On July 21, Amazon Conservation and our sister organization, Conservación Amazónica-ACCA, partnered with FENAMAD – Native Federation of the Madre de Dios River and Tributaries (Federación Nativa del Río Madre de Dios y Afluentes) to lead the “Training in Technological Tools and Satellite Monitoring in Indigenous Communities” in Puerto Maldonado, Peru, focused on satellite monitoring and geospatial analysis.
The workshop brought together FENAMAD’s technical and legal team, focusing on the staff that goes to visit the communities and work close to the veedores. The objective was to build their capacity to detect and report the analysis to threats, such as illegal mining, logging, and land invasions, using remote sensing tools and legal strategies.
Participants explored key platforms as the analysis using Planet (monthly, daily and Skysat) and Sentinel; and went over other tools like RAMI (from Conservación Amazónica-ACCA), Amazon Mining Watch, and LandTrendr (Amazon Conservation MAAP’s Initiative) that are very useful for the mining detection. The goal is to strengthen Indigenous-led monitoring efforts and ensure community alerts can translate into timely and coordinated responses.

“The goal is to protect the lives and integrity of Indigenous leaders, because they are the ones most exposed. When a threat is reported, the Federation immediately brings the case to the attention of the public prosecutor’s office”, explains Juan Soto, legal advisor at FENAMAD. The participation of the legal office in the training was key to better understanding how this information is created and receiving their input on what else is needed to work coordinated. “Providing legal security to Indigenous communities has been essential. We’re giving them a real tool to safeguard their rights and physical integrity.”
The work of community monitors, known as veedores comunales, is central to this system. “To protect something, you need to know and build a connection to it. Indigenous forest monitors have a direct relationship with the forest. Their cosmovisión shapes how they see the landscape differently from those of us in the city”, says Piero Rengifo, FENAMAD’s GIS and remote sensing specialist. “But it’s a two-way process; the community’s knowledge is just as vital as the tech. That perspective is key to long-term protection.”
“Monitors alert us to potential threats, and we verify them through the technical team,” adds Joan Aslla, also from FENAMAD’s technical specialists. “This monitoring reduce risks for those on the frontlines and ensures we escalate confirmed cases to the authorities.”
According to Dr. Soto, this coordinated work, powered by community alerts, satellite validation, and legal advocacy, including the Fiscalia’s support, is already impacting on the ground. “Thanks to our collaboration with Amazon Conservation, Conservación Amazónica-ACCA, and support from donors, we’ve successfully stopped illegal activities, obtained prosecutions, and strengthened our relationships with environmental enforcement agencies.”
As part of the training, participants worked on creating standardized templates and protocols that could be shared across FENAMAD’s network of 38 communities. In the future, the project aims to replicate and scale the process, enabling more Indigenous territories to manage and monitoring on satellite data in real-time.
For Nadia Mamani, Senior Geospatial Analyst & Partner Strategy Lead at Amazon Conservation, the initiative’s power lies in its ability to bridge technology, law, and traditional knowledge. “This integration is essential to reversing the spread of illegal activities and supporting Indigenous-led conservation.”
“Technology empowers,” Rengifo adds, “but it’s the deep cultural and ancestral connection that Indigenous people have with the forest that ensures it will be protected for future generations.”
The workshop, made possible through the support of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and Norad, is part of a growing effort to equip Indigenous communities with remote sensing technology and legal pathways to protect the forests they call home.