As we have indicated in previous reports (MAAP #120), there is an “arc of deforestation” in the northwest Colombian Amazon, impacting numerous protected areas and indigenous reserves. Here, we emphasize that this deforestation currently impacts four National Parks: Tinigua, Macarena, Chiribiquete and La Paya. In the Base Map, the red circles indicate the areas most impacted by recent deforestation within […]
We present a first look at the major hotspots of primary forest loss across the Amazon in 2020 (see Base Map).* There are several major headlines: We estimate over 2 million hectares (5 million acres) of primary forest loss across the nine countries of the Amazon in 2020.* The countries with the highest 2020 primary forest loss are 1) Brazil, 2) Bolivia, 3) […]
This report demonstrates the powerful application of freely available, high-resolution satellite imagery recently made possible thanks to an agreement between the Government of Norway and several satellite companies.* This unprecedented agreement will bring commercial satellite technology, previously out of reach to many, to all working in tropical forest conservation around the world. Here we show how MAAP (an initiative of […]
Andean forests faced escalating threats from illegal gold mining, illegal logging, illegal drug plantations, unsustainable agriculture, cattle pasture, and road construction, and new tactics were needed to address the problems. In response, Amazon Conservation and Conservación Amazónica – ACCA developed MAAP – Monitoring of the Andean Amazon Project to provide real-time satellite monitoring deforestation reports. […]
As part of USAID’s Prevent Project (dedicated to combating environmental crimes in the Amazon), we conducted an updated analysis of illegal gold mining deforestation in the southern Peruvian Amazon.In early 2019, the Peruvian government launched Operation Mercury, an unprecedented crackdown on the rampant illegal gold mining in the region.The Operation initially targeted an area known as La Pampa, the epicenter of the […]
Following the intense Amazon fire season of 2019 that made international headlines, here we report another major fire year in 2020. Using our novel real-time Amazon Fires Monitoring app,* we documented over 2,500 major fires across the Amazon in 2020 (see Base Map). Of these, 88% (2,192 major fires) were in the Brazilian Amazon. The other 8% (205 fires) and 4% (88 fires) were in […]
The Mennonites, a religious group often associated with organized agricultural activity, have started three new colonies in the Peruvian Amazon. We have documented the deforestation of 8,500 acres (3,440 hectares) in these three colonies over the past four years (updated October 2020). The deforestation started in 2017, but continues to be active in 2020 (with 1,900 acres lost, 25% of the total). Notably, this […]
The southern Peruvian Amazon (Madre de Dios region), is threatened by illegal mining, logging, and illegal deforestation. In response, an association of forest concessionaires (known as ACOMAT) is implementing a comprehensive monitoring system that links the use of technology (satellites and drones) with legal action. ACOMAT was formed in 2012 and now comprises 15 forestry concessions, covering 440,000 acres (178,000 […]
We have detected 120 major fires this year in the Bolivian Amazon, as of the first of October (see Base Map).* The majority of these fires (54%) occurred in savannas, located in the department of Beni. Another 38% of the major fires were located in forests, mostly in the dry forests of the Chiquitano. We emphasize that 25% of the major fires were located in Protected […]
Illegal logging in the Peruvian Amazon is mainly selective and, until now, difficult to detect through satellite information. In this report, we present the enormous potential of very high resolution satellite imagery (<70 cm) to identify illegal logging. The leading entities that offer this type of data are Planet (Skysat) and Maxar (Worldview). We emphasize that this technique has the […]
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