Put Science and Technology to Work MAAP Reports

*Note: During the preparation of this analysis, the Peruvian government conducted an operation against the illegal gold mining activity in the area described below (see this news article in Spanish for more information). In MAAP #21, we revealed, using high-resolution images, the first sign of an invasion into the Tambopata National Reserve (an important natural protected area in the […]

Put Science and Technology to Work MAAP Reports

The Las Piedras River in the southern Peruvian Amazon (department of Madre de Dios) is increasingly recognized for its outstanding wildlife (for example, see this video by naturalist and explorer Paul Rosolie, and this trailer for the upcoming film Uncharted Amazon). As seen in Image 23a, its headwaters are born in the Alto Purus National […]

Put Science and Technology to Work MAAP Reports

Peru recently celebrated a major conservation victory for 2015 with the creation of Sierra del Divisor National Park. Prior to this announcement, Sierra del Divisor was classified as a Reserved Zone, which is a temporary measure to protect an area of biological importance until the government is able to determine a final designation. In these […]

Western Amazon Newsletter

As the world breathes a sigh of relief about progress at the recent climate conference in Paris, the Puerto Arturo indigenous community in southeast Peru is hard at work protecting their forest home.  The year’s end means harvest time for this castañero community, harvesters who provide for their families by sustainably gathering castañas (which we know as Brazil nuts) that […]

MAAP Reports

Image 21a illustrates a recent illegal gold mining invasion of the Tambopata National Reserve. Tambopata is an important protected area in the southern Peruvian Amazon (department of Madre de Dios). Image 21a compares two high-resolution (0.5 m) images taken two months apart over the same area along the northern border of the reserve. One can clearly see […]

Put Science and Technology to Work

*Note: During the review process for this article, a major operation against illegal mining activities was carried out by the Peruvian government in the area described below. Image 21a illustrates a recent illegal gold mining invasion of the Tambopata National Reserve. Tambopata is an important protected area in the southern Peruvian Amazon (department of Madre de Dios). Image 21a […]

Put Science and Technology to Work MAAP Reports

In MAAP #5, we described the intensifying deforestation along the Upper Malinowski River in the department of Madre de Dios, Peru. Here in MAAP #19, we update this information and confirm that the deforestation continues at a rapid pace. This finding is based on analysis of three high-resolution images between September 2014 and November 2015. […]

Educational Resources

Mining News Watch #18 covers the time period July 31st- October 31, 2015 Top Stories  There have been three police raids in Madre de Dios this summer in an attempt to stop illegal gold mining in the region. The Amazon Conservation Association released high-resolution images showing the intensity of illegal gold mining in La Pampa, Madre de […]

Put Science and Technology to Work MAAP Reports

MAAP articles #3 and #15 detailed the construction of several new logging roads in the central Peruvian Amazon. Here in MAAP 18, we provide a more comprehensive analysis of the proliferation of logging roads in this section of the Amazon. In Image 18a, we show a high resolution example of a new logging road in […]

Put Science and Technology to Work MAAP Reports

In MAAP #12, we featured a high resolution image from July 29, 2015 of the area known as “La Pampa,” a hotspot of illegal mining in the buffer zone of the Tambopata National Reserve (Madre de Dios region, Peru). Just seven weeks later, we obtained a new high resolution image of La Pampa for September […]