basin during the first half of 2024. The Base Map presented here shows an increase of 420 hectares in 2024, bringing the total impact to 1,422 hectares since its inception in 2019. This total is equivalent to more than 2,000 professional soccer fields.

The Base Map also shows that the vast majority (90%) of the mining deforestation is likely illegal, occurring outside the limits of authorized mining areas. Mining deforestation has rapidly expanded to enter the limits of two protected areas: Sumaco-Napo Galeras National Park and El Chaco Municipal Conservation Area. In addition, mining deforestation is actively expanding within the boundaries of Indigenous territories of the Kichwa nationality.

Utilizing a series of satellite-based maps, this report details the rapid increase in this mining deforestation, especially in these protected areas and Indigenous territories.

Read the full report here.

 

Did you know that September 5th is International Amazon Rainforest Day? 

Originally started in Brazil to commemorate the creation of the Province of Amazonas, this day celebrates the global importance and beauty of the Amazon Rainforest and calls for urgent action to protect this vast biodiverse biome. This Amazon Rainforest Day, Amazon Conservation is celebrating the supporters and activists who are helping spread awareness about the impacts of climate change on the planet’s most vital resources. One of our youngest climate activists is 9-year-old Indigo, who has spent much of her summer writing songs and raising money to protect the Amazon. 

As she prepares to start the 5th grade, Indigo is working hard to spread the message of the importance of stopping global warming and protecting the Amazon. She wants people to understand how important the Amazon Rainforest is for the planet because the forest’s trees help clear the air we breathe from pollution and absorb carbon from the atmosphere.

“Global warming is a big problem, and I like all animals and I think all of them deserve to be protected.” – Indigo

Indigo encourages people “to get out there and tell the world about what’s wrong because that’s the best that you can do: spread awareness,” which is exactly what she has been busy doing this summer. In addition to reading her favorite books and playing her favorite board games, Indigo loves writing songs and playing the electric guitar, which she has played since she was 4. She has found that music is a great outlet for her climate activism, giving her space to share her message with the public and fundraise for the Amazon.

With the support of her mom Fiona, Indigo recently spent a day busking on the street, singing and playing guitar to raise funds for Amazon Conservation. Thanks to her hard work, Indigo raised an incredible $260 for our work to build a thriving and resilient Amazon!

To further her activism for the planet, Indigo has been working on her first rock song called “Nothing” about climate change. She is very eager to share her song with the public and was happy to share the lyrics for “Nothing” with our supporters: 

The Earth is burning all around us, and what do we do? Nothing.

The Earth is warming, glaciers melting, and rainforests disappearing. 

And what do we do? Nothing, nothing, nothing.

 

[Chorus:] How can we live in a world that’s going down?

We must do something to save our generation.

We must do something, not nothing.

 

The Earth is broken, but we can fix it by building up what we broke.

You can do something. Small, big, every effort counts.

Even one little thing – you can do something.

 

[Chorus:] How can we live in a world that’s going down?

We must do something to save our generation.

We must do something, not nothing.

Indigo plans to incorporate this catchy tune into her future fundraising efforts, but in the meantime encourages people to do even small things to help the planet. As her song says, whether it’s donating to or fundraising for a cause, picking up trash, using the car less, or trying to use clean energy, we must all do something, even if it feels small.

How is Indigo celebrating Amazon Rainforest Day? She plans to continue raising awareness and funds to help the planet by busking on the streets with her guitar and catchy rock songs. Eventually, she hopes to work on inventions that will do even more to help the Earth. So if you see Indigo out there, stop by and learn more about the importance of stopping global warming!

Looking for other ways to make a difference and protect the Amazon in honor of Amazon Rainforest Day? Consider incorporating a legacy gift in your will during National Make-A-Will-Month, exploring our non-cash donation options, or one of the many other ways to make a contribution for the Amazon.