MAAP #71: Gold Mining Threatens Amarakaeri Communal Reserve, Again

In an earlier series of articles (MAAP #6, MAAP #44, MAAP #64), we showed the illegal gold mining invasion of a section of Amarakaeri Communal Reserve (see yellow box in Base Map), as well as the rapid response by authorities to remove the miners. It was an important case given that Amarakaeri is an important Peruvian protected area, co- managed byPeru’s protected areas […]


MAAP #61: Illegal Gold Mining Decreases in Tambopata National Reserve

In the previous MAAP #60, we showed the rapidly increasing illegal gold mining deforestation in the buffer zone of Tambopata National Reserve. In contrast, here we show that the rate of illegal gold mining deforestation is decreasing within Tambopata National Reserve, due to the active interventions by the Peruvian Government. Tambopata is an important protected […]


MAAP #60: Gold Mining Increases in Buffer Zone Of Tambopata National Reserve

In the previous MAAP #50, we presented an analysis of the extent of gold mining deforestation in the southern Peruvian Amazon as of September 2016. Here, we partially update the data for the area within the buffer zone of Tambopata National Reserve.* We document the increase of 1,135 acres (460 hectares) of illegal mining deforestation during the last 8 […]


MAAP #50: Gold Mining Deforests 31,000 Acres in Southern Peruvian Amazon During Last 4 Years

We analyzed hundreds of high-resolution satellite images to calculate the amount of recent (October 2012 – October 2016) gold mining deforestation in the southern Peruvian Amazon: 30,895 acres. Combining this finding with previous studies, we estimate the total gold mining deforestation of around 154,440 acres in the region. Image 50a shows the recent gold mining deforestation in red, […]


MAAP #49: New Frontiers of Gold Mining in The Peruvian Amazon

In a series of articles, we have previously detailed the progress of gold mining deforestation in the southern Peruvian Amazon (mainly in the Madre de Dios region). In the current report, we show the new gold mining frontiers in northern and central Peru (Image 49a): two cases in the region of Amazonas and a case […]


MAAP #46: Gold Mining Deforestation Within Tambopata National Reserve Exceeds 1100 Acres

In previous articles, we documented the illegal gold mining invasion of Tambopata National Reserve (Madre de Dios region in the southern Peruvian Amazon) in November 2015 and the subsequent deforestation of 350 hectares as of July 2016. Here, we report that the mining deforestation in the Reserve now exceeds 450 hectares (1,110 acres) as of September 2016. Image […]


MAAP# 44: Potential Recuperation of Illegal Gold Mining Area in Amarakaeri Communal Reserve

In the previous MAAP #6, published in June 2015, we documented the deforestation of 11 hectares in the Amarakaeri Communal Reserve due to a recent illegal gold mining invasion. The Reserve, located in the Madre de Dios region of the southern Peruvian Amazon, is an important protected area that is co-managed by indigenous communities and Peru’s National Protected […]


MAAP #39: Gold Mining Deforestation Within Tambopata National Reserve Exceeds 865 Acres

Based on analysis of satellite imagery, we have documented that the deforestation due to illegal gold mining activities within Tambopata National Reserve (Madre de Dios region) now exceeds 350 hectares (872 acres) since the initial invasion in late 2015 (see Image 39a). Although the rate of deforestation has decreased since April, when the Peruvian government installed a permanent control […]


MAAP #36: New Gold Mining Frontier in The Northern Peruvian Amazon

In several previous MAAP articles, we have detailed gold mining deforestation in the southern Peruvian Amazon. Here, we provide evidence of the first known case of gold mining deforestation in northern Peru. A recent news article published by the Peruvian organization DAR reported that gold mining activity continues to increase in the Santiago River (see Image 36a), located in the […]