The Ecuadorian Amazon is experiencing a growing number of conflicts directly related to oil and mining extraction projects. Here, we focus on the “Mirador” mining project, an open pit copper mine in the Cordillera del Cóndor, a mountain range along the Ecuador/Peru border that hosts a high level of endemism. We show a series of satellite images that highlight both […]
Deforestation Hotspots in the Ecuadorian Amazon Here, we highlight deforestation hotspots, the areas with the highest deforestation densities, in the mega-diverse Ecuadorian Amazon. We then zoom in and focus on a dynamic area in the north that is located between three important protected areas (Sumaco, Yasuní y Cuyabeno). We show a series of satellite images that indicate that the primary […]
We have reported extensively on the ongoing gold mining deforestation crisis in the southern Peruvian Amazon (see Archive), estimating the loss of over 17,500 acres in the five years between 2013 and 2017. Here, we present new analysis showing that the destruction continues in 2018: we estimate an additional 4,265 acres during the first six months (January – June). This most recent deforestation is […]
We present our third report* in a series investigating deforestation hotspots in the Colombian Amazon. Here, we focus on the “Chiribiquete-Macarena” hotspot, located between the Chiribiquete and La Macarena National Parks. The Colombian government is finalizing plans to expand the boundaries of Chiribiquete National Park, an important step for conservation. However, we show (with high-resolution images) that deforestation is surging in the area […]
We propose a new tool to address illegal logging in the Peruvian Amazon: using cutting-edge satellites to monitor logging road construction in near real-time. Illegal logging in the Amazon is difficult to detect because it is selective logging of individual valuable trees, not large clear-cuts. However, a new generation of satellites can quickly detect new logging roads, […]
The efforts and international commitments of the Peruvian Government to reduce deforestation may be compromised by new projects do not have adequate environmental assessment. In this series, we address the most urgent of these projects, those that threaten large areas of primary Amazonian forest. We believe that these projects require urgent attention from both government […]
Tropical forests, especially the Amazon, sequester huge amounts of carbon, one of the main greenhouse gases driving climate change. Here, we show the importance of protected areas and indigenous lands to safeguard these carbon stocks. In MAAP #81, we estimated the loss of 59 million metric tons of carbon in the Peruvian Amazon during the last […]
Yasuni National Park, located in the heart of the Ecuadorian Amazon, is arguably the most biodiverse area in the world. It is also the ancestral territory of the Waorani, and their relatives in voluntary isolation. However, underneath the park are large oil fields, setting up the constant conflict looming over Yasuni. In fact, in a recent referendum, Ecuadorian voters approved limiting […]
Download PDF of this article When tropical forests are cleared, the enormous amount of carbon stored in the trees is released to the atmosphere, making it a major source of global greenhouse gas emissions (CO2) that drive climate change. In fact, a recent study revealed that deforestation and degradation are turning tropical forests into a new net carbon […]
MAAP tracks the most urgent deforestation cases in the Andean Amazon, thus it can be a bit depressing. However, it is important to remember why we do it: the Amazon is spectacular. Here, we present a series of high-resolution satellite images to show the incredible beauty of the Peruvian Amazon, and help remind us all why […]
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