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.

Our MAAP program specializes in reporting on the most urgent deforestation threats facing the Amazon and producing big-picture analyses of key Amazon-wide issues. However, In our latest report, MAAP #218, we present a unique view into the complicated but critical issue of the deaths of environmental defenders in various parts of Peru’s Amazon, orchestrated by invaders seeking to exploit its resources.

Between 2010 and 2022, an estimated 29 Peruvian environmentalists and Indigenous leaders were killed while defending various parts of Peru’s Amazon from invaders seeking to exploit its resources. More importantly, the frequency of these murders has increased in recent years, with nearly half (14 out of 29) occurring since 2020.

To provide a better understanding of the context of their deaths, this report examines the relationship between the location of these killings and deforestation in the Peruvian Amazon. From this, our MAAP team’s findings indicate that these murders are connected to five major issues in the Peruvian Amazon: Illegal gold mining, Illegal logging, Illicit crops (coca), Land trafficking, and Protesting.

The Base Map to the right shows the location of the 29 documented environmental defenders killed in Peru between 2010-2022, and indicates the environmental issue related to each death as the suspected or confirmed motive for the crime. It is important to note that many of the murders occurred in geographic clusters that coincide with the major environmental conflict of that specific area. For example, gold mining is a major cause of conflict in the southern Peruvian Amazon, while illegal logging and illicit crops are more common threats in the central Peruvian Amazon.

The report then focuses on three of the major threats related to the murders — Illegal gold mining, Illegal logging, and Illicit crops — with more in-depth descriptions and key case studies, and reviews the current regulatory basis related to environmental defender deaths in Peru.

Read the full report here.

 

Ever wonder who’s working behind the scenes at Amazon Conservation? In addition to our incredible staff members, we also have a Board of Directors who provide their expertise and financial support to guide us on our strategic mission of empowering people, protecting wild places, and putting science and technology to work to keep the Amazon thriving.

In 2021, breast cancer specialist and passionate birder Carolyn Hendricks joined our board to expand her role as a conservationist, not only for the Amazon but for her local community members and wildlife as well. Before Amazon Conservation, Carolyn had been a part of the American Bird Conservancy and NatureServe, and currently serves as vice president for the Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology. Thanks to a few friendly connections made through birding, this path has led her to join the Amazon Conservation Board.

Read on to learn more about Carolyn’s story!

Can you tell us a little about you?

I am a breast cancer specialist by profession but I have evolved into a community conservationist over the past 20 years. My passion for conservation started with birding and bird conservation. An expanding circle of birders led me to join the board of the American Bird Conservancy for nearly a decade which led to other connections and conservation board work including NatureServe. My involvement in land conservation started when my husband and I purchased 80 acres of land in southwestern Pennsylvania from the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC) and constructed a one-of-a-kind sustainable home on the property. I’m engaged in many activities centered on land stewardship with WPC including nature trail maintenance, outreach to local landowners, and wildflower plantings. I work on a local demonstration forest and serve on the board of the Woodlands Owners of the Southern Alleghenies. My birding world now includes regular raptor and grassland bird surveys, board service for the Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology, and a coordinator role in the recently launched Pennsylvania 3rd Bird Atlas.

What got you interested in environmental conservation?

Working with conservation groups at the local level in southwestern Pennsylvania has incentivized me to expand my activities and support to the national and international levels. It is clear to me that enacting positive change for our environment requires a significant scale. The increasing threats that our wildlife and ecosystems are facing truly require global efforts.

How did you initially learn about Amazon Conservation?

I was introduced to Amazon Conservation by our current Board Chairman Jim Brumm who I consider a lifelong and valued friend. Our paths to conservation have crisscrossed in many ways over the years, most recently during our shared tenure as board members for Amazon Conservation. He helped me to realize that the solutions that Amazon Conservation proposes for the Amazon are extremely appealing and worthy of support: to protect wild places, empower people, and put science and technology to work.

As a Board member, what are you most impressed/proud of from Amazon Conservation?

Over the past 20 years, Amazon Conservation has evolved from a small organization conceived by our two founders to coordinate projects and fundraising for the Amazon in the US, Peru, and Bolivia. It is now a much larger, ambitious, and effective organization with multiple partners across the Amazon whose shared goal is to conserve the world’s largest rainforest which is at a tipping point. The highlight of my board service so far has been to attend a board retreat at Mashaquipe in Beni, Bolivia attended by the staff of the members of our Alliance. It provided an opportunity to meet some of the amazing people who do the work of the organization, for example, biologist Ruthmery Pillco who leads the Andean Bear Reforestation Project. She was honored shortly after our board meeting as one of National Geographic’s Emerging Explorers. I’m also impressed by the scope of the work that is being done in the MAAP program with its measurable outcomes which have been achieved by highlighting the devastation occurring in the Amazon created by deforestation and illegal gold mining.

What have you learned from being a Board Member?

Board service has provided me with a window into the complexity of the environmental problems in the Amazon and the importance of the gains that have been achieved by Amazon Conservation over the past 20 years. The territories and habitats are vast and the communities, governments, and indigenous groups that stand to benefit from the Amazon Conservation’s approaches could not be more varied. I am convinced that the work Amazon Conservation is doing is critical to the region and needs to grow and expand within a partnership framework.

Why do you think it is important to protect the Amazon rainforest?

The Amazon rainforest is arguably the most important habitat on Earth because of its critical role in our carbon cycle and the incredible diversity of the people and species that inhabit it.

What would you say to other environmentally-conscious people who want to make a difference in the Amazon and help fight climate change?

My personal choice and my recommendation for other similarly-minded individuals is to support Amazon Conservation. The gains have been tangible and there is a lot more work to be done.

 

August reminds us of the importance of legacy and preparation, as it’s National Make-A-Will month! Make-A-Will month is a time that empowers us to think about the future and ensure our intentions are honored so that we can rest easy knowing the future we craft today will be bright and green tomorrow.

Amazon Conservation is proud to partner with FreeWill, a tool that simplifies the will-making process. It’s a trusted resource that over a million people have used to create their plans for the future. Plus, it offers an easy way to make your favorite cause a part of your legacy, such as keeping the Amazon thriving.

Here are some compelling reasons to take action now:

• Security: Your will lays out your wishes clearly, granting you peace of mind knowing your vision for the future is in place.
• Peace of mind: Assure care for loved ones and pets so they’re well taken care of no matter what.
• Impact: Electing a beneficiary for non-probate assets is important, as some of these are not covered in your will.

Create my free will

In around 20 minutes, you can create a plan that:

• Achieves certainty, knowing your wishes are clearly outlined.
• Embeds your values into a document that honors your loved ones and the causes you
  treasure.
• Makes a mark on the world by supporting the Amazon’s preservation for years to come.

Create your will this month, and let’s continue to envision a thriving Amazon that sustains the full diversity of life. Your actions today can echo through the canopy of time.

 

P.S. If Amazon Conservation is already part of your plans, please let us know by filling out this quick form!

The Amazon biome plays a vital role in stabilizing global climate, having long been one of the largest carbon sinks in the world. Despite this, accurate estimations of this carbon have been a challenge. Still, thanks to new satellite-based technologies providing major advances (most notably NASA’s GEDI mission [see MAAP #213] and, most recently, Planet Forest Carbon Diligence), MAAP has been able to collect new data sets that give a more detailed estimate of the total above-ground carbon in the Amazon. 

MAAP #215 presents an analysis of Planet’s cutting-edge new dataset, featuring a 10-year historical time series (2013 – 2022) with wall-to-wall estimates for aboveground carbon density at 30-meter resolution. Through a generous sharing agreement with Planet, we have been granted access to this data across the entire Amazon biome for the analysis presented in the following three-part series:

1. Estimate and illustrate total aboveground forest carbon across the Amazon biome in unprecedented detail (see below).
2. Highlight which parts of the Amazon are home to the highest aboveground carbon levels, including protected areas and Indigenous territories (see part 2).
3. Present emblematic deforestation cases have resulted in the highest aboveground carbon emissions across the Amazon (see part 3).

This report presents the major results for part 1. More reports on parts 2 and 3 will follow in the upcoming weeks. 

Based on our analysis of Planet Forest Carbon Diligence, we estimate that the Amazon contained 56.8 billion metric tons of aboveground carbon, as of 2022 (see Base Map), with peak carbon levels largely concentrated in the southwest Amazon (southern Peru and adjacent western Brazil) and northeast Amazon (northeast Brazil, French Guiana, and Suriname).

The Countries with the most aboveground carbon are 1) Brazil (57%), 2) Peru (15%), 3) Colombia (7%), 4) Venezuela (6%), and 5) Bolivia (6%). These countries are followed by Guyana (3%), Suriname (3%), Ecuador (2%), and French Guiana (2%). 

 

Read the full report here.

 

 

Agriculture has become one of the leading causes of deforestation across the Amazon. As MAAP has continued to closely monitor its impacts, a burst of new data and online visualization tools are revealing key land use patterns across the Amazon, particularly regarding the critical topic of agriculture. MAAP #214, merges and analyzes these new datasets to provide our first overall estimate of Amazonian land use, the most detailed effort to date across all nine countries of the biome that zooms in on three key regions to show the data in greater detail:
The Eastern Brazilian Amazon, Andean Amazon (Peru and Ecuador), and Northeast Amazon (Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana).

These new datasets include:

• Crops. The International Food Policy Research Institute, with support from WRI’s Land & Carbon Lab, recently launched the latest version of their innovative crop monitoring product, the Spatial Production Allocation Model (SPAM), featuring spatial data for 46 crops.
• Cattle pasture. The Atlas of Pastures, developed by the Federal University of Goiás, facilitates access to data regarding Brazilian cattle pastures generated by MapBiomas.

The Base Map above illustrates the following major findings:

1) Crops
40 crops in the SPAM dataset overlap with the Amazon, covering over 106 million hectares (13% of the Amazon biome).

Soybean covers over 67.5 million hectares, mostly concentrated in southern Brazil and Bolivia. Relatedly, maize covers 70 million hectares, often as a secondary rotational crop with soy.

Oil palm covers nearly 8 million hectares, concentrated in eastern Brazil, central Peru, northern Ecuador, and northern Colombia.

Cocoa and coffee are concentrated in the Andean Amazon zones of Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia (8 million and 6.7 million hectares, respectively).

Other major crops across the Amazon include rice (13.8 million hectares), sorghum (10.9 million hectares), cassava (9.8 million hectares), sugarcane (9.6 million hectares), and wheat (5.8 million hectares).

2) Cattle Pasture
Cattle pasture covers 76.3 million hectares (9% of the Amazon biome). The vast majority (92%) of the pasture is in Brazil, followed by Colombia and Bolivia.

3) Crops + Cattle Pasture
Overall, accounting for overlaps between the data, it is estimated that crops and pasture combined cover 115.8 million hectares.

This total is the equivalent of 19% of the Amazon biome. For comparison, open-pit gold mining covered 1.9 million hectares (0.23% of the Amazon biome).

Read the full report here. 

We are excited to announce that the new conservation area “Arroyo Guarichona” Conservation Area was officially created in the department of Beni, Bolivia on July 5, 2024! 

Located in the municipality of San Ramón in the province of Mamoré, the “Arroyo Guarichona” Conservation Area protects 199,435 hectares (492,814.8 acres) of vital natural spaces with savannas, lowland forests, and high biodiversity as part of the National System of Protected Areas (SNAP).

With the creation of Arroyo Guarichona, the local government and community members seek to prevent the indiscriminate extraction and degradation of hydrobiological resources, forests, savannahs, soils, and lands. It also hopes to stop deforestation and the deterioration of the Laguna Grande de San Ramón, a lagoon that provides the local population with potable water. Declaring a territory a protected area provides refuge for flora and fauna, helps to maintain the natural balance of ecosystemic processes that contribute to the region’s ecological health, and promotes the protection, stewardship, and promotion of the cultural and natural heritage of these spaces. In addition to conserving the ecosystem and biodiversity, protected areas can also improve local people’s well-being through sustainable livelihoods, clean water, and food security for local populations. Well-managed protected areas can generate significant economic benefits and contribute to sustainable development and poverty reduction at local and national levels.

 This groundbreaking achievement was made possible thanks to an initiative led by the Autonomous Municipal Government of San Ramón (GAM San Ramón in Spanish) in 2019, which brought together local communities, volunteers, and rural farmers who wanted to protect the tributaries of the Guarichona stream and the existing lagoons in the declared area. The owners of these farms requested a general ban on indiscriminate fishing to promote sustainable fishing and offered to be “voluntary guardians” of responsible fishing. As part of these efforts, the San Antonio del Poyori Indigenous community also proposed declaring this entire system of streams and lagoons a protected area. Our sister organization in Bolivia, Conservación Amazónica-ACEAA, joined this initiative in 2023 to provide technical support to local leaders to help declare this territory a “Municipal Protected Area.” This new title would allow the implementation of conservation processes based on the comprehensive management of forests and natural pampas or grasslands, ensuring the protection of valuable ecosystems for generations to come. 

More than just a natural water resource for local people, the ecosystem’s significance extends far beyond the local community and wildlife. For approximately 2,800 years, the landscape’s seasonal flooding pattern has shaped both its landscape and biodiversity and influenced many socioeconomic and cultural activities. The Mamoré River flows south to north to join the Beni and Iténez rivers and form the Madeira River, one of the main tributaries of the Amazon River. As part of the Llanos de Moxos ecoregion with high levels of flooding and water retention, San Ramón’s lower elevation flood plain helps regulate water levels and flooding for the Amazon, so conservation of the region helps sustain the ecological health of the larger Amazon. In addition, these plains have a strong historical and cultural legacy as they were once home to pre-Columbian societies with complex structural adaptations such as dams, embankments, and ridges that left a valuable archaeological heritage in Beni.

The creation of this new conservation area would not have been possible without the generous contributions of the Andes Amazon Fund to support our sister organization in the creation and management of protected areas across Bolivia.

Along with Conservación Amazónica–ACEAA we are eager to celebrate the declaration of this protected area and the collaborative hard work of all of the institutions and social actors contributing to our efforts for a prosperous and thriving Amazon.