How Amazon Conservation and the Pulitzer Center are using Amazon Mining Watch to track illegal gold mining and make data accessible for journalists

Protecting the Amazon Rainforest at scale goes beyond compiling data. It requires collaboration across borders, organizations, policymakers, people, and diverse audiences, especially with those who help bring critical issues into the public eye.

As part of our Earth Month campaign, The Power of Collective Action: Mobilizing Conservation at Scale Across the Amazon, we are highlighting how partnerships help turn knowledge into action. One example is our collaboration with the Pulitzer Center, a U.S.-based news media organization that raises awareness about underreported global issues and sponsors independent reporting. Together, we are working to ensure that timely, high-quality information about illegal gold mining reaches journalists, decision-makers, and the public in order to help drive awareness, accountability, and action across the region.

“Partnerships like this expand our work as a trusted source of scientific data and resources, helping ensure that journalists have access to reliable and timely information to inform their reporting,” said Priscila Steffen, Communications and Public Relations Manager at Amazon Conservation.

The recent launch of the Amazon Mining Watch’s Panorama reporting series marks a major step forward in making complex data more accessible and actionable. The inaugural report covering October through December 2025 revealed that in just these three months, approximately 6,000 hectares (14,000 acres) of forest were lost to gold mining across the Amazon, a stark reminder of the speed and scale of this growing threat. But data alone does not create change. Through our partnership with the Pulitzer Center, this information is being translated into stories that reach global audiences and bring local realities to international attention. By combining satellite-based monitoring with data-driven and investigative journalism, we are expanding public awareness of illegal mining as a transboundary issue that affects ecosystems, Indigenous territories, and communities across the entire Amazon Basin.

“At the Pulitzer Center, we believe in inspiring action to protect the Amazon Rainforest through collaborative, breakthrough journalism that goes beyond the headlines. We leverage powerful tools, such as Amazon Mining Watch, to transform data into stories that empower communities, promote transparency, and foster stronger governance and collaboration among stakeholders,” shared Jonatan Rodriguez, Program Manager for Latin America at the Pulitzer Center.

A key pillar of this collaboration is equipping journalists with the tools and knowledge needed to investigate and report on illegal mining. The Pulitzer Center is supporting journalists in learning how to use the Amazon Mining Watch platform to identify leads, investigate trends, and uncover stories that might otherwise remain hidden. This approach strengthens not only individual reporting, but also the broader ecosystem of environmental journalism to enable consistent, data-driven coverage of illegal gold mining, one of the Amazon’s most urgent challenges.

This collaboration also extends beyond reporting by individual journalists and media outlets. During a recent regional meeting in Colombia organized by Amazon Conservation and our partners on our Combating Illegal Mining project and thanks to support from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Pulitzer Center shared tools for and approaches to collaborative journalism with partners from across the Amazon.

These resources, including a guide on cross-border reporting and “journalistic symbiosis,” are designed to help journalists collaborate more effectively, with civil society sharing data, insights, and narratives that reflect the interconnected nature of the Amazon Rainforest, while also encouraging forward-thinking journalism and projects with extended impact to help protect this vital ecosystem. 

This close partnership is key to amplifying the impact of collective action through Amazon Mining Watch. By bringing together scientists, technical experts, and journalists, we are not only improving how information is generated, but also how it is shared, understood, and used. Protecting the Amazon at scale depends on making the invisible visible and on working together to turn knowledge into action. 

About Amazon Mining Watch
Developed through a partnership between Amazon Conservation, Earth Genome, and the Pulitzer Center, the Amazon Mining Watch platform aims to strengthen transparency and help decision-makers respond more effectively to illegal gold mining, one of the Amazon’s fastest-growing drivers of deforestation, as well as to help international media report on the escalating threats to nature, people, and wildlife.

This Earth Month, we invite you to be part of something bigger. 

Together, we have the power to protect the Amazon, and our planet.

Mobilizing Conservation at Scale Across the Amazon

Thank you for celebrating Earth Month with us this year!

This April, Amazon Conservation and our supporters are celebrating the power we all hold to protect our planet: together. Inspired by Earth Day 2026’s theme, Our Power, Our Planet, we are reminded of a fundamental truth: lasting environmental progress is driven not by any single moment or decision, but by the everyday actions of communities, partners, and people working collectively to protect our planet and the places they call home.

This year’s theme resonates with us so deeply because at Amazon Conservation, we believe that the most effective solutions are built together. From Indigenous communities stewarding their ancestral lands to scientists advancing new tools for conservation and partners collaborating across borders, each plays a vital role in protecting the Amazon.

The Amazon Rainforest is vast, complex, and essential to life on Earth. It is home to unparalleled biodiversity and cultural richness, while also serving as a critical regulator of the global climate. Protecting it requires action at a scale that matches its importance, and that kind of impact is only possible through collaboration.

 

Get Involved: Join the Movement

Collective action requires all of us to work together toward our common objective: a thriving Amazon Rainforest and a healthy planet Earth.

Here are 6 quick and easy ways you can get involved in our conservation efforts:

Sign up for a monthly gift of $10 or more this April* for a special bonus gift: an 18‑month wall calendar with breathtaking photos of the incredible landscape where we work! (Note: signing up in April serves as a pre‑order; calendars will be mailed out in June. This offer is for new and existing monthly donors whose gifts are active at time of shipping. Design pictured is for promotional purposes; final calendar may vary. Shipping is limited to the United States and Canada.)

1. Make a Gift
   

   The quickest, easiest, and perhaps most impactful way to show your support this Earth Month is to make a gift to Amazon Conservation. Click here to make a gift through our secure online platform. Consider signing up for monthly giving for a special gift (more details below)! For more inspiration on how you can get involved with Amazon Conservation, see our Ways to Give webpage.

   Plus, a special surprise for all of our donors: Be on the lookout for an upcoming special invitation to an exclusive Earth Month webinar on April 16! Make a donation today to secure your invitation.

2. Become a Wild Keeper and Get a Free Gift

   We hope you’ll consider joining our global community of sustaining donors who commit to the Amazon with impact that is consistent, easy, and manageable through automated month gifts. Sign up for a monthly gift of $10 or more this April* for a special bonus gift: an 18-month wall calendar with breathtaking photos of the incredible landscape where we work!
   *Please note: You must provide a mailing address when you sign up to take advantage of this limited-time offer. Signing up in April serves as a pre-order; calendars will be mailed out in June. This offer is for new and existing monthly donors whose gifts are active at time of shipping. Shipping is limited to the United States and Canada.

3. Start Your Own Earth Month Fundraiser
   

   Harness the power of your community by getting your family and friends to join together for this cause. We can do more together than we can alone. Creating your personalized, shareable online fundraiser takes just a few clicks!

4. Explore a Business Partnership
   

   Connect your employees and align your company with impactful conservation by supporting our work through in-kind or financial support, event sponsorship, and more. We would love to chat with you and tailor a custom sponsorship package that match your business’s specific goals.

5. Follow Along on Social Media (Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn)

   Connect with us to stay up to date on our work and on the situation on the ground in the Amazon. Throughout Earth Month, we will be sharing meaningful stories about the impact of our partnerships and collaboration on protecting the Amazon and empowering communities. Interact with and reshare our content to help spread our message. You an also tag us in a post about why you’re passionate about protecting the Amazon and why raising awareness about this incredible rainforest is important to you!

6. Make Amazon Conservation a Part of Your Legacy

   One of the most meaningful ways to protect the Amazon for generations to come is by including Amazon Conservation in your estate plans. Through our partnership with FreeWill, you can create a will for free in just 20 minutes and easily designate a gift that reflects your values. Legacy gifts ensure that your commitment to conservation continues far into the future, safeguarding forests, wildlife, and communities. Learn more and start your free will today to make a lasting impact.

This Earth Month, we invite you to be part of something bigger. 

Together, we have the power to protect the Amazon, and our planet.

New publication highlights rapid expansion of mining-related deforestation across the Amazon
countries and provides timely insights to support enforcement and accountability

Washington, DC, March 11, 2026 — Amazon Mining Watch today released the inaugural edition of the Amazon Mining Watch Panorama, a new report series that will provide timely insights into the growing impacts of gold mining across the Amazon Rainforest. Drawing on AI-powered detection of mining scars from the Amazon Mining Watch platform, the series offers a basin-wide snapshot of mining-driven deforestation and emerging threats to protected areas and Indigenous territories as a tool to support informed decision-making on needed action.

The first edition of the Panorama, covering October–December 2025, confirms the continued expansion of gold mining across all nine Amazonian countries. In the last  quarter alone, the report estimates approximately 6,000 hectares (over 14,000 acres) of new mining-related deforestation across the Amazon, highlighting the scale and urgency of the crisis facing the world’s largest tropical forest. That’s an area equivalent to about seven times the size of Central Park in New York City.

Brazil registered the largest expansion in mining activity during the quarter, accounting for roughly 2,000 hectares/ 5,000 acres of new deforestation, followed by Peru (1,700 hectares/ 4200 acres) and Guyana (900 hectares/ 2000 acres). Additional expansion was detected in Venezuela, Suriname, Bolivia, Ecuador, and French Guiana, underscoring the transboundary nature of mining-driven forest loss across the Amazon Basin.

“Illegal gold mining continues to spread across the Amazon, threatening biodiversity, Indigenous territories, and critical ecosystems,” said Andrés Santana, Senior Manager for Halting Illegal Deforestation at Amazon Conservation. “With the Amazon Mining Watch Panorama series, we are providing governments, journalists, and civil society with a regular, data-driven snapshot of where mining is expanding and where urgent action is needed.”

New Mining Incursions and Renewed Pressure on Protected Areas

The report identifies several new incursions into areas that previously showed no evidence of mining, including Indigenous territories such as Territorio Charip in Ecuador, where satellite analysis detected the first mining scar recorded in the area. It also highlights cases where mining activity has resurged after periods of inactivity, suggesting renewed pressure following earlier enforcement actions. For example, new mining scars were detected in Igarapés do Juruena State Park in Brazil and in Indigenous territories in Ecuador and Guyana during the last quarter. Meanwhile, several protected areas and Indigenous territories continue to experience persistent and accelerating mining deforestation, including Tambopata National Reserve in Peru, where more than 200 hectares of new mining expansion were detected during the quarter.

“These findings show that illegal gold mining remains one of the most pervasive threats to the Amazon,” said Blaise Bodin, Director of Strategy and Policy at Amazon Conservation. “Regular monitoring and transparent reporting are essential to understand where this activity is expanding and to strengthen enforcement across borders.”

Reserva Ecológica Cofán Bermejo / Provincia de Sucumbíos, Ecuador. Photo: Fundación EcoCiencia.

The Amazon Mining Watch Panorama synthesizes the latest monitoring data and highlights key trends, new incursions, and hotspots of persistent mining expansion to support accountability and inform policy responses across the region. It highlights the results provided by the Amazon Mining Watch platform, an AI-powered monitoring system that detects gold-mining deforestation across the entire Amazon Basin.

Get access to the full report: https://amazonminingwatchpanorama.org/

About Amazon Mining Watch
Developed through a partnership between Amazon Conservation, Earth Genome, and the Pulitzer Center,
Amazon Mining Watch platform aims to strengthen transparency and help decision-makers respond more
effectively to one of the Amazon’s fastest-growing drivers of deforestation, as well as to help the media
report on escalating threats to nature, people, and wildlife.

About Amazon Conservation Association
Amazon Conservation is an international conservation nonprofit working for the past 25 years toward
building a thriving Amazon. The organization’s holistic approach focuses on working with local partners
and allies to protect wild places, empower people, and put science and technology to work for
conservation. Visit amazonconservation.org for more information.

Press Contacts
Priscila Steffen, Communications & Public Relations Manager: psteffen@amazonconservation.org
Ana Folhadella, Philanthropy and Communications Director: afolhadella@amazonconservation.org

Mining footprint doubles in four years, raising alarms over growing pressure on southern-Ecuadorian Amazon forests

Article by Fundación EcoCiencia

Quito, February 23, 2026 – A new report from the Amazon Conservation’s MAAP (Monitoring of the Andes Amazon Project) monitoring initiative documents for the first time in detail the expansion of gold mining in the southern-Ecuadorian Amazon, with a focus on the province of Morona Santiago. The analysis complements previous MAAP reports focused on northern and central Ecuador, expanding the understanding of a growing trend that threatens forests, territories, and livelihoods across the Amazon region.

Mining activity in Morona Santiago, located in the southern Ecuadorian Amazon, has grown rapidly over the past four years. According to the latest analysis, based on data from Fundación EcoCiencia and Amazon Conservation, the area affected by mining nearly doubled between 2020 and 2024, revealing sustained expansion across Amazonian territories of high ecological importance.

In 2020, mining covered approximately 420 hectares of the province. By 2024, that figure had increased to 856 hectares, representing a 100% increase in just four years. These findings confirm the progressive advance of the mining frontier, with direct impacts on forest cover and Amazonian ecosystems.

The scale of this expansion is significant: the 856 hectares affected are roughly equivalent to 2,000 professional soccer fields.

An analysis of cumulative deforestation by year shows steady growth in the area impacted, with no clear signs of slowing during the period analyzed (2020–2024). This trend raises concerns about increasing pressure on primary forests, freshwater sources, and territories inhabited by local and Indigenous communities.

The study forms part of a broader series of investigations using the digital platform Amazon Mining Watch, developed by Amazon Conservation with support from Earth Genome and the Pulitzer Center. The platform uses artificial intelligence to analyze satellite imagery and automatically identify and map areas affected by mining across the Amazon since 2018. Quarterly updates allow researchers to detect new extraction fronts in near-real-time.

Despite increased monitoring efforts, this report shows that gold mining continues to advance into Amazonian forest areas, directly affecting primary forest ecosystems. While full cartographic details are available in the technical report, the analysis confirms that several Indigenous territories overlap with the areas studied, heightening concerns about potential cultural, social, and environmental impacts.

Morona Santiago is among the Ecuadorian provinces with a significant mining presence, where artisanal, small-scale, and large-scale mining activities have increased pressure on local ecosystems. Previous regional monitoring had already identified hundreds of hectares undergoing mining activity in the province in recent years.

Conservation experts and local organizations warn that this expansion not only leads to forest loss, but also contamination of rivers and streams, disruption of ecosystem services, and violations of the collective rights of Indigenous peoples who inhabit these territories.

Access the full report:
https://www.maapprogram.org/es/ecuador-vias-achuar/

About MAAP

The Monitoring of the Andes Amazon Program (MAAP) is an initiative of Amazon Conservation, working with regional partners including Conservación Amazónica – ACCA (Peru) and Conservación Amazónica – ACEAA (Bolivia), with generous support from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. This report was developed in partnership with Fundación EcoCiencia (Ecuador). Through satellite technology and scientific analysis, MAAP provides key information to help combat deforestation, illegal mining, and other threats across the Amazon.

Illegal deforestation in the Amazon often moves faster than governments can respond, especially in remote Indigenous territories affected by illegal gold mining. Over the past five years, Amazon Conservation’s Technology Meets Policy initiative worked to close that gap by linking real-time monitoring with coordinated enforcement and stronger governance. Indigenous leadership and strengthening of local partners through technology transfer were central to this effort, because ancestral and territorial knowledge is often what transforms data into real protection on the ground.

The results are measurable and reflected in concrete enforcement actions. Illegal deforestation dropped significantly across Indigenous territories supported by the project. In Peru, deforestation fell 43% across FENAMAD beneficiary communities compared to 2020 levels. In Ecuador, deforestation also declined in Waorani and Shuar Arutam territories over the same period. These gains reflect improved detection and stronger coordination among Indigenous leaders, civil society organizations, and government authorities responding to illegal mining and other drivers of forest loss.

Closing the gap between detection and enforcement

Illegal mining and forest clearing can expand quickly, while investigations, coordination, and legal processes often lag behind. This project addressed these challenges by connecting Amazon Conservation’s MAAP (Monitoring of the Andes Amazon Program), which delivers high-resolution, timely satellite analysis, with strengthened Indigenous territorial monitoring, legal collaboration, and improved government coordination.

Satellite alerts did not remain data points. Community monitors translated them into documented evidence, supported through legal channels, and shared through confidential intelligence reports with environmental agencies, prosecutors, and police. In Peru, the project strengthened and helped decentralize the National System of Monitoring and Control, an inter-institutional mechanism that supports faster coordination among environmental, prosecutorial, police, and other authorities to respond to forest crime. In Ecuador, Fundación EcoCiencia now leads 100% of MAAP’s real-time monitoring nationally, reinforcing independent civil society leadership and sustained collaboration with public institutions.

Through sustained collaboration, technical exchange, and joint analysis, local partners deepened their ability to interpret satellite data, document cases, navigate legal pathways, and engage directly with public authorities. In Peru, this included close coordination with FENAMAD to reinforce Indigenous leadership in territorial defense. In Ecuador, collaboration with Fundación EcoCiencia helped institutionalize an independent national monitoring capacity. Together, these efforts strengthened governance systems that can respond to forest crime over time.

From satellite image to government response

By linking monitoring to action, MAAP analysis supported concrete enforcement efforts, including, for example, Ecuador’s Operation Manatí III in 2023, which covered 8,500 acres (about 3,500 hectares) and resulted in the seizure of excavators and mining equipment. In Peru, timely confidential reports and Indigenous-led monitoring supported investigations and government operations in high-risk areas affected by illegal gold mining.

For communities facing invasions into their territories, satellite imagery, photos, and field documentation strengthen legal pathways and reinforce safeguards for environmental defenders operating under increasing pressure. As Julio Cusurichi Palacios, Indigenous leader from the Peruvian Amazon and former president of FENAMAD, explains, “The information is very important because in one way or another it supports what one can make known. If there is an invasion in a community’s territory, it can be relayed by phone, but it is much better when there is photographic or video evidence.”

The project also contributed to policy progress. In 2025, Ecuador advanced its Organic Law to Strengthen Protected Areas, reinforcing the legal framework governing protected areas. Across both countries, Indigenous organizations, civil society partners, and public authorities worked to ensure that monitoring insights could move through institutional channels and prompt timely responses.

What comes next

The results show that technology alone does not reduce illegal deforestation. Impact comes when timely data is paired with Indigenous leadership, coordinated civil society engagement, and institutions prepared to respond.

Building on this five-year foundation, supported by the Norwegian government through Norad and its International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI), and as MAAP marks its 10th anniversary, Amazon Conservation is now scaling this approach, with our Norwegian partners continuing to support the next phase of this work.

In addition to continuing efforts in Peru and Ecuador, the expansion now includes Bolivia, strengthening Indigenous and civil society leadership while broadening coordinated monitoring and enforcement across priority regions of the Amazon. Timely detection of mining-driven deforestation, together with Amazon Mining Watch, a new AI-based monitoring platform that tracks mining-related deforestation across the Amazon, will further reinforce basin-wide efforts to address forest crime.

For Indigenous peoples and local communities, this work is about rights, safety, and the ability to defend territories for future generations. As Marco Martinez, Territorial Executive of the Shuar Arutam Indigenous Community of Ecuador, put it: “The Shuar Arutam will always fight because that is our right. To those who want to silence our voice, behind me stand other generations, our children’s children, and all the Indigenous peoples of the world who will continue fighting against those who threaten our communities.”

Working alongside Conservación Amazónica ACCA in Peru, Fundación EcoCiencia in Ecuador, and the Federación Nativa del Río Madre de Dios y Afluentes FENAMAD, this collaboration strengthened regional coordination to turn monitoring into action. With continued support from the Norwegian government’s International Climate and Forest Initiative NICFI, the initiative is now expanding to Bolivia through Conservación Amazónica ACEAA.

Regional partners:
           

Supported by:

Implemented by:

Illegal gold mining continues to grow exponentially across the Amazon Basin, crossing the borders of the nine countries it encompasses, and causing far-reaching environmental and social impacts everywhere it reaches. 

“Gold mining has become a transnational activity that affects the Amazon at scale,” said Andrés Santana, Senior Manager for Combating Illegal Deforestation at Amazon Conservation. “Addressing it effectively requires coordinated action between local organizations, Indigenous leaders, scientific institutions, and governments that goes beyond national borders.”

With this shared understanding, Amazon Conservation hosted a high-impact forum in Bogotá, Colombia, with representatives from our network of local partners to strengthen regional coordination to combat illegal gold mining through science, collaboration, and collective action.

From January 28 to 30, technology, policy, and communications experts from seven Amazonian countries had the rare opportunity to share experiences, learn from one another, and advance a shared approach to address Amazon-wide gold mining deforestation, grounded in common methodologies and lessons learned.

Building on Amazon Conservation’s efforts to date to halt deforestation, our team highlighted the tools and advances that are driving progress, including Amazon Mining Watch, a new AI-based monitoring platform created jointly with Earth Genome and the Pulitzer Center, and stronger ongoing analysis from the satellite monitoring experts at our Monitoring of the Andes Amazon Program (MAAP). 

Representatives from our partners Conservación Amazónica-ACCA, Conservación Amazónica-ACEAA, Amazon Conservation Team, Conservation Strategy Fund, Federación Nativa del Río Madre de Dios y Afluentes (FENAMAD), Fundación EcoCiencia, Fundación para la Conservación y el Desarrollo Sostenible (FCDS), Instituto Centro de Vida (ICV), and Instituto Socioambiental (ISA) shared monitoring innovations in each country and how they are converting data into action on the ground.

For Fundación EcoCiencia, the forum reinforced why collaboration across the entire Amazon is essential. “We can’t address these threats in isolation,” said Jorge Villa, MAAP Coordinator at Fundación EcoCiencia. “Working together at an Amazon-wide level allows us to learn from what has worked and what has not, and to better engage governments across countries to combat illegal mining more effectively.”

Sessions at a glance

The technical and policy sessions were focused on strengthening regional responses to illegal gold mining across the Amazon. Topics included real-time monitoring with Amazon Mining Watch and MAAP, the use of mining impact assessment tools, coordination protocols with government 

authorities, Indigenous and civil society-led monitoring experiences, country-level responses to illegal mining, and comparative analysis of mining policies across the Amazon basin, including emerging trends in Suriname and Guyana.

The event also included a dedicated communication and advocacy session focused on strengthening the translation of scientific analyses into awareness, education, and activism to drive greater policy and field action. Representatives from the Pulitzer Center and the Foundation for Conservation and Sustainable Development (FCDS) shared successful case studies to showcase the role of investigative journalism, strategic storytelling, and data-driven narratives to inform public opinion and influence decision-making. Building on each other’s experience, participants took vital steps to develop a common communication strategy to support coordinated advocacy and policy efforts at national and pan-Amazonian scales. By bringing together fellow civil society organizations, Indigenous leaders, and technical experts, the forum marked an important step toward deeper regional collaboration to combat illegal gold mining and protect the Amazon.

This forum was made possible by generous support from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.

Drawing on 24 years of satellite data, the analysis maps gold-mining deforestation across the country and shows recent incursions into protected areas.

A new analysis by Amazon Conservation Association’s Monitoring of the Andes Amazon Program (MAAP), combining over two decades’ worth of satellite data with recent AI monitoring results from Amazon Mining Watch, reveals that gold mining has impacted an estimated 92,000 hectares (approximately 227,000 acres) of forest in Suriname over the past 24 years, an area larger than New York City.

Just as similar MAAP analyses have revealed rapid expansions of gold mining across the Amazon in countries such as Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia, the data now show a comparable pattern emerging in Suriname.

Using high-resolution satellite imagery dating back to 2001, this report provides the first comprehensive, data-driven assessment focused exclusively on deforestation caused by gold mining activities in the Surinamese Amazon. The long-term historical analysis is based on data from the University of Maryland, while evidence of new mining activity is provided by Amazon Mining Watch, a recently launched AI platform developed through a partnership between Amazon Conservation Association, Earth Genome, and the Rainforest Investigations Network of the Pulitzer Center, with support from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. A gold mining path is clearly visible in the satellite images. 

Approximately 3,000 hectares (equivalent to 7,400 acres) of new gold mining deforestation have been detected over the past five years, with activity increasingly encroaching on protected areas. In recent years, nearly 10% of Brownsberg Nature Park has been affected by mining-driven deforestation, while Brinckheuvel Nature Reserve is beginning to experience a mining invasion, highlighting growing pressure on conservation areas.

“The intensifying gold mining deforestation in Suriname is particularly concerning,” notes Matt Finer, Senior Research Specialist and Director of Amazon Conservation Association’s MAAP initiative. “It reflects the same expanding pattern that we have heavily documented in other Amazonian countries, including Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia. This deforestation is having a devastating impact on many iconic protected areas such as Brownsberg Nature Park.”

Turning Information into Action

These findings have already contributed to ongoing dialogues with key decision makers in Suriname. A confidential report based on this analysis was shared with the Surinamese government, helping inform discussions on responses to illegal gold mining in the region. According to Finer, “this type of precise monitoring is essential for enabling authorities and partners on the ground to respond more effectively to illegal mining and prevent irreversible environmental damage.” In response to this report and related information, the Suriname government has indicated plans to tighten its approach to illegal gold mining in Brownsberg Nature Park.

This analysis was developed in collaboration with Amazon Conservation Association’s local partner, Amazon Conservation Team, and was generously made possible by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.

Read the full report here: https://www.maapprogram.org/gold-mining-suriname/ 

About Amazon Conservation Association, MAAP, and Amazon Mining Watch

Amazon Conservation is an international conservation nonprofit that has worked for more than 25 years to build a thriving Amazon. Its holistic approach focuses on partnering with local organizations and allies to protect wild places, empower people, and put science and technology to work for conservation.

As part of Amazon Conservation’s efforts to use the latest in science and technology for conservation, the organization leads initiatives such as the Monitoring of the Andes Amazon Program (MAAP) and Amazon Mining Watch. MAAP provides cutting-edge, real-time technical analysis to report on the most urgent cases of deforestation and fires across the Amazon, using the latest satellite-based technology, and produces pan-Amazonian reports on basin-wide issues – such as unsustainable infrastructure, agricultural expansion, and climate change impacts – to drive conservation and policy action. Amazon Mining Watch, a collaboration between Amazon Conservation Association, Earth Genome, and the Pulitzer Center, complements this work by integrating near-real-time AI-based detection of new gold mining activity with land-designation and policy data, helping assess whether mining is likely unauthorized or illegal, and estimating the socio-environmental costs of mining impacts for a more robust analysis. Together, these tools strengthen transparency, accountability, and decision-making to help protect priority areas in the Amazon before irreversible damage occurs.

For more information, visit amazonconservation.org.

Press Contacts

Priscila Steffen, Communications & Public Relations Manager: info@amazonconservation.org.

In 2025, your support to Amazon Conservation made meaningful results possible across the Amazon Rainforest, strengthening local people’s ability to defend their forests, expanding protected areas, and elevating Indigenous leadership, while ensuring that science, partnerships, and action moved forward together. Here are some highlights of what we achieved together during our 25th anniversary year. 

Through our Monitoring of the Andes Amazon Program (MAAP), we produced 232 analyses last year to pinpoint the most urgent deforestation cases across the Amazon. 219 of those were confidential intelligence briefs sent directly to government agencies or local community leaders across 6 Amazonian countries to help them take swift action against illegal activities destroying the forest. These reports, many led by or developed in collaboration with our local Amazonian partners, prompted 171 government responses and enforcement actions, including 18 on-the-ground operations targeting illegal mining activities.

We also expanded our regional reach, working alongside more than 20 local partners and Indigenous leaders to strengthen their ability to defend their forest homes with real-time satellite monitoring, legal support, and technical training, effectively monitoring 478 million acres of forest in Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.

At the same time, your support helped secure lasting protection on the ground. In 2025, thanks to the leadership of our sister organizations Conservación Amazónica-ACCA and Conservación Amazónica-ACEAA, four new conservation areas we established in Bolivia and Peru, safeguarding over 3 million acres of forests. Of note, the Indigenous communities in Bolivia’s Tacana II territory achieved a historic land title victory that now guarantees their legal right to steward their ancestral lands after two decades of advocacy.

 Our science also reached the global stage. Our analysis of the impact of “flying rivers” in generating rainfall and of where conservation gaps threaten to accelerate the forest’s tipping point was widely highlighted by the media and at COP30, elevating the conservation needs of the Amazon to key decision-makers.  

And in partnership with Earth Genome and the Pulitzer Center, we launched Amazon Mining Watch, an AI-powered platform offering the most comprehensive basin-wide picture of gold mining deforestation to date. This tool you enabled will be vital for policymakers and journalists to inform decisions and investigative reporting on the conservation impacts and the socio-environmental costs of illegal gold mining. 

Each analysis done, each acre protected, and each territory secured represents more than a statistic. It reflects Indigenous leadership, stronger governance, and a more resilient Amazon, made possible because of you. As we look ahead, we invite you to continue walking alongside us. The Amazon’s future depends on sustained action, and your partnership ensures that progress continues in protecting forests, empowering Indigenous guardians, and securing a resilient future for us all.

Thank you for standing with us!

New Year. Renewed Commitment. Join Us.

The start of a new year always brings a quiet moment to take stock of what matters, what we want to stand for, and where we choose to put our energy. As someone who cares deeply about our planet, you already know the difference dedicated individuals can make. As we embrace this fresh chapter and reflect on our resolutions, now is the perfect time to renew your commitment to protecting the world’s most important ecosystem: the Amazon Rainforest.

The Amazon is vital in stabilizing the global climate and home to irreplaceable biodiversity. It influences weather patterns across continents, stores immense amounts of carbon, and holds cultural traditions that have long protected these forests. Your commitment to keeping the Amazon standing helps strengthen this vital work.

Here are a few meaningful ways to turn your resolutions into action this year:

1. Visit the Amazon: Experiencing the Amazon firsthand can be transformative. If you’re able to, visiting community‑run lodges, research stations, or conservation areas allows you to learn directly from the people who know the forest best. Your presence supports local economies, uplifts community‑led tourism, and deepens your understanding of what’s at stake. Thoughtful, responsible travel can be a powerful way to connect your values with real places and real people. Plan your 2026 visit to our eco-lodges.
2. Amplify Awareness: One of the most meaningful first steps is helping more people understand why the Amazon matters and why this work matters to you. Consider creating a personal fundraiser and sharing your own connection to Amazon Conservation. A clear goal, a short message, and a photo make your fundraiser feel personal and relevant to your community, and your voice can inspire others to get involved. You can also share credible information and stories from Amazon Conservation to spark conversations and broaden awareness of what’s at stake.
3. Strengthen Our Roots: Sustained giving is the backbone of long‑term conservation. A monthly gift helps protect forests, support sustainable livelihood opportunities, and advance the research that guides effective action. By joining our Wild Keepers monthly giving program, you become part of a community of nature advocates working together to create steady, reliable impact.
4. Make a plan for the future. Creating an estate plan is a powerful way to care for the people, pets, places, and causes that matter most. Through our partnership with FreeWill, you can access a trusted, easy‑to‑use platform to create your will at no cost to you today. It’s a simple step that brings peace of mind and ensures your values carry forward. Start your plan today.
5. Engage and Empower: Indigenous and local communities lead some of the most effective conservation efforts in the Amazon. Supporting programs that provide tools, training, and resources strengthens their ability to protect their forests, families, and livelihoods. Tax‑smart giving options, such as a stock donation, grant from your Donor-Advised Fund, or a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD), are a great way to maximize your impact.

By embracing these resolutions and taking intentional steps, you can help make 2026 a year of meaningful progress for the Amazon. Your actions today contribute to a future where this extraordinary forest continues to thrive for generations to come.

Thank you for making conservation part of your year.

Stay connected with us and follow our work via our Amazon Conservation email newsletter, and join us on social media (such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn) for updates, stories, and new opportunities to get involved.

Here’s to a year of action, hope, and lasting impact for the planet!

As our 25th anniversary year comes to a close, we are reflecting not only on the forests we’ve protected but also on the people who inspire this work. These are the people who made this journey possible, the loved ones who inspired gifts in their honor or memory. Each donation tells a story of legacy, love, and values carried forward into the future.

One of the most heartfelt ways supporters have chosen to give is through tribute gifts, or donations made in honor or memory of someone special. They are more than donations; they are a way to say “thank you,” “I appreciate you,” or “your values live on through me.” 

And during the holiday season, they’re also a beautiful, last‑minute gift idea. Instead of wrapping another item, you can surprise a loved one with a donation in their name that protects forests and uplifts communities.

Why Tribute Gifts Shine During the Holidays

• A perfect last‑minute gift. No shipping delays, no wrapping paper, just a heartfelt surprise that arrives instantly.
• A gift with impact. Tribute gifts protect forests and empower communities, carrying forward values that matter.
• A gift that honors relationships. Whether in memory or in honor, it’s a way to celebrate the people who inspire you.

How You Can Make Your Tribute

If you want to make a gift in honor or in memory of a loved one, you can do so at any time by checking the box labeled “Dedicate this donation” on our donation page. It’s a meaningful way to celebrate the holidays, honor someone important in your life, and protect forests for the future.

You and your community are helping us protect forests, uplift communities, and carry forward legacies that matter.

Stories of Honor and Memory

In preparation for our 25th anniversary this year, we invited donors like you to make a tribute gift in honor or in memory of a friend or loved one. Each gift carries a story to share with our community of conservationists, and we want to share those stories with you:

• In honor of Amy Rosenthal, from Pamela Rosenthal.
• In honor of Agiimaa Kruchkin, from Jonathan Bryan.
• In honor of Annika Haftenberger, from Leander Haftenberger.
• In honor of Ben Estep.
• In honor of Ben Tamir, from Tali Klein.
• In honor and appreciation of Benjamin Levy, from Judy M. Huey.
• In honor and admiration of Betty Dvorsin, from Judy M. Huey.
• In honor of Birgitta Silfverhielm.
• In memory of Bobby Berenson.
• In memory of Bobbie Hamilton, from Thomas E. Hamilton.
• In honor of Brendon.
• In memory of Camilo Gaitan, from Juliana Achury.
• In honor of Carole and Jay Pershing, from Mary Pershing.
• In honor of Célèste, from Isabelle Sene.
• In honor of Charliy Erber.
• In honor of Chico.
• In honor of Chloe O’Gara, from Kate Malachowski.
• In honor of Christine Stinette, from Nicole Ford.
• In honor of Christopher Morris.
• In honor of Dana Novotny, from Michael R. Dalton.
• In memory of David Kappel, from Arlene Roth.
• In honor of Dominic Bianchi, from Gloria Paul.
• In honor of Don and Heather Ross, from Jenna Ross.
• In honor of Dorothy Tobin, from Benita J. Stambler.
• In honor of Draco Lawrence, from Anisa Valdez.
• In honor of Ed Esposito, from Stephen A. Esposito.
• In honor of Edith Kleiner, from Jillian Kleiner.
• In honor of Elijah Bradley, from Cami Bradley.
• In honor of Eliza, Georgia, and Katherine, from Lydia Shrestha.
• In honor of Eliza Rey, from Kenneth Swearengen.
• In honor of Engineers for a Sustainable World at UT Austin, from Suveda Sannidhi.
• In honor of Eric Baker and Bridget, Andy, Harriet, and Imogen Baker-White, from Bernadette M. Baker.
• In honor of Mr. Erik Baity, from Reginald Beatty.
• In honor of Eva Breznik, from Dejan Mec.
• In honor of Fated to Love You, a Chasing the Comet novel, from Kayla Cunningham.
• In honor of “The Fellas,” from David Yarus.
• In honor of Gastronzo, from Simona Ciccarini.
• In honor of Mr. and Mrs. Glen Baity, from Reginald Beatty.
• In honor of Grace Auyeung, from John C. Webster.
• In honor of Grandmother Ayahuasca, from Asger Hallgreen.
• In memory of Gustavo Fonesca, from Katrina Carter.
• In honor of Heather Hutchison, from Diane Richmond.
• In honor of Helene Lange, from Maximilian Muhle.
• In honor of Ida and Senai, from Sanya Folkesson.
• In honor of Indigo Maazel, from Fiona Maazel.
• In honor of James Briggs, from Pauline Sainsbury.
• In honor of Jane, from Peggy Holton.
• In memory of Jane Bachman, from Paul Bachman.
• In honor of Jane Vondrashek, from Cathy Geist.
• In honor of Jess and Rachel Riddle.
• In honor of Jill Caviglia-Harris, from Maria J. Gonzalez Ramirez.
• In memory of Jim “Jimmy” Parlee, from Mary E. Patterson.
• In honor of Jo Butterworth, from Joe Butterworth.
• In honor of Joe Slowbo.
• In memory of Dr. John W. Aiken, Friend and Mentor, from Tony Tomei.
• In honor of Joshua Brunisholz.
• In honor of Dr. Katrin Schrenk-Siemens.
• In honor of Kierstin Sieser.
• In honor of Kiyoka Akimoto, from Michael Jitosho.
• In honor of Lao Ye, from Evelyn Cao.
• In honor of Lauren, Oliver, Nastasia, Bibi, and Dani, from Pascal Besman.
• In memory of Lauren Avezzie, from The Lauren E. Avezzie Charitable Foundation.
• In honor of Liam Neeley-Brown, from Andrew Schaefer.
• In honor of Lilli Jones, from Christopher Jones.
• In honor of Lucia, Allison, Katie, and Kaia, from Delilah Flores.
• In honor of Lucidalva Boeri, from Yolanda Martin.
• In memory of Lucy Boeri.
• In memory of Dr. M. Anthony Reddy, from Manojkumar Saranathan.
• In honor of M. Anthony Reddy, from Hannah Greene.
• In honor of Madeline Compton.
• In memory of Marjorie Janice Rogalski, Environmentalist, from Richard Rogalski.
• In honor of Matt Hildebrans, from Laura Miller.
• In memory of M. E. Costello.
• In honor of our friend, Meghan Chapple.
• In honor of Mestre Cupijo, from Matteo Battistini.
• In honor of Michael Rodrigues, from Mark Rodrigues.
• In honor of Michelle Maidt, from Karen Von Der Bruegge.
• In honor of Miko Takei, from Kevin Smith.
• In memory of Mohammed Javed.
• In honor of Mother Earth, from Paul Chadwell.
• In honor and appreciation of Miles Terrell, from Judy M. Huey.
• In memory of Muse, from Elizabeth Mersky.
• In honor of Nancy Lauria, from Benita J. Stambler.
• In honor of Nash Miller, from Holly B. Kvinge.
• In honor of Neal and Colleen Mathes, from Mary Michalak.
• In honor of Niamh Kelly.
• In honor of Nolan Saumure, “Seal On Tour,” from Justin Saumure.
• In honor of Ollie Hiett, from Angela Gledstone.
• In honor of Ollie Hiett, from Leah Dowse.
• In honor of Oliver Hiett, from Mili Saul.
• In honor of Papa.
• In honor of the people who care for parks and nature in my town and beyond.
• In honor of Peter Roberts, from Shelly Roberts.
• In honor of Philipp and Kat.
• In memory of Pickle Parrot, from Arlene Roth.
• In honor of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Baity, from Reginald Beatty.
• In honor of Rebecca Callender, from Carla Callender.
• In honor of Reid Rumelt, from Cathy L. Burgess.
• In memory of Renee, Bob, and Murry Wolfson, from David Wolfson.
• In memory of Robert Marvin Gustafson, from Jon Gustafson.
• In honor of Roberta Buttau.
• In honor of Ronja Hermina Kastenbauer de Vries.
• In memory of Roxanne Barbeau.
• In honor of Ryan Howard, from Matthew Peters.
• In honor of Sam Irby.
• In honor of the SAN Voluntary Carbon Tax.
• In honor of Sonja Price, from Meredith Dinneen.
• In honor of SPAN 332.02 at Gonzaga University, from Rebecca Stephanis.
• In honor of Dr. Stephen Perz, from Tania Garcia-Solis.
• In honor of Steve Voorhees’s birthday and his caring and diligent work to save this planet, from Marion Marcovitz.
• In honor of Sylvia Work, from Sarah Work.
• In honor of Thaiza Romano, from Tamara Pires.
• In honor of Thomas Briggs, from Mark Sainsbury.
• In honor of Thomas Buechner.
• In memory of Trixie, from James M. Kahn.
• In memory of Verdi.
• In honor of William E. Hume, from William Bennett Hume.
• In honor of Youth Minds Group, NYC, from Elizabeth Fippinger.
• In honor of Yuting Cai, from Paul Johannes Schweigl.
• In honor of Zev Jacobs-Velde.
• In honor of Zev Jacobs-Velde, from Laurel Vander Velde.
• In honor of Zev Jacobs-Velde, from Leslie K. Rosen.
• In honor of Zev Jacobs-Velde, from Rebecca Goldfinger.
• In honor of Zoya Bhullar, from Navtej Bhullar.

Thank you to all who have inspired you, to all whose memory lives on, and to all who make the world a better place, one forest at a time.