We innovate by applying the latest in science and technology to our conservation work and managing a premier network of conservation hubs.

We put science and technology to work:

Real-Time Deforestation Monitoring

By establishing a comprehensive real-time monitoring system across the entire Amazon, we combine field-based and top-of-line remote sensing technology to improve communities and governments’ ability to detect, report, and act upon threats as they happen.

Conservation Hubs

Through our network of conservation hubs, we drive innovation by hosting world-class scientific research and piloting cutting-edge technology — such as acoustic monitoring, camera traps, and environmental DNA analysis — to improve biodiversity monitoring and ecological health.

Advancing Science

We conduct scientific research and put innovative technology to use to monitor ecological health and the effects of climate change, as well as promote better understanding that drives conservation decisions and actions.

Conservation Hubs: Living Laboratories Providing Solutions through Science, Conservation and Education

Located where the Andes meet the Amazon, our three conservation hubs are the cornerstone of our work and a vital asset to further the world’s understanding of the Amazon. Each conservation hub advances our mission by serving as:

Biological research stations: Comprising the only network of biological stations in the world arrayed along an elevational gradient from Andean cloud forest to Amazon lowlands, our facilities enable scientists to study the impacts of climate change, monitor the forest’s ecological health, and deepen our knowledge of species, habitats, and ecosystems. Learn more about our three research stations in Peru >
Conservation outposts: Protecting and connecting major conservation areas and indigenous territories, our hubs guarantee our permanent presence and long-term support for conservation in the Amazon.
Education and training centers: Our hubs provide a platform for applying research to conservation practice and policy, where students, researchers, and policymakers can learn and explore solutions to conservation challenges.
Premier ecolodges: Our conservation hubs offer a gateway for conservation-minded tourists to explore the Amazon while having their trip support the very forest they visit. We created a social enterprise, Amazon Journeys, as a funding mechanism, where tourism revenue advances our conservation work. See how you can explore the Amazon firsthand through our ecolodges>

Stopping Deforestation Using Real-Time Technology

The vastness of the Amazon can be a major challenge to keeping it protected. We’re using technology to change that. Our monitoring system is helping reduce deforestation by using satellite imagery, drones and GIS to find, analyze, and report deforestation as it happens in real-time. To date, we’ve exposed over 2.5 million acres of deforestation. Not only do we provide this vital analysis in real-time, but we are also helping bridge the gap between generating information and taking action on the ground. To achieve this, we partner with Peruvian government officials, park guards, police, judges, and prosecutors to train them on the use of satellite and drone imagery as a legal tool to prosecute offenders. Together we have been able to stop several incidents of illegal gold mining and logging, including in protected indigenous territories.

Developing High-Tech Solutions that Support Community Livelihoods

Knowing the exact location of key tree species in a forest can help answer questions that improve conservation decisions and make forest production easier for communities. For the local communities in Santa Rosa del Abuná in Bolivia, finding a mature Brazil nut tree can mean having to walk for an entire day or more in difficult forest terrain, since no forest inventory existed. We have developed an innovative system to detect, analyze, and classify Brazil nut trees using remote sensing, drones and photogrammetric analysis. This has helped communities identify and collect information on over 53,000 Brazil nut trees, helping clarify species density, potential production, and forest health. This data is also being useful for municipal and community leadership to inform their natural resource use and conservation decisions, as it helps promote forest-friendly production.

Our Results

Over 500 Studies published to date on research conducted at our biological stations

More than 2.5 million acres of deforestation exposed with technology

100+ Deforestation alerts issued to date

The Latest from the Amazon

New Research at Los Amigos Shows Critical Role of Forests in Scrubbing Harmful Mercury from the Amazon and Atmosphere

A study conducted at our Los Amigos Biological Station and recently published in Nature revealed that intact forests near gold mining areas provide a critical ecosystem service. They intercept and sequester massive amounts of mercury, keeping it from entering the global atmosphere and preventing it from poisoning nearby ponds and streams, where it is substantially […]

Swift Action Following Our MAAP Report Halts Illegal Mining in Ecuadorian Amazon

Earlier this month, we worked with our in-country partner EcoCiencia to document the rapid illegal mining expansion threatening the Ecuadorian Amazon. With our satellite-based tools, we were able to identify the mining in real-time, and report it to local authorities, media, and the general public. Days after we launched the report, both the government and […]

Radar Monitoring, the Newest Ally in the Fight Against Illegal Gold Mining

With the ability to see through the dense layers of clouds that are a hallmark of the rainforest, track illegal gold mining, and send deforestation alerts throughout the year, RAMI is the most recent ally in the fight against illegal gold mining in the Peruvian Amazon. A newly developed geospatial technology tool, RAMI (Radar Mining […]