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MAAP #133: Deforestation Continues in National Parks of Colombian Amazon

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Base Map. Deforestation 2020-21 in the National Parks of the Colombian Amazon. Data: MAAP.

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 these parks.

The letters (A-D) indicate the location of the high-resolution satellite images (Planet) below.

While Tinigua and Macarena continue as the most impacted National Parks, below we focus on the new deforestation fronts in Chiribiquete and La Paya.

Specifically, we show the most recent and urgent deforestation, since September 2020 to the present (February 2021).

 

 

 

 

Chiribiquete National Park

Chiribiquete National Natural Park lost more than 1,000 hectares (2,500 acres) in the last six months, in six different areas of the park (see Base Map above). Much of this deforestation appears to be associated with the conversion of primary forest to illegal cattle pasture. The following satellite images show deforestation in three of these areas (A-C) between September 2020 (left panel) and February 2021 (right panel). *It is important to note that immediately prior to this publication authorities carried out a major intervention to crack down on the illegal activity within the park (see news here).

Image A. Deforestation in Chiribiquete National Park, western sector 1. Reference coordinate: 1.05497 ° N, 74.26465 ° W. Data: Planet, MAAP.
Image B. Deforestation in Chiribiquete National Park, western sector 2. Reference coordinate: 1.57990 ° N, 73.78689 ° W. Data: Planet, MAAP.
Image C. Deforestation in Chiribiquete National Park, northern sector 1. Reference coordinate: 2.00975, -73.45541. Data: Planet, MAAP.

La Paya National Park

La Paya National Park lost more than 150 hectares (370 acres) in the last six months, in the northwest sector of the park (see Base Map above).
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The following image shows an example of deforestation in this sector of the park between September 2020 (left panel) and January 2021 (right panel).

Image D. Deforestation in La Paya National Park, northern sector. Reference coordinate: 0.39677 ° N, 75.48505 ° W. Data: Planet, MAAP.

Fire Season

In addition, the fire season has started in the Colombian Amazon. Interestingly, now (February to March) is typically Colombia’s peak deforestation and fire season, in contrast with Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru, whose seasons peak between June and October.
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The following very high-resolution images (Skyat) reveal the burning of recently deforested areas within Chiribiquete National Park.
Fire inside Chiribuete National Park (February 11, 2021) burning recently deforested areas. Data: Planet (Skysat).
Zoom of fire inside Chiribuete National Park (February 11, 2021) burning recently deforested areas. Data: Planet (Skysat).

Acknowledgmens

We thank R. Botero (FCDS) and G. Palacios for their helpful comments on this report.

This work was supported by NORAD (Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation) and ICFC (International Conservation Fund of Canada).

Citation

Finer M, Mamani N (2021) Deforestation Continues in National Parks of Colombian Amazon. MAAP: 133.

MAAP #132: Amazon Deforestation Hotspots 2020

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Base Map. Forest loss hotspots across the Amazon in 2020. Data: UMD/GLAD, RAISG, MAAP. The letters A-G correspond to the zoom examples below.

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.*
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  • The countries with the highest 2020 primary forest loss are 1) Brazil, 2) Bolivia, 3) Peru, 4) Colombia, 5) Venezuela, and 6) Ecuador.
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  • The majority of the hotspots occurred in the Brazilian Amazon, where massive deforestation stretched across nearly the entire southern region. Many of these areas were cleared in the first half of the year and then burned in July and August. In September, there was a shift to actual forest fires (see MAAP #129).
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  • Several of the most intense hotspots were in the Bolivian Amazon, where fires raged through the dry forests (known as the Chiquitano) in the southeast region.
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  • There continues to be an arc of deforestation in the northwestern Colombian Amazon, impacting numerous protected areas.
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  • In the Peruvian Amazon, deforestation continues to impact the central region. On the positive, the illegal gold mining that plagued the southern region has decreased thanks to effective government action (see MAAP #130).

Below, we show a striking series of high-resolution satellite images that illustrate some of the major deforestation events across the Amazon in 2020 (indicated A-G on the Base Map).

Widespread Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon

Zooms A-C show examples of a troublingly common phenomenon in the Brazilian Amazon: large-scale deforestation events in the first half of the year that are later burned in July and August, causing major fires due to the abundant recently-cut biomass. Much of the deforestation in these areas appears to associated with clearing rainforests for cattle pastures. The three examples below show the striking loss of over 21,000 hectares of primary forest in 2020.

Zoom A. Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon (Amazonas state) of 3,400 hectares between April (left panel) and November (right panel) 2020. Data: ESA, Planet.
Zoom B. Deforestation in Brazilian Amazon (Amazonas state) of 2,540 hectares between January (left panel) and November (right panel) 2020. Data: Planet.
Zoom C. Deforestation in Brazilian Amazon (Para state) of 15,250 hectares between January (left panel) and October (right panel) 2020. Data: Planet.

Forest Fires in the Brazilian Amazon

In September, there was a shift to actual forest fires in the Brazilian Amazon (see MAAP #129). Zoom D and E show examples of these major forest fires, which burned over 50,000 hectares in the states of Pará and Mato Grosso. Note both fires impacted indigenous territories (Kayapo and Xingu, respectively).

Zoom D. Forest fire in Brazilian Amazon (Para state) that burned 9,000 hectares between March (left panel) and October (right panel) 2020. Data: Planet.
Zoom E. Forest fire in Brazilian Amazon (Mato Grosso state) that burned over 44,000 hectares between May (left panel) and October (right panel) 2020. Data: Planet.

Forest Fires in the Bolivian Amazon

The Bolivian Amazon also experienced another intense fire season in 2020. Zoom F shows the burning of a massive area (over 260,000 hectares) in the Chiquitano dry forests (Santa Cruz department).

Zoom F. Forest fire in Bolivian Amazon (Santa Cruz) that burned over 260,000 hectares between April (left panel) and November (right panel) 2020. Data: ESA.

Arc of Deforestation in the Colombian Amazon

As described in previous reports (see MAAP #120), there is an “arc of deforestation” concentrated in the northwest Colombian Amazon. This arc impacts numerous protected areas (including national parks) and Indigenous Reserves. For example, Zoom G shows the recent deforestation of over 500 hectares in Chiribiquete National Park. Similar deforestation in that sector of the park appears to be conversion to cattle pasture.

Zoom G. Deforestation in Colombian Amazon of over 500 hectares in Chiribiqete National Park between January (left panel) and December (right panel) 2020. Data: ESA, Planet.

Deforestation in the central Peruvian Amazon

Finally, Zoom H shows expanding deforestation (over 110 hectares), and logging road construction (3.6 km), in an indigenous territory south of Sierra del Divisor National Park in the central Peruvian Amazon (Ucayali region). The deforestation appears to be associated with an expanding small-scale agriculture or cattle pasture frontier.

Zoom H. Deforestation and logging road construction in Peruvian Amazon (Ucayali region) between March (left panel) and November (right panel) 2020. Data: Planet.

*Notes and Methodology

The analysis was based on early warning forest loss alerts known as GLAD alerts (30-meter resolution) produced by the University of Maryland and also presented by Global Forest Watch. It is critical to highlight that this data represents a preliminary estimate and more definitive data will come later in the year. For example, our estimate does include some forest loss caused by natural forces. Note that this data detects and classifies burned areas as forest loss. Our estimate includes both confirmed (1,355,671 million hectares) and unconfirmed (751,533 ha) alerts.

Our geographic range is the biogeographic boundary of the Amazon as defined by RAISG (see Base Map above). This range includes nine countries.

We applied a filter to calculate only primary forest loss. For our estimate of primary forest loss, we intersected the forest cover loss data with the additional dataset “primary humid tropical forests” as of 2001 (Turubanova et al 2018). For more details on this part of the methodology, see the Technical Blog from Global Forest Watch (Goldman and Weisse 2019).

To identify the deforestation hotspots, we conducted a kernel density estimate. This type of analysis calculates the magnitude per unit area of a particular phenomenon, in this case forest cover loss. We conducted this analysis using the Kernel Density tool from Spatial Analyst Tool Box of ArcGIS. We used the following parameters:

Search Radius: 15000 layer units (meters)
Kernel Density Function: Quartic kernel function
Cell Size in the map: 200 x 200 meters (4 hectares)
Everything else was left to the default setting.

For the Base Map, we used the following concentration percentages: Medium: 7-10%; High: 11-20%; Very High: >20%.

Acknowledgements

We thank E. Ortiz (AAF), M.E. Gutierrez (ACCA), and S. Novoa for their helpful comments on this report.

This work was supported by NORAD (Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation) and ICFC (International Conservation Fund of Canada).

Citation

Finer M, Mamani N (2020) Amazon Deforestation Hotspots 2020. MAAP: 132.

MAAP #131: Power of Free High-resolution Satellite Imagery from Norway Agreement

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Image 1. Monthly Planet basemap for October 2020 across the Amazon, as seen on Global Forest Watch.

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 Amazon Conservation) will use this information to enhance our real-time monitoring program and quickly share timely findings to partners in the field.

Specifically, we highlight the importance of the monthly basemaps (4.7-meter Planet imagery) available under the Norway agreement.* For example, Image 1 shows the stunning, nearly cloud-free October 2020 basemap across the Amazon.

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Moreover, we show the power of this imagery visualized on Global Forest Watch, where it can be combined with early warning forest loss alerts.
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Below, we highlight three examples where we combined this data to quickly detect and confirm deforestation in the Colombian, Ecuadorian, and Peruvian Amazon, respectively.

Colombian Amazon

First, we detected recent forest loss alerts (known as GLAD alerts), in the northwestern sector of Chiribiquete National Park. Image 2 is a screen shot of our monitoring search in Global Forest Watch (link here).

Second, we investigated the alerts with the freely available monthly Planet basemaps. Images 3-5 show the basemaps from October to December 2020. These images confirm that the area was covered in intact (likely primary) Amazon rainforest in October, and then experienced a major deforestation event (225 hectares) in November and December. Similar deforestation in the area appears to be conversion to cattle pasture. Note the crosshairs (+) represent the same point in all four images.

Image 2. Forest loss alerts in Chiribiquete National Park
Image 3. Monthly Planet basemap for October 2020 in Chiribiquete National Park.
Image 4. Monthly Planet basemap for November 2020 in Chiribiquete National Park.
Image 5. Monthly Planet basemap for December 2020 in Chiribiquete National Park.

Peruvian Amazon

Similarly, we detected recent forest loss alerts in an illegal gold mining area in the southern Peruvian Amazon known as Pariamanu (Image 6). Images 7 & 8 show the monthly basemaps confirming the expansion of illegal mining deforestation between October and December (see yellow arrows). Global Forest Watch link here.

Image 6. Forest loss alerts in illegal gold mining zone (Pariamanu).
Image 7. Monthly Planet basemap for October 2020 in Pariamanu.
Image 8. Monthly Planet basemap for October 2020 in Pariamanu.

Ecuadorian Amazon

Finally, we detected recent forest loss alerts of 100 hectares in an indigenous territory (Kichwa) surrounding an oil palm plantation in the Ecuadorian Amazon (Image 9). Images 10 & 11 show the monthly basemaps confirming large-scale deforestation between September and December, likely for the expansion of the plantation. Note the crosshairs (+) represents the same point in all three images. Global Forest Watch link here.
Image 9. Forest loss alerts in the Ecuadorian Amazon.
Image 10. Monthly Planet basemap for September 2020 in Ecuadorian Amazon.
Image 11. Monthly Planet basemap for December 2020 in Ecuadorian Amazon.

Summary

In summary, we show a major advance for free and real-time deforestation monitoring thanks to an agreement between the Government of Norway and satellite companies.* A key aspect of this agreement is making publically available (such as on Global Forest Watch) monthly basemaps created by the innovative satellite company Planet. Thus, users can now freely visualize recent forest loss alerts and then investigate them with high-resolution monthly basemaps on On Global Forest Watch. MAAP illustrated this process with three examples in the Colombian, Peruvian, Ecuadorian Amazon, respectively.

*Notes 

In September 2020, Norway’s Ministry of Climate and Environment entered into a contract with Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT) and its partners Planet and Airbus, to provide universal access to high-resolution satellite monitoring of the tropics in order to support efforts to stop the destruction of the world’s rainforests. This effort is led by Norway’s International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI). The basemaps are mosaics of the best cloud-free pixels each month. In addition to viewing the monthly basemaps on Global Forest Watch, users can sign up with Planet directly at this link: https://www.planet.com/nicfi/

Acknowledgements

We thank M. Cohen (ACA), M. Weisse (WRI/GFW), E. Ortiz (AAF) and G. Palacios for their helpful comments on this report.

This work was supported by NORAD (Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation).

Citation

Finer M, Mamani N (2020) Power of Freely Available, High-resolution Satellite Imagery from Norway Agreement. MAAP: 131.

MAAP #130: Illegal Gold Mining Down 78% in Peruvian Amazon, But Still Threatens Key Areas

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Image 1. Very high resolution image of recent gold mining deforestation along the Pariamanu River. Data: Planet (Skysat).

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 illegal mining. In 2020, it expanded to surrounding critical areas.

In this report, we compare rates of gold mining deforestation before vs after Operation Mercury at six key sites (see Base Map and Methodology below).

We report four major results:

1) Gold mining deforestation decreased 90% in La Pampa (the most critical mining area) following Operation Mercury.

2) Gold mining deforestation increased in three key areas –Apaylon, Pariamanu, and Chaspa – indicating that some miners expelled from La Pampa moved to surrounding areas. The Peruvian government, however, has recently carried out major interventions in all three of these areas.

3) Overall, gold mining deforestation decreased 78% across all six sites following Operation Mercury.

4) Illegal mining does persist, however. We documented 1,115 hectares of gold mining deforestation across all six sites since Operation Mercury (but, compared to 6,490 hectares before the Operation).

Below, we provide a more detailed breakdown of the major results across all six sites. We also present a series of very high resolution satellite images (Skysat) of the recent gold mining deforestation.

Base Map – 6 Major Illegal Gold Mining Sites

The Base Map illustrates the results across the six major gold mining fronts in the southern Peruvian Amazon. Red indicates gold mining deforestation post Operation Mercury (March 2019 – October 2020), while yellow indicates the pre Operation baseline (January 2017 – February 2019).

Base Map. Major gold mining fronts in the southern Peruvian Amazon before (yellow) and after (red) Operation Mercury. Data: MAAP.

In La Pampa, we documented the dramatic loss of 4,450 hectares within the buffer zone of Tambopata National Reserve (Madre de Dios region) prior to Operation Mercury. Following the Operation, we confirmed the loss of 300 hectares. Note the main mining front in the core of the buffer zone has essentially been stopped, with most recent activity further north near the Interoceanic Highway.

In neighboring Alto Malinowski, located in the buffer zone of Bahuaja Sonene National Park (Madre de Dios region), we documented the loss of 1,558 hectares prior to Operation Mercury. Following the Operation, we confirmed the loss of 419 hectares.

In Camanti, located in the buffer zone of Amarakaeri Commuanl Reserve, we documented the loss of 336 hectares prior to Operation Mercury. Following the Operation, we confirmed the loss of 105 hectares.

In Pariamanu, located in the primary forests along the Pariamanu River (Madre de Dios region), we documented the loss of 72 hectares prior to Operation Mercury. Following the Operation, we confirmed the loss of 98 hectares. In response, the government conducted a major intervention in August 2020.

In Apaylon, located in the buffer zone Tambopata National Reserve (Madre de Dios region), we documented the loss of 73 hectares prior to Operation Mercury. Following the Operation, we confirmed the loss of 78 hectares. In response, the government has conducted a series of interventions in the area during 2020.

Chaspa, located in the buffer zone of Bahuaja Sonene National Park (Puno region), represents a unique case of a new gold mining front that appeared following Operation Mercury. Starting in September 2019, we documented the deforestation of 113 hectares impacting the Chaspa River watershed. In response, the government conducted a major intervention in October 2020.

Gold Mining Deforestation Trends

The following chart illustrates that gold mining deforestation fronts decreased following Operation Mercury in the three largest fronts (La Pampa, Alto Malinowski, and Camanti), and increased in three smaller areas (Pariamanu, Apaylon, and Chaspa). Thus, overall gold mining deforestation decreased 78% across all six major sites following Operation Mercury.

Table 1. Rates of gold mining deforestation before (orange) and after (red) Operation Mercury. Data: MAAP.

In La Pampa, the gold mining deforestation averaged 165 hectares per month prior to Operation Mercury. Following the Operation, the deforestation dropped to 17 hectares per month, an overall 90% decrease.

In Alto Malinowski, the gold mining deforestation dropped from 58 hectares per month to 23 hectares per month following Operation Mercury, an overall 60% decrease.

In Camanti, the gold mining deforestation dropped from 12.5 hectares per month to 6 hectares per month following Operation Mercury, an overall 54% decrease.

In Pariamanu, the gold mining deforestation increased from 2.8 hectares per month to 5 hectares per month following Operation Mercury, an overall 87% increase.

In Apaylon, the gold mining deforestation increased from 2.8 hectares per month to 4 hectares per month following Operation Mercury, an overall 43% increase.

Chaspa, located in the buffer zone of Bahuaja Sonene National Park, represents the unique case of a new gold mining front that appeared following Operation Mercury (8.5 hectares per month).

Very High Resolution Satellite Imagery (Skysat)

We recently tasked very high resolution satellite imagery (Skysat, 0.5 meter) for the major illegal gold mining areas. Below, we present a series showing some of the highlights from these images. Note that insets (in the upper corner of each image) show the same area before the mining activity (see red points as a reference).

Pariamanu

The following two images show the expansion of new gold mining areas into the primary rainforests near the Pariamanu River (Madre de Dios region).

Image 2. Expansion of new gold mining areas into the primary rainforests near the Pariamanu River (Madre de Dios region). Data: Planet.
Image 3. Expansion of new gold mining areas into the primary rainforests near the Pariamanu River (Madre de Dios region). Data: Planet.

La Pampa

The following image shows the expansion of a new gold mining area in the northern part of La Pampa.

Image 4. Expansion of a new mining area in the northern part of La Pampa (Madre de Dios region). Data: Planet, Maxar.

Chaspa

The following image shows the sudden appearance of a new gold mining front along the Chaspa River (Puno region).

Image 5. New gold mining front along the Chaspa River (Puno region). Data: Planet (Skysat).

Camanti

The following image shows the recent expansion of gold mining deforestation in the buffer zone of Amarakaeri Communal Reserve (Cusco region).

Image 6. Recent expansion of gold mining deforestation in the buffer zone of Amarakaeri Communal Reserve (Cusco region). Data: Planet (Skysat).

Methodology

We analyzed high-resolution imagery (3 meters) from the satellite company Planet obtained from their interface Planet Explorer. Based on this imagery, we digitized gold mining deforestation across six major sites: La Pampa, Alto Malinowski, Camanti, Pariamanu, Apaylon, and Chaspa. These were identified as the major active illegal gold mining deforestation fronts based on analysis of automated forest loss alerts generated by University of Maryland (GLAD alerts) and the Peruvian government (Geobosques) and additional land use layers. The area referred to as the “mining corridor” is not included in the analysis because the issue of legality is more complex.

Across these six sites, we identified, digitized, and analyzed all visible gold mining deforestation between January 2017 and the present (October 2020). We defined before Operation Mercury as data from January 2017 to February 2019, and after Operation Mercury as data from March 2019 to the present. Given that the former was 26 months and the latter 20 months, during the analysis the data was standardized as gold mining deforestation per month.

The data is updated through October 2020.

Acknowledgments

We thank A. Felix (DAI), S. Novoa (ACCA), and G. Palacios for their helpful comments on this report.

This report was conducted with technical assistance from USAID, via the Prevent project. Prevent is an initiative that is working with the Government of Peru, civil society, and the private sector to prevent and combat environmental crimes in Loreto, Ucayali and Madre de Dios, in order to conserve the Peruvian Amazon.

This publication is made possible with the support of the American people through USAID. Its content is the sole responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the US government.

Citation

Finer M, Mamani N (2020) Illegal Gold Mining Down 79% in Peruvian Amazon, But Still Threatens Key Areas. MAAP: 130.

MAAP #129: Amazon Fires 2020 – Recap of Another Intense Fire Year

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Base Map. Major Amazon fires 2020 (orange dots) within Amazon watershed (blue line). Data: MAAP.

Following the intense Amazon fire season of 2019 that made international headlines, here we report another major fire year in 2020.

Using the novel data from our real-time Amazon Fires Monitoring app,* we documented over 2,500 major fires across the Amazon in 2020 (see Base Map).

The vast majority (88%) of the major fires were in the Brazilian Amazon, followed by the Bolivian Amazon (8%) and Peruvian Amazon (4%). No major fires were detected in the other Amazonian countries.*

We highlight several major headlines:

  • In the Brazilian Amazon, we detected 2,250 major fires. Most (51%) burned recently deforested areas, defined as fires in areas previously cleared between 2018 and 2020. These fires burned an estimated 1.8 million acres, emphasizing the current high deforestation rates in Brazil. In September, there was a major spike in forest fires, impacting vast areas of standing forest (over 5 million acres).
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  • In the Bolivian Amazon, we detected 205 major fires. The vast majority (88%) burned in Amazonian savanna and dry forest ecosystems. Notably, a quarter of these fires burned within protected areas.
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  • In the Peruvian Amazon, we detected 116 major fires. There were three major types: 41% burned high elevation grasslands (impacting 26,000 acres), 39% burned recently deforested areas, and 17% burned standing forest (impacting 6,700 acres).
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  • The vast majority of the major fires across all three countries were likely human-caused and illegal, in violation of governmental fire management regulations and moratoriums.
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  • The app was only fully implemented in 2020, so we do not have comparable data for 2019. However, our extensive analysis of satellite imagery indicates that, in the Brazilian Amazon, both 2019 and 2020 had in common the extensive burning of recently deforested areas. The late season shift to forest fires seemed much more intense in 2020. In the Bolivian Amazon, both 2019 and 2020 had in common the extensive burning of Amazon savannas and dry forests.

See below for additional and more detailed findings for each country. Also, check out Mongabay’s real-time Brazilian Amazon fire tracker based on our analysis.

Brazilian Amazon

Image 1. Major fire burning recently deforested area in Brazilian Amazon (Mato Grosso). Data: Planet.

We emphasize the following additional findings for the Brazilian Amazon:

  • Of the 2,250 major fires, over half (51%) burned recently deforested areas, defined as areas where the forest was previously cleared between 2018 and 2020 prior to burning (Image 1). These fires burned an estimated 1.8 million acres (742,000 hectares), highlighting the current high deforestation rates in Brazil.
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  • A striking number (40%) were forest fires, defined here as human-caused fires in standing forest. A rough initial estimate suggests that 5.4 million acres (2.2 million hectares) of Amazon forest burned.
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  • Over half (51%) occurred in September, followed by August and October (25% and 15%, respectively). September was also when we documented a major shift from fires in recently deforested areas to forest fires.
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  • An important number of major fires (12%) occurred within indigenous territories and protected areas. The most impacted were Xingu and Kayapó Indigenous Territories, Jamanxim National Forest, and Nascentes da Serra do Cachimbo Biological Reserve.
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  • The vast majority of the major fires (97%) appear to be illegal, occurring after the Amazon fire moratoriums established in July (the government established a 4-month national fire moratorium starting July 15).
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  • Pará  (38%) and Mato Grosso (31%) states had the most fires, followed by Amazonas (15%), Rondônia (11%), and Acre (4%).

Bolivian Amazon

Image 2. Major fire in Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, in the Bolivian Amazon. Data: Planet.

We emphasize the following additional findings for the Bolivian Amazon:

  • Of the 2015 major fires, many (46%) occurred in Amazon savannas.
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  • Another 42% of the fires were located in forests, mostly in the dry forests of the Chiquitano. Note, in November there was a major spike in these fires.
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  • Importantly, 25% of the major fires were in protected areas. The most impacted were Noel Kempff Mercado National Park (Image 2), Copaibo Municipal Protected Area, Iténez National Park, Keneth Lee Reserve, Rios Blanco y Negro Wildlife Reserve, and Pampas del Río Yacuma Integrated Management Natural Area.
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  • The vast majority of the fires (96%) were likely illegal, occuring after the fire moratoriums (August 3 in Beni and Santa Cruz, followed by October 5 nationally).
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  • Most of the fires occurred in the department of Beni (51%), followed by Santa Cruz (46%).
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  • August had the most fires (27%) followed closely by each of September, October, and November (24% each).
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Peruvian Amazon

Image 3. Major fire in higher elevation grassland of the Peruvian Amazon. Data: Planet.

We emphasize the following additional findings for the Peruvian Amazon:

  • Of the 116 major fires, many (39%) burned recently deforested areas. Although the pattern is similar to the Brazilian Amazon, the burned (and previously deforested) areas are much smaller (4,660 vs 1.8 million acres).
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  • There were also numerous major fires (41%) in higher elevation grasslands across several regions (Image 3). These fires impacted 26,000 acres (10,000 hectares). We likely underestimated the number of these fires because, due to the lack of biomass in these ecosystems, they didn’t always register as a major fire in the app.
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  • Another 17% were forest fires, impacting 6,700 acres (2,700 hectares).
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  • All of the fires in the Peruvian were likely illegal, according to Peruvian fire management regulations.
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  • 15 regions experienced major fires, reflecting the mix of both grassland and forest fires. The regions with the most fires were Madre de Dios (23%), Ucayali (12%) and Junin (11%).
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  • November surprisingly had the most major fires (46%), followed by October and September (29% and 22%, respectively).
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*Notes and Methodology

The data is based on our analysis of Amazon Conservation’s novel real-time Amazon Fires Monitoring app. We started daily monitoring in May and continued through November. Specifically, he first major fire was detected on May 28 and the data was updated daily through November 30.

The app displays aerosol emissions as detected by the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-5 satellite. Elevated aerosol levels indicate the burning of large amounts of biomass, defined here as a “major fire”. In a novel approach, the app combines data from the atmosphere (aerosol emissions in smoke) and the ground (heat anomaly alerts) to effectively detect and visualize major Amazon fires.

When fires burn, they emit gases and aerosols. A new satellite (Sentinel-5P from the European Space Agency) detects these aerosol emissions (aerosol definition: Suspension of fine solid particles or liquid droplets in air or another gas). Thus, the major feature of the app is detecting elevated aerosol emissions which in turn indicate the burning of large amounts of biomass. For example, the app distinguishes small fires clearing old fields (and burning little biomass) from larger fires burning recently deforested areas or standing forest (and burning lots of biomass). The spatial resolution of the aerosol data is 7.5 sq km. The high values in the aerosol indices (AI) may also be due to other reasons such as emissions of volcanic ash or desert dust so it is important to cross reference elevated emissions with heat data and optical imagery.

We define “major fire” as one showing elevated aerosol emission levels on the app, thus indicating the burning of elevated levels of biomass. This typically translates to an aerosol index of >1 (or cyan-green to red on the app). To identify the exact source of the elevated emissions, we reduce the intensity of aerosol data in order to see the underlying terrestrial heat-based fire alerts. Typically for major fires, there is a large cluster of alerts. The major fires are then confirmed, and burn areas estimated, using high-resolution satellite imagery from Planet Explorer.

Some additional country-specific notes:

Bolivia – As note above, the high values in the aerosol indices (AI) may also be due to other reasons such as emissions of volcanic ash or desert dust. Hence, some areas, such as the Salar de Uyuni, in western Bolivia, often have orange or red tones.

Colombia – Our daily 2020 monitoring took place from May until November, but Colombia’s drier burning season was likely earlier in the year (January – March). We will be monitoring Colombia during this time frame in 2021.

Acknowledgements

The app was developed and updated daily by Conservación Amazónica (ACCA). The data analysis is led by Amazon Conservation in collaboration with SERVIR Amazonia.

We thank E. Ortiz, A. Folhadella, A. Felix, and G. Palacios for their helpful comments on this report.

Citation

Finer M, Villa L, Vale H, Ariñez A, Nicolau A, Walker K (2020) Amazon Fires 2020 – Recap of Another Intense Fire Year. MAAP: 129.

MAAP #128: United Cacao Case – 7 Years After Massive Deforestation in the Peruvian Amazon

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Image 1. The first sign of large-scale deforestation, near the town of Tamshiyacu, in June 2013. Data: Planet (RapidEye). First time published. Click to enlarge.

Here, we confirm the massive deforestation of primary forest (more than 2,000 hectares) in the Peruvian Amazon by the company United Cacao between 2013 and 2016.

We present a series of recently obtained (and never before published) satellite images to emphasize the reality and importance of a deforestation case that is still being debated at the highest levels in the Peruvian government, seven years later.

In June 2013, a high-resolution satellite, through scattered clouds, revealed the start of massive deforestation of primary forest near the town of Tamshiyacu, in the Loreto region (Image 1).

In August of that same year, the clouds cleared a bit more, giving a better view. Image 2 (see below) shows the rapid deforestation of primary forest in 2013.

By September 2015, the deforestation had reached 2,380 hectares, or 5,880 acres (Image 3).

Most recently, in October 2020, a new very high-resolution image shows cacao crops in areas that, seven years ago, were primary forest (Image 4).

Below, we show, for the first time, these high and very-high resolution images (5 and 0.5 meters, respectively) recently obtained from the satellite company Planet, clearly showing the situation from 2012 -2020. Additionally, we show the historical context with Landsat images dating back to 1985, and briefly describe the current political situation regarding the case.

Deforestation 2013

Image 2 shows the first stage of large-scale deforestation (1,100 hectares) by the company United Cacao, between August 2012 (left panel) and August 2013 (right panel).

Image 2. Large-scale deforestation by United Cacao between August 2012 (left panel) and August 2013 (right panel). Data: Planet (RapidEye). First time published. Click to enlarge.

Deforestation 2015

Image 3 shows the total large-scale deforestation (2,380 hectares, or 5,880 acres) by United Cacao between August 2012 (left panel) and September 2015 (right panel). Insets A-C indicate the locations of the zooms below.

Image 3. Large-scale deforestation by United Cacao between August 2012 (left panel) and September 2015 (right panel). Data: Planet (RapidEye). First time published. Click to enlarge.

2020 – Cacao Crops in Deforested Areas

Images 4-6 show current cacao crops (right panel) in areas that, seven years ago, were primary forest (left panel).

Image 4. Current cacao crops (right panel) in areas that, seven years ago, were primary forest (left panel). Data: Planet, Airbus. First time published. Click to enlarge.
Image 5. Current cacao crops (right panel) in areas that, seven years ago, were primary forest (left panel). Data: Planet, Airbus. First time published. Click to enlarge.
Image 6. Current cacao crops (right panel) in areas that, seven years ago, were primary forest (left panel). Data: Planet, Airbus. First time published. Click to enlarge.

Current Policy Situation

In 2014, the Ministry of Agriculture (MINAGRI) ordered United Cacao (Cacao del Perú Norte SAC) to halt its development and production activities, but the company did not comply.

In 2019, MINAGRI rejection the Program for  Adequacy and Environmental Management (PAMA) presented by the company that took over the operation, Tamshi S.A.C. The PAMA is a type of environmental impact evaluation for projects already in operation.

Also in 2019, environmental enforcement of the case was transferred from MINAGRI to the Agency for Environmental Assessment and Enforcement (OEFA).

Most recently, OEFA issued a major fine, equivalent to around $35 million, to the company Tamshi S.A.C. for carrying out activities without having an approved environmental management plan. OEFA also issued 17 corrective measures, one of which was the immediate stoppage of activities.

Acknowledgments

We thank C. Ipenza, A. Felix, C. Noriega, S. Novoa, and G. Palacios for their helpful comments on this report.

This report was conducted with technical assistance from USAID, via the Prevent project. Prevent is an initiative that, over the next 5 years, will work with the Government of Peru, civil society, and the private sector to prevent and combat environmental crimes in Loreto, Ucayali and Madre de Dios, in order to conserve the Peruvian Amazon.

This publication is made possible with the support of the American people through USAID. Its content is the sole responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the US government.

This work was also supported by NORAD (Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation), and ICFC (International Conservation Fund of Canada), and EROL Foundation.

Citation

Finer M, Mamani N (2020) United Cacao Case – 7 Years After Massive Deforestation in the Peruvian Amazon. MAAP: 128.

MAAP #127: Mennonite Colonies Continue Major Deforestation in Peruvian Amazon

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Recent deforestation associated with the Mennonite colony Tierra Blanca 1, in Loreto, Peru. Data: Planet

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 combined Mennonite deforestation now exceeds the total loss from the infamous United Cacao case (2,400 hectares), one of the last major controversial large-scale deforestation cases in the Peruvian Amazon (MAAP #27).

Moreover, there are strong indications that the deforestation associated with these three Mennonite colonies is illegal (see Legality Statement below).

Below, we present the following:

  • A Base Map showing the location of the three new Mennonite colonies in the Peruvian Amazon.
  • A series of satellite images showing the recent deforestation in the most active colony (Tierra Blanca 1), including a very high resolution (0.5 meter) Skysat image.
  • a Legality Statement.
  • A graphic showing that the deforested area was not previously cleared (that is, it was intact forest).

 

 

 

 

Base Map. Location of the three new Mennonite Colonies in the Peruvian Amazon. Data: MAAP.

Base Map

The Base Map shows the location of the three new Mennonite colonies in the Peruvian Amazon.

Two colonies are located near the town of Tierra Blanca in the northern Peruvian Amazon (Loreto region).

The other colony is located near the town of Masisea in the central Peruvian Amazon (Ucayali region).

Of the total deforestation (8,500 acres):

  • 63% (5,370 acres) is from the colony Tierra Blanca 1;
  • 25% (2,145 acres) is from the colony Masisea;
  • 12% (990 acres) is from the colony Tierra Blanca 2.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deforestation 2017-20

The following image shows the total deforestation of 5,370 acres (2,174 hectares) between November 2016 (left panel) and October 2020 (right panel), associated with the Mennonite colony Tierra Blanca 1. The red dot serves as a reference point between the two panels. Click to enlarge.

Deforestation between September 2016 (left panel) and October 2020 (right panel), associated with the Mennonite colony Tierra Blanca 1. Data: Planet, MAAP. Click to enlarge.

Deforestation 2020

The following image shows the most recent deforestation of 1,540 acres (625 hectares) between January 2020 (left panel) and October 2020 (right panel), associated with the Tierra Blanca 1 Mennonite colony. The red lines indicate new 2020 deforestation. Also see the Annex below for a map of the 2020 deforestation in relation to previous 2017-19 deforestation. Click to enlarge.

Deforestation between January 2020 (left panel) and October 2020 (right panel), associated with the Mennonite colony Tierra Blanca 1. Data: Planet, MAAP. Click to enlarge.

Very High Resolution Satellite Image (Skysat)

We recently obtained a very high resolution (0.5 meter) satellite image of the Tierra Blanca 1 colony, thanks to the company Planet and their Skysat fleet. The image allows enhanced visualization of some details of the deforested area, such as roads, buildings, and cleared land for likely agricultural activities. Click to enlarge.

Very high resolution satellite image (0.5 meters) over the Tierra Blanca 1 colony. Data: Planet (Skysat). Click to enlarge.

Legality Statement

Regarding the findings in Loreto (Tierra Blanca), we consulted with the Regional Government of Loreto who, in a document dated October 15, 2020, indicated that the Mennonite colonies do not have any approvals for the large-scale forest clearing in the area. The documented also indicated that they were coordinating with the environmental prosecutor’s office (known as FEMA) to investigate the case and its environmental impact.

Regarding the findings in Ucayali (Massisea), our investigations revealed that there is an investigation in progress by the environmental prosecutor’s office (FEMA). In addition, the regional government has initiated a sanctioning procedure for the alleged unauthorized land use change (deforestation) associated with Mennonite colony near Masisea.

Annex

We present a time series of satellite images ranging from 1985 to 2020 that shows that the major deforestation in the area began with the Mennonite intervention.

Annex. Deforestation in 2020 in relation to 2017-19, associated with Mennonite colony Tierra Blanca 1. Data: MAAP.

Acknowledgements

We thank S. Novoa and G. Palacios for helpful comments to earlier versions of this report.

This work was supported by the following major funders: Erol Foundation, Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), and International Conservation Fund of Canada (ICFC).

Citation

Finer M, Mamani N, Suarez D (2020) MAAP: Mennonite Colonies Continue Major Deforestation in Peruvian Amazon Peruana. MAAP: 27.

MAAP #126: Drones and Legal Action in the Peruvian Amazon

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ACOMAT member flying a drone for monitoring their forestry concession. Source: ACCA.

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 hectares) in the southern Peruvian Amazon (see Base Map). Most of the concessions are alternatives to logging, such as Brazil nuts, Conservation, and Ecotourism.

This comprehensive system has three main elements:

1) Real-time, satellite-based forest loss monitoring (such as GLAD alerts) to quickly detect any possible new threats, even across vast and remote areas.

2) Field patrols with drone flights to verify forest alerts (or monitor threatened areas) with very high resolution images.

3) If suspected illegality is documented, initiate a criminal or administrative complaint, utilizing both the satellite and drone-based evidence.

In the case of ACOMAT, during 2019 they conducted 26 drone patrols and filed 15 legal complaints with the regional Environmental Prosecutor’s Office, known as FEMA. Below, we describe several of these cases.

Note that there is high potential to replicate this comprehensive monitoring model at the level of forest custodians (for example, concessionaires and indigenous communities) in the Amazon and other tropical forests.

Key ACOMAT Cases

Next, we describe four cases where comprehensive monitoring was performed (see Insets A-D on the Base Map).

Base Map. ACOMAT concessions. Data: ACCA, MINAM/PNCBMCC, SERNANP.

A. Illegal logging in the Los Amigos Conservation Concession

In October 2019, a patrol was carried out to investigate a threatened area within the Los Amigos Conservation Concession (the world’s first Conservation Consession). During the patrol, which included five drone flights, illegal logging was documented, including stumps with sawn trees , paths for the transfer of wood to a nearby river, and abandoned camps. The drone images were added as evidence in support of the previously filed criminal complaint to the FEMA in Madre de Dios. Below we present two striking images from the drone flights, clearly showing the illegal logging. Status of the Complaint: In Preliminary Investigation.

Case A. Illegal logging in the Los Amigos Conservation Concession, identified with drone overflight. Source: ACCA.
Case A. Illegal logging in the Los Amigos Conservation Concession, identified with drone overflight. Source: ACCA.

B. Ilegal Logging in the MADEFOL Forestry Concession

In May 2019, a field patrol was carried out to investigate a threatened area within the MADEFOL forestry concession. During the patrol, which included two drone flights, illegal logging was documented, including stumps with sawn trees, a recently abandoned camp, and an access road. With the drone images as evidence, a new criminal complaint was filed with the FEMA in Madre de Dios. Below is an image from the drone flights, clearly showing the evidence of illegal logging. Status of the complaint: In qualification.

Case B. Illegal logging in the “MADEFOL” forestry concession identified with drone overflight. Source: ACCA.

C. Illegal Gold Mining in a Conservation Concession

In May 2019, a field patrol was carried out in the “Inversiones Manu SAC” Conservation Concession to investigate an area that had previously been affected by illegal gold miners. During the patrol, which included two drone flights, illegal gold mining was documented in the Malinowski River. With the drone images as evidence, a new criminal complaint was filed with the FEMA in Madre de Dios. Below is a drone image clearly showing the evidence of illegal gold mining. Status of the complaint: Preliminary Investigation.

Caso C. Minería ilegal en la Concesión de Conservación “Inversiones Manu SAC,” identificada con sobrevuelo de dron. Fuente: ACCA.

D. Deforestation in a Brazil Nut Concession

In October 2019, a patrol was carried out to investigate an early warning deforestation alert within the “Sara Hurtado Orozco B” Brazil nut concession.

During the patrol, which included one drone flight, the recent deforestation of five acres (two hectares) was documented. With the drone images, a new criminal complaint was filed with the FEMA of Madre de Dios. It should be noted that this concession was being investigated for a separate illegal deforestation event. Below is one of the images of the drone flight, clearly showing the illegal deforestation. Status of the complaint: In preliminary proceedings.

Caso D. Deforestación en la Concesión Forestal de Castaña “Sara Hurtado Orozco B”. Fuente: ACCA.

Importance of the “ACOMAT Model”

We have started using the term “Acomat model” to refer to the innovative use of the three elements described above (real-time monitoring, drone flights, and criminal complaints) by the ACOMAT concessionaires.

ACOMAT was created in 2012, and since 2017 has received crucial support from the organization Conservation Amazónica-ACCA, supported by funds from Norway’s International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI), led by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD).

This project has provided training on all three major aspects, satellite-based monitoring alerts, drones, and the legal process. Concessionaires now receive deforestation alerts to their phones, have the ability to organize and conduct field patrols, and some are trained to perform their own drone flights.

Acknowledgments

We thank R. Segura (DAI), M.E. Gutierrez (ACCA), D. Suarez (ACCA), H. Balbuena (ACCA), M. Silman (WFU), and G. Palacios for their helpful comments on this report.

This report was conducted with technical assistance from USAID, via the Prevent project. Prevent is an initiative that, over the next 5 years, will work with the Government of Peru, civil society, and the private sector to prevent and combat environmental crimes in Loreto, Ucayali and Madre de Dios, in order to conserve the Peruvian Amazon.

This publication is made possible with the support of the American people through USAID. Its content is the sole responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the US government.

This work was also supported by NORAD (Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation) and ICFC (International Conservation Fund of Canada).

Citation

Finer M, Castañeda C, Novoa S, Paz L (2020) Drones and Legal Action in the Peruvian Amazon. MAAP 126.

 

MAAP: Fires in the Bolivian Amazon 2020

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Base Map. Major fires in the Bolivian Amazon during 2020. Data: MAAP/ACEAA.

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 Areas (see below)..

*The data, updated through October 1, is based on our novel real-time Amazon Fires Monitoring app, which is based on the detection of elevated aerosol emissions (by the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-5 satellite) that indicate the burning of large amounts of biomass (defined here as a “major fire”).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Major Fires in Protected Areas of the Bolivian Amazon in 2020. Data: MAAP/ACEAA.

Major Fires in Protected Areas

The most impacted Protected Areas are Noel Kempff Mercado National Park (21,000 acres burned), and Copaibo Municipal Protected Area (99,000 acres burned).

Other impacted Protected Areas impacted include Iténez National Park, Keneth Lee Reserve and Pampas del Río Yacuma Integrated Management Natural Area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Satellite Images of the Major Fires in the Bolivian Amazon

We present a series of high-resolution satellite images of the major fires in the Bolivian Amazon.

Image 1 shows a major fire in the extreme northwest of Noel Kempff Mercado National Park in September. Note that the fires are burning in the transition between Amazon forest and savanna.

Image 1. Major Fire #61 (Sept 8, 2020). Data: Planet.

Image 2 shows a major fire in Copaibo Municipal Protected Area in September. Note that it is located in the transition zone of the moist Amazon forest and Chiquitano dry forest.

Image 2. Major Fire #65 (September 7, 2020). Data: Planet.

Image 3 shows another major fire in Copaibo Municipal Protected Area, also in the transition zone of the Amazon forest and the Chiquitano dry forest.

Image 3. Major Fire #51 (September 4, 2020). Data: Planet.

Image 4 shows a major fire in the savannas of Beni.

Image 4. Major Fire #68 (September 12, 2020). Data: Planet.

Citation

Finer M, Ariñez A (2020) Fires in the Bolivian Amazon 2020. MAAP.

MAAP #125: Detecting Illegal Logging with Very High Resolution Satellites

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Very high resolution satellite image showing illegal logging in the southern Peruvian Amazon. Data: Maxar. Analysis: MAAP/ACCA.

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 potential to detect the illegal activity in real time, when preventive action is still possible.

This is an important advance because when an intervention normally occurs, such as detaining a boat or truck with illegal timber, the damage is done.

Below, we show a specific case of using very high resolution satellite imagery to detect and confirm probable illegal logging in the southern Peruvian Amazon (Madre de Dios region).

 

 

 

 

Case: Turbina SAC

The Base Map below shows the intensity of probable illegal logging activity* in the Turbina SAC forestry concession, from 2016 to the present. Specifically, it shows the exact points of illegal logging events (felled trees) and logging camps, as identified through our analysis of very high-resolution satellite images. Note that this forestry concession is adjacent to the Los Amigos Conservation Concession, an important long-term (20 years) biodiversity conservation area.

Base Map. Illegal logging activities in the Turbina SAC forestry concession. The size of the points is for reference only. Data: MAAP/Amazon Conservation.

Very High Resolution Satellite Imagery

Below, we show a series of very high-resolution satellite images, courtesy of the innovative satellite companies Planet and Maxar.

The first image shows the identification of probable illegal logging between June 2019 (left panel) and August 2020 (right panel). The red circle indicates the exact area (canopy) of the illegally logged tree.

The identification of illegal logging between June 2019 (left panel) and August 2020 (right panel). Click to enlarge. Data: Maxar, Planet, MAAP.

The following image shows the identification of illegal logging in March 2020. The red circle indicates the exact area of the illegally logged trees.

Identification of illegal logging. Data: Maxar, MAAP.

The following image shows the identification of a logging camp in March 2o20. The red circle indicates the area of the camp.

Satellite image of an illegal logging camp. Data: Maxar, MAAP.

*Statement on Legality

We determined that this logging activity is illegal from a detailed analysis of official information from the Peruvian Government (specifically, the Peruvian Forestry Service, SERFOR, and forestry oversight agency, OSINFOR). This information indicates that, although the concession is in force (Vigente), its status is classified as Inactive (Inactiva). In addition, 2013 was the last year that this concession had an approved logging plan (Plan Operativo de Aprovechamiento, or POA), and it was for a different sector of the concession from the newly detected logging activity.

To confirm our assumption of illegal activity, we requested the technical opinion from the corresponding regional forestry and wildlife authority, however, as of the date of publication of this report, we have not yet received a response.

Thus, with the information we had at the time of publication, we concluded the logging was illegal as it was not conducted within a current management plan.

Methodology

We carried out the analysis in two main steps:

The first step was the visual interpretation and digitization of new logging events and associated logging camps within the Turbina forestry concession. This analysis was based on the evaluation of submetric images obtained from the satellite companies Planet and Maxar, for the period 2019-20. It is worth noting that for Planet, we had the new ability to “task” new images for a specific area, rather than waiting for an image to appear by other means. Logging in the Peruvian Amazon is usually highly selective for high-value species, thus its detection requires a comparative analysis of images (before and after), in such a way that the trees cut during the study period (2019-20 in this case) can be identified.

The second step focused on an analysis of the legality of the identified logging events. The locations of the logged trees and camps were cross-referenced with spatial information on the state and status of forestry concessions provided by the GeoSERFOR (SERFOR) portal, as well as the areas delimited in the annual operational plans of the concessions, verified by OSINFOR and distributed through the SISFOR portal (WMS). We considered both spatial and temporal aspects to the forestry concession data.

Citation

Novoa S, Villa L, Finer M (2020) Detecting Illegal Logging with Very High Resolution Satellites. MAAP: 125.

Acknowledgments

We thank A. Felix (USAID Prevent), M.E. Gutierrez (ACCA), and G. Palacios for their helpful comments on this report.

This report was conducted with technical assistance from USAID, via the Prevent project. Prevent is an initiative that, over the next 5 years, will work with the Government of Peru, civil society, and the private sector to prevent and combat environmental crimes in Loreto, Ucayali and Madre de Dios, in order to conserve the Peruvian Amazon.

This publication is made possible with the support of the American people through USAID. Its content is the sole responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the US government.