Maps

MAAP #161: Soy Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon

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Example of fires burning an area recently deforested for a new soy plantation. Data: Planet.

The Amazon Soy Moratorium has often been credited with significantly reducing soy-related deforestation in the Amazon over the past 15 years.

The Moratorium is a voluntary zero-deforestation agreement in which traders agree not to purchase soy grown on land cleared after 2008.

However, increasing soybean prices may be driving a resurgence of the problem of direct soy deforestation. That is, direct conversion of primary deforestation to soy plantation without passing an initial period as cattle pasture.

A recent report by Global Forest Watch estimated the direct soy deforestation of 29,000 hectares in the Brazilian Amazon in 2019 (Schneider et al 2021).

Here, we report the additional direct soy deforestation of at least 42,000 hectares in the Brazilian Amazon since 2020. All of these areas occurred in the state of Mato Grosso, located on the southeast edge of the Amazon.

We detected all of these soy plantations based on recent major fire activity (84 major fires), in which the recently deforested area was burned in preparation for the upcoming planting season (see Methodology below for more details).

Below, we show a base map of these recently deforested and then burned areas in the Mato Grosso state of the Brazilian Amazon followed by a series of examples from the satellite imagery.

Base Map – Recent Soy Deforestation in Brazilian Amazon

The Base Map below shows the areas, indicated by red dots, of recent direct deforestation for new soy plantations that we detected by monitoring major fire activity in 2022.

Between May 2021 and June 2022, we detected 84 major fires that corresponded to burning areas recently deforested for new soy plantations. These 84 areas, all of which occurred in the state of Mato Grosso, cover an area of 42,000 hectares.

Our geographic focus was the Brazilian Amazon biome in the state of Mato Grosso, as covered by the Amazon Soy Moratorium. For example, we also documented extensive direct soy deforestation and fire in the Bolivian Amazon (Santa Cruz department), but we did not include that information here.

Base Map. Recent Soy Deforestation in Brazilian Amazon. Data: ACA/MAAP, NICFI.

Examples of Deforestation & Fire for New Soy Plantations

As noted above, we detected the direct deforestation for new soy plantations by monitoring major fire activity in 2022. It is assumed that fires are preparing the recently deforested area for upcoming soy planting.

Methodology

We first tracked major fires in 2021 and 2022 using our novel real-time fire monitoring app. See MAAP #118 for more background information about the app and general methodology for detecting major fires based on aerosol emissions. The first major fires were detected in May of each year (2021 and 2022) and we continued collecting data on a daily basis through early July of each year. We monitored fires across the entire Amazon, but this report focuses on Brazil.

For all major fires detected with the app, we confirmed them with high-resolution satellite imagery from Planet. This confirmation was accomplished by visualizing either smoke plumes the day of the fire or burned areas in subsequent days after the fire.

All confirmed fires were assigned a category based on likely direct fire type or driver. These categories include 1) burning area recently deforested for new soy plantation, burning area recently deforested for new cattle pasture, and burning grasslands embedded in the larger rainforest matrix. On rarer occasions, one of these fire types may escape into the surrounding forest, making it an actual forest fire.

Specifically, the soy-related fires were defined as those burning recently deforested areas (that is, areas cleared since 2020) that had a distinctive linear pattern seemingly designed for organized crop agriculture. Most of the newly identified soy areas were also adjacent to existing soy plantations. In other words, the soy deforestation and fire pattern were visually quite distinct from cattle-related and grassland fires. Local experts have informed us that the fires are likely prepping the recently deforested area for the upcoming soy planting season. For all determined direct soy-related fires, we estimated the burned area using the spatial measurement tools in Planet Explorer and entered it into a database. We noted that in July of both years, the fires shifted away from soy and more towards cattle areas.

References

Martina Schneider, Liz Goldman, Mikaela Weisse, Luiz Amaral and Luiz Calado (2021) The Commodity Report: Soy Production’s Impact on Forests in South America. Link: https://www.globalforestwatch.org/blog/commodities/soy-production-forests-south-america/

X.-P. Song, M.C. Hansen, P. Potapov, et al (2021). Massive soybean expansion in South America since 2000 and implications for conservation. Nature Sustainability. Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-021-00729-z

Acknowledgements

We thank V. Silgueiro and R. Carvalho from the organization Instituto Centro de Vida (ICV) for helpful information and comments related to this report.

Citation

Finer M, Ariñez A (2022) Soy Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. MAAP: #161.

MAAP #160: Lasers Estimate Carbon in the Amazon – NASA’s GEDI Mission

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Simulation of GEDI lasers collecting data. Source: UMD.

NASA’s GEDI mission uses lasers to provide cutting-edge estimates of aboveground biomass and related carbon on a global scale.

Launched in late 2018 and installed on the International Space Station, GEDI’s lasers return an estimate of aboveground biomass density at greater accuracy and resolution than previously available.

Here, we zoom in on the Amazon and take a first look at the recently available Level 4B data: Gridded Aboveground Biomass Density measured in megagrams per hectare (Mg/ha) at a 1-kilometer resolution.

See the GEDI homepage for more background information on the mission, which extends until January 2023. Be sure to check out this illustrative video.

 

 

 

 

Base Map – Aboveground Biomass in the Amazon

The Base Map displays the GEDI data for the nine countries of the Amazon biome, displaying aboveground biomass for the time period April 2019 to August 2021.

Base Map. Aboveground Biomass Density in the Amazon. Data: NASA/UMD GEDI L4B. Click twice to enlarge.

 

We highlight the following initial major findings:

  • The data is not yet comprehensive as there are some areas the lasers have not yet recorded data (indicated in white).
    h
  • The areas with the highest aboveground biomass and related carbon (indicated in dark green and purple) include:
    • Northeast Amazon: Corner of Brazil, Suriname, & French Guiana.
    • Southwest Amazon: Southwest Brazil and adjacent Peru (see zoom below).
    • Northwest Amazon: Northern Peru, Ecuador, and southeast Colombia.

Zoom In – Southwest Amazon

To better visualize the GEDI laser data, we also present a zoom of the Southwest Amazon. Although deforested areas (and natural savannahs) are illustrated in yellow and orange, note the surrounding presence of high carbon forest (green and purple).

Zoom In – Southwest Amazon. Aboveground Biomass Density. Data: NASA/UMD GEDI L4B. Click twice to enlarge.

Zoom Out – Global Scale

Note that tropical forests, including the Amazon, have the highest levels of aboveground biomass globally.

Zoom Out – Glocal scale. Aboveground Biomass Density. Data: NASA/UMD GEDI L4B. Click twice to enlarge.

Acknowledgements

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

Citation

Finer M, Ariñez A (2022) Lasers Estimate Carbon in the Amazon – NASA’s GEDI Mission. MAAP: 160.

MAAP #155: Deforestation Hotspots in the Venezuelan Amazon

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Amazon Base Map. Forest Carbon Flux across the Amazon, 2001-2020. Data: Harris et al 2021. Analysis: Amazon Conservation/MAAP.

We present here the first report of a series focused on the Venezuelan Amazon, which covers over 47 million hectares of the northern section of the Amazon biome (above western Brazil).

As the Amazon Base Map indicates, Venezuela is a key part to the remaining core Amazon that is still functioning as a critical carbon sink, making it an important piece to long-term conservation strategies.

However, deforestation has been increasing in recent years (see graph in Base Map), indicating escalating threats.

Specifically, there is a clear trend of increasing primary forest loss since 2015, including a recent spike in 2019.

We estimate the loss of over 140,000 hectares (345,000 acres) over the past four years, accounting for 1.6% of the total loss across the Amazon during that time period.

Below, we investigate the major hotspots and drivers of deforestation currently in the Venezuelan Amazon.

 

 

Venezuela Base Map. Hotspots of primary forest loss across the Venezuelan Amazon (2017-2020). UMD/GLAD, MAAP.

The Venezuela base map shows the major hotspots of primary forest loss across the Venezuelan Amazon over the past four years (2017-2020).

Note that most hotspots are within the Orinoco Mining Arc, a large area over 11 million hectares created by a controversial presidential decree in 2016 designed to promote mining (SOSOrinoco 2021), as well as within and around the extensive network of protected areas.

These protected areas cover 43% (20 million hectares) of the Venezuelan Amazon and accounted for around 30% of total forest loss. The most impacted areas in recent years are Caura, Canaima, and Yapacana National Parks (over 22,000 hectares combined).

We zoomed in on these hotspots and found that mining, fires, and agriculture (including cattle pasture) are the three primary deforestation drivers across the Venezuelan Amazon. There may be complex interactions between these drivers, such as mining centers leading to fires and agricultural expansion to support the new mining population.

It is worth noting that Venezuela joins Peru, Brazil, and Suriname as countries where mining is now documented to be actively driving major deforestation of primary forest.

We also note that, as in the rest of the Amazon, virtually all fires are caused by humans (that is, not natural events) and most are likely linked to preparing land for agricultural activities. During drier periods, these fires may escape, causing larger forest fires.

Below, we illustrate these drivers in a series of high-resolution (3 meters) and very high-resolution (0.5 meters) images.

High-resolution Zooms

Mining

Zoom A. Yapacana National Park

Yapacana National Park, which is a unique mosaic of natural savannas and forest, is currently experiencing deforestation impacts from active mining operations. We show two examples of recent mining in the Cerro Yapacana mining sector, featuring very-high resolution imagery from late 2021 (see Zooms A1 and A2). These two areas have lost over 550 hectares since the early 2000s.

Zoom A1. Mining deforestation in Yapacana National Park. Data: Planet/Skysat.
Zoom A2. Mining deforestation in Yapacana National Park. Data: Planet/Skysat.

 

Zoom B. Caura National Park

Caura National Park is also experiencing active mining activity. Below are two examples of recent mining activity, featuring very-high resolution imagery from early 2022 (see Zooms B1 and B2).

 

Zoom B1. Mining deforestation in Caura National Park. Data: Planet/Skysat.

 

Zoom B2. Mining deforestation in Caura National Park. Data: Planet/Skysat.

Zoom C. Canaima National Park

The following image shows the recent expansion of mining deforestation in Canaima National Park between 2017 (left panel) and 2020 (right panel).

Zoom C. Mining deforestation in Canaima National Park. Data: Planet/Skysat.

Zoom D: Orinoco Mining Arc

To the north of these protected areas, there is both industrial and river-based mining deforestation in the Orinoco Mining Arc. Zoom D shows an example of major river-based mining deforestation (over 1,800 hectares) between 2017 and 2020, plus a very-high resolution imagery from late 2021.

Zoom D. Mining deforestation in the Orinoco Mining Arc. Data: Planet.

Agriculture

Zoom E shown an example of agricultural expansion (likely cattle ranching) in the northeastern section of the Orinoco Mining Arc. We estimate the forest loss shown in the panels between 2017 and 2020 is over 400 hectares.

Zoom E. Agricultuire deforestation in the Orinoco Mining Arc. Data: Planet.

Fire

Finally, Zooms F and G show recent examples of major fires impacts. Zoom F is an area that experienced major fires in 2019 within and around Canaima National Park. We estimate the forest loss shown in the panels between 2017 and 2020 is 1,175 hectares.

Zoom F. Major fires in 2019 within and around Canaima National Park. Data: Planet.

Zoom G is an area that experienced major fires in 2020 in the near mining sites in the western section of the Orinoco Mining Arc. We estimate the forest loss shown in the panels between 2017 and 2020 is 1,128 hectares.

Zoom G. Major fires in 2020 in the Orinoco Mining Arc. Data: Planet.

Methodology

For a study area with maximum inclusion, for the Venezuelan Amazon we used the wider biogeographic boundary (as defined by RAISG) rather than the strict Amazon watershed boundary (which actually only includes a small portion of Venezuela).

We obtained data for the Orinoco Mining Arc (Arco Minero del Orinoco) and protected areas from the organization SOSOrinoco. The latter dataset contains Areas Under Special Administration Regime (Áreas Bajo Régimen de Administración Especial – ABRAE), which meet the IUCN international definition of protected areas: national parks, natural monuments, wildlife refuges, reserves and sanctuaries.

We used “primary forest loss” data as our proxy for 2002-2020 annual deforestation. This 30-meter resolution (based on Landsat) data is produced by the University of Maryland and presented by Global Forest Watch. Note that it includes forest loss from fires and natural causes. 2021 early warning alert data is also from University of Maryland.

To identify primary forest loss 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.

Finally, we investigated the major hotspots with both high resolution (3 meters) and very high resolution (0.5 meters) satellite imagery from the company Planet to identify causes (drivers).

References

SOSOrinoco. 2021. Deforestation & Changes in Vegetation &  Land Use Cover within the so-called Orinoco Mining Arc between 2000-2020.

Acknowledgements

We thank the organization SOSOrinoco for important information and comments related to this report.

Citation

Finer M, Mamani N (2022) Deforestation Hotspots in the Venezuelan Amazon. MAAP: 155.

MAAP #156: Intense Mining Activity in Yapacana National Park (Venezuelan Amazon)

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Base Map: Mining areas in Yapacana National Park. Data: SOS Orinoco, ACA/MAAP, Planet.

We present the second report in our series focused on the Venezuelan Amazon.

The first (MAAP #155) documented the loss of over 140,000 hectares (345,000 acres) of primary forest over the past four years. We also zoomed in on the major hotspots, showing that mining is one of the primary deforestation drivers, including in protected areas.

Here we focus on a key protected area, Yapacana National Park.

The park, created in 1978, is a key biogeographical site, with diverse ecosystems (including white sand savannahs), high endemism and biodiversity, and unique Guiana Shield outcrops. Illegal mining started in the park in the 1980s and started to surge in the 2000s (see SOS Orinoco 2020 for details on the complex socio-political issues).

We show Yapacana National Park is currently experiencing intense illegal mining activity.

Specifically, we carried out a detailed estimate of current mining camps and machinery, based on recent and very high-resolution Skysat satellite imagery from Planet (0.5 meters).

We found over 8,000 mining data points (over 4,100 camps and 3,800 pieces of machinery), indicating that Yapacana National Park may currently be the most impacted site in the Amazon (replacing the case La Pampa in the buffer zone of Tambopata National Reserve, in the southern Peruvian Amazon), based on density of mining-related activity.

The goal of this report is to precisely inform the international community about the magnitude of the crisis in Yapacana National Park in hopes of an eventual solution.

Intense Mining in Yapacana National Park

The Base Map (see above) shows the major mining sectors in Yapacana National Park and our Skysat coverage over the recent time period of December 2021 to March 2022 (vertical dark green polygons). In this area, we recorded an astounding 8,214 mining data points (4,167 camps and 3,884 pieces of machinery). This finding is consistent with previous estimates that there are over 2,000 illegal miners operating in the park (and even indicates that this is an underestimate).

The Letters A-C correspond to the zoom images below.


Zoom A: Cerro Yapacana (north)

Zoom A centers on a major mining area in the Cerro Yapacana sector that experienced the deforestation of 360 hectares since the early 2000s, including a spike starting in 2016. It shows a very high-resolution Skysat image from early December 2021, with and without the mining data (left and right panel, respectively). Note how the second image brings out previously “invisible” elements within the overall mining area: 945 mining data points (413 camps and 532 equipment).  Further below, Zooms A1 and A2 further illustrate this point.

Zoom A. Mining activity in the Cerro Yapacana northern sector without (left panel) and with (right panel) the mining data. Data: ACA/MAAP, Planet (Skysat).
Zoom A1. Mining activity in the Cerro Yapacana sector without (left panel) and with (right panel) the mining data. Data: ACA/MAAP, Planet (Skysat).
Zoom A2. Mining activity in the Cerro Yapacana sector without (left panel) and with (right panel) the mining data. Data: ACA/MAAP, Planet (Skysat).

Zoom B: Cerro Yapacana (south)

Zoom B centers on a major mining area in the Cerro Yapacana sector that experienced the deforestation of 175 hectares since the early 2000s, including a spike starting in 2014. It shows a very high-resolution Skysat image from early December 2021, with and without the mining data (left and right panel, respectively). Note how the second image brings out previously “invisible” elements within the overall mining area: 1,175 mining data points (667 camps and 508 equipment). Again, note how the second image brings out previously “invisible” elements within the overall mining area. Zooms B1 and B2 further illustrate this point.

Zoom B. Mining activity in the Cerro Yapacana southern sector without (left panel) and with (right panel) the mining data. Data: ACA/MAAP, Planet (Skysat).
Zoom B1. Mining activity in the Cerro Yapacana southern sector without (left panel) and with (right panel) the mining data. Data: ACA/MAAP, Planet (Skysat).
Zoom B2. Mining activity in the Cerro Yapacana southern sector without (left panel) and with (right panel) the mining data. Data: ACA/MAAP, Planet (Skysat).

Zoom C: Cerro Moyo

Lastly, Zoom C centers on a major mining area in the Cerro Moyo sector that experienced the deforestation of 240 hectares since the early 2000s, including a spike starting in 2011. It shows a very high-resolution Skysat image from March 2022, with and without the mining data (left and right panel, respectively). Again, note how the second image brings out previously “invisible” elements within the overall mining area: 579 data points (55 camps and 524 equipment). Zoom C1 further illustrates this point.

Zoom C. Mining activity in the Cerro Moyo sector without (left panel) and with (right panel) the mining data. Data: ACA/MAAP, Planet (Skysat).
Zoom C1. Mining activity in the Cerro Moyo sector without (left panel) and with (right panel) the mining data. Data: ACA/MAAP, Planet (Skysat).

Methodology

We tasked very high-resolution Skysat satellite imagery (0.5 meters), using the host company Planet’s tasking dashboard, of known mining locations in Yapacana National Park. We then closely and manually analyzed these images, documenting both mining camps and equipment. We researched aerial examples of mining areas in other countries to improve our identification abilities.

As a guide to locate key mining zones in these areas, we used mining area data produced by the organization SOS Orinoco, which used manual visual interpretation methods to identify these areas.

References

BirdLife International. Yapacana National Park (Parque Nacional Yapacana IBA). http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/14941

Castillo R. y V. Salas. 2007. Estado de Conservación del Parque Nacional Yapacana. Reporte Especial. En: BioParques: Programa Observadores de Parques

SOS Orinoco. 2019. La Minería Aurífera en el Parque Nacional Yapacana Amazonas Venezolano: Un caso de extrema urgencia ambiental y geopolítica, nacional e internacional.

SOS Orinoco. 2020. La Minería Aurífera en el Parque Nacional Yapacana, Amazonas Venezolano | Un caso de extrema urgencia ambiental y geopolítica, nacional e internacional – Actualización al 2020.

Acknowledgements

We thank the organization SOSOrinoco for important information and comments related to this report.

Citation

Finer M, Mamani N (2022) Intense Mining Activity in Yapacana National Park (Venezuelan Amazon). MAAP: 156.

MAAP #158: Amazon Deforestation & Fire Hotspots 2021

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2021 Amazon Forest Loss Base Map. Deforestation and fire hotspots across the full Amazon biome. Data: UMD/GLAD, ACA/MAAP.

We present a detailed look at the major 2021 Amazon forest loss hotspots, based on the final annual data produced by the University of Maryland.

This dataset is unique in that distinguishes forest loss from fire, leaving the rest as a close proxy for deforestation.

Thus, for the first time, the results include both deforestation and fire hotspots across the Amazon.

The Base Map (see right) and Results Graph (see below) reveal several key findings:p

  • In 2021, we estimate the loss of 2 million hectares (4.9 million acres) of primary forest loss across the nine countries of the Amazon biome. This total represents a slight decrease from 2020, but the 6th highest on record.
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  • The vast majority of this loss was deforestation (78%), accounting for 1.57 million hectares. This total represents a slight increase from 2020, and the 5th highest on record. This deforestation impacted the entire stretch of the southern Amazon (southern Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru) plus further north in Colombia.
    l
  • This deforestation was concentrated in Brazil (73%), Bolivia (10%), Peru (8%), and Colombia (6%). In Brazil and Bolivia, deforestation was the highest since 2017. In Peru and Colombia, deforestation dropped from 2020 but was still historically high. See below for maps and graphs for each country. See Annex for 2020-21 details.
    k
  • Fires directly caused the remaining primary forest loss (22%), accounting for 436,000 hectares. This total represents a decrease from the severe fire season of 2020, but was the 4th highest on record. Moreover, each of the six most intense fire seasons has occurred in the past six years. Over 90% of the fire impact occurred in just two countries: Brazil and Bolivia. Note that fire impacts were concentrated in the southeast of each country (Mato Grosso and Santa Cruz states, respectively).
    k
  • Since 2002, we estimate the deforestation of over 27 million hectares (67 million acres) of primary forest, greater than the size of the United Kingdom or the U.S. state of Colorado. On top of this, we estimate an additional impact of 6.7 million hectares due to fires.

Below, we zoom in on the four countries with the highest deforestation (Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, and Colombia), with additional maps and analysis.

Amazon Forest Loss Results Graph, 2002-21. Data: UMD/GLAD, ACA/MAAP.

For deforestation, note that in 2021 there was a slight increase across the Amazon, continuing a gradual four-year trend. 2021 had the 5th highest deforestation on record (behind just 2002, 2004, 2005, and 2017).

For fire, in 2021 there was a decrease from the severe fire season of 2020, but was the 4th highest on record (behind just 2016, 2017, and 2020). Moreover, each of the last six years is in the top six worst fire seasons across the Amazon.

For total forest loss (deforestation and fire combined), in 2021 there was slight decrease from 2020, but the 6th highest on record.

Brazil Base Map, 2021. Deforestation and fire hotspots in the Brazilian Amazon. Data: UMD/GLAD, ACA/MAAP.

Brazilian Amazon

In 2021, the Brazilian Amazon lost 1.1 million hectares of primary forest to deforestation. Fires directly impacted an additional 293,000 hectares.

The deforestation was the highest since 2017 and also the peak of the early 2000s (6th highest on record). The fire impact was relatively high (5th highest on record), but less than the peak years of 2016, 2017, and 2020.

The deforestation was concentrated along the major road networks, especially roads 163, 230, 319, and 364 in the states of Acre, Amazonas, Pará, and Rondônia (see Brazil Base Map).

The direct fire impacts were concentrated in the southeastern state of Mato Grosso.

It is also important to note that many areas experienced the one-two combination of initial deforestation followed by fire to prepare the area for agriculture or cattle.

 

 

 

Bolivia Base Map. Deforestation hotspots in Bolivian Amazon. Data: UMD/GLAD, ACA/MAAP.

Bolivian Amazon

In 2021, the Bolivian Amazon lost 161,000 hectares of primary forest to deforestation. Fires directly impacted an additional 106,000 hectares.

Deforestation was the third-highest on record, just behind the peak in 2016 and 2017. The fire impact was the second-highest on record, behind just the intense year of 2020 (thus, the last two years are the two highest on record).

Both the deforestation and fires were concentrated in the southeastern department of Santa Cruz (see Bolivia Base Map).

Much of the deforestation was associated with large-scale agriculture, while the fires once again impacted important natural ecosystems, most notably the Chiquitano dry forests.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peru Base Map. Deforestation hotspots in the Peruvian Amazon. Data: UMD/GLAD, ACA/MAAP.

Peruvian Amazon

In 2021, the Peruvian Amazon lost 132,400 hectares of primary forest to deforestation. Fires directly impacted an additional 21,800 hectares.

Deforestation dropped from a record high in 2020, but was 6th highest on record. Thre fire impact was the second-highest on record (behind just 2017).

The deforestation was concentrated in the central and southern Amazon (Ucayali and Madre de Dios regions, respectively) (see Peru Base Map).

We highlight the rapid deforestation (365 hectares) for a new Mennonite colony in 2021, near the town of Padre Marquez (see MAAP #149).

Also, note some additional hotspots in the south (Madre de Dios region), but these are largely from expanding agriculture instead of the historical driver of gold mining.

Indeed, gold mining deforestation has been greatly reduced due to government actions, but this illegal activity still threatens several key areas and indigenous territories (MAAP #154).

 

 

 

 

Rapid deforestation (365 hectares) for a new Mennonite colony in 2021, near the town of Padre Marquez. Data: Planet.

Colombia Base Map. Deforestation hotspots in northwest Colombian Amazon. Data: UMD/GLAD, ACA/MAAP, FCDS.

Colombian Amazon

In 2021, the Colombian Amazon lost 98,000 hectares of primary forest to deforestation. Fires directly impacted an additional 9,000 hectares.

Deforestation and fire dropped from last year, but both were the fourth highest on record, following the trend of elevated forest loss and associated fires since the peace agreement in 2016.

As described in previous reports (see MAAP #120), the Colombia Base Map shows there continues to be an “arc of deforestation” in the northwest Colombian Amazon (Caqueta, Meta, and Guaviare departments).

This arc impacts numerous Protected Areas (particularly Tinigua and Chiribiquete National Parks) and Indigenous Reserves (particularly Yari-Yaguara II and Nukak Maku).

The main drivers of deforestation in the Colombian Amazon are land grabbing, expansion of road networks, and cattle ranching.

 

 

 

Annex

Notes and Methodology

The analysis was based on 30-meter resolution annual forest loss data produced by the University of Maryland and also presented by Global Forest Watch. For the first time, this data set distinguished forest loss caused directly by fire (note that virtually all Amazon fires are human-caused). The remaining forest loss serves as a likely close proxy for deforestation, with the only remaining exception being natural events such as landslides, wind storms, and meandering rivers.

Importantly, we applied a filter to calculate only primary forest loss by intersecting 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).

Our geographic range for the Amazon is a hybrid designed for maximum inclusion: biogeographic boundary (as defined by RAISG) for all countries, except for Bolivia where we use the watershed boundary.

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 the 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: >5%; High: >7%; Very High: >14%.

Acknowledgements

We thank A. Gómez (FCDS), R. Botero (FCDS)… for helpful comments on earlier drafts of the text and images.

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

Citation

Finer M, Mamani N (2022) Amazon Deforestation Hotspots 2021. MAAP: 153.

MAAP #157: New and Proposed Roads Across the Western Amazon

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Amazon Roads Base Map 1.

Extensive deforestation, especially along the major road networks, has shockingly turned the eastern Brazilian Amazon into a net carbon source (see MAAP #144).

Fortunately, the greater Amazon across all nine countries is still a net carbon sink, largely thanks to the still intact core of the western Amazon.

The biggest long-term threat to this core Amazon is likely new roads, as they are a leading cause of opening up vast and previously remote areas to deforestation and degradation (Vilela et al 2020).

Here, we present an initial analysis of new and proposed roads across the western Amazon.

Although it’s difficult to predict what proposed projects are actually likely to eventually move forward, we do find the potential of a major road expansion across the core western Amazon (see Base Map 1).

Moreover, even by just focusing on the most advanced or actively discussed projects, we find the risk of major negative impact.

Below, we discuss our initial Amazon Roads Base Map and present a series of zooms showing the primary forest at risk if select road projects move forward.

 

 

Amazon Roads Base Map

Base Map 2 highlights new, proposed, and existing roads (red, yellow, and black lines, respectively), in relation to protected areas and indigenous territories for context. We focus on the still largely intact core of the western Amazon (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and western Brazil).

Most of the new roads were constructed in the past five years and were digitized from satellite imagery. Note that for some of these new roads, just initial construction of a rough road started and there is still potential for future impacts from road improvement and paving.

Most of the proposed roads were obtained from official government data sets. As noted above, it’s difficult to predict what proposed road projects are actually likely to eventually move forward. Nonetheless, it is clear to see there is the potential to greatly divide the remaining core western Amazon with the portfolio of proposed roads.

Amazon Roads Base Map 2. Data: ACA/MAAP, MTC, MINAM, MI, ABT, GAD Napo, FCDS, EcoCiencia, Diálogo Chino, CSF, RAISG, ACCA, ACEAA.

Zooms of High-Impact New & Proposed Roads

In this section, we focus on the currently most advanced or actively discussed projects (see Letters A-F on Amazon Roads Base Map). We highlight their potential impacts to vast sections of the core western Amazon protected areas and indigenous terrritories.

A. Boca Manu Road (Peru)

The new/proposed road that we refer to here as the Boca Manu road would serve as a new connection between Cusco and Madre de Dios regions. It is notable due its sensitive route between Manu National Park and Amarakaeri Communal Reserve to Boca Manu, and from there between Los Amigos Conservation Concession and Amarakaeri Communal Reserve to Boca Colorado. In addition to likely impacting these protected areas and the concession, the road also has the potential to impact the nearby territory of  indigenous groups in voluntary isolation. See this recent report from Diálogo Chino for more information about this road and its status and impacts.

Zoom A. Boca Manu Road. Data: MTC, MINAM, ACA, ACCA, RAISG.

B. Pucallpa – Cruzeiro do Sul Road (Peru – Brazil)

This proposed road would connect the Peruvian city of Pucallpa with the edge of the existing road network in western Brazil, near the town of Cruzeiro do Sul. Although the potential route has several options, it would sure cut through or near Sierra del Divisor National Park in Peru and the adjacent Serra do Divisor National Park in Brazil. This area is characterized by vast primary forests, thus creating a new binational route connecting the deforestation fronts in each country could obviously trigger significant impacts. See this recent report from Diálogo Chino for more information about this road and its status and impacts.

Zoom B. Pucallpa – Cruzeiro do Sul Road. Data: MTC, MINAM, ACA, CSF, Diálogo Chino, RAISG.

C. Yurua Road (Peru)

The new/proposed road that we refer to here as the Yurua road would connect the Peruvian towns of Nueva Italia on the Ucayali River and Breu on the Yurua River. This 200 km route was originally built as a logging road in the late 1980s to access remote timber areas in the central Peruvian Amazon, but had fallen into disrepair by the early 2000s. A recent MAAP analysis (see MAAP #146) found that between 2010 and 2021 much of the route had been rehabilitated, triggering elevated deforestation along the way. If this road were ever to be paved then impacts would likely continue to rise, including with native communities along the route. See MAAP #146 for more information about this road and its status and impacts.

Zoom C. Yurua Road. Data: MTC, MINAM, ACA, ACCA, RAISG.

D. Genaro Herrera – Angamos Road (Peru)

This new/proposed road would build off an old track through the vast forests connecting the northern Peruvian towns of Genaro Herrera and Angamos, in the region of Loreto. In 2021, clearing began along this route, advancing over 100 kilometers from both ends. If completed and paved, the final road project would impact protected areas on both sides (including the Matsés National Reserve to the south) and pose a major threat to indigenous people in voluntary isolation reportedly living to the north. See this recent report for more information about this road and its status and impacts.

Zoom D. Genaro Herrera – Angamos Road. Data: MTC, ACA, RAISG.

E. Cachicamo – Tunia Road (Chiribiquete National Park, Colombia)

Chiribiquete National Park, located in the heart of the Colombian Amazon, has been experiencing increasing deforestation pressures, partly due to expanding road networks around and even within the park. For example, the Cachicamo-Tunia Road, constructed in 2020, has triggered a new deforestation front in the northwest section of the park. Note this road is also impacting an adjacent Indigenous Reserve.

Zoom E. Cachicamo – Tunia Road. Data: FCDS, RAISG, ACA.

F.  Manaus – Porto Velho Road (BR-319, Brazil)

Arguably the most controversial project on the list: paving the middle section of BR-319 in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon. This nearly 900 km road connects the remote city of Manaus (otherwise only reachable by air or water) with the rest of Brazilian road network in Humaitá and Porto Velho to the south. It was built in the early 1970s but abandoned and impassable by the late 1980s, isolating Manaus once again. Since 2015, a basic maintenance program has made the road generally passable, but the main project remains: paving the 400 km middle section that passes through the core western Amazon. This paving would effectively connect Manaus with the existing highways in the south, and most likely trigger massive forest loss by extending the arc of deforestation northwards, including within and around the protected areas that surround the road. This road project has been the subject of numerous recent press reports, including investigative pieces by the Washington Post and El Pais.

Zoom F. Manaus – Porto Velho Road. Data: Ministério da Infraestrutura, ACA, RAISG.

G. Ixiamas – Chivé Road (Bolivia)

In recent years, Bolivia has been seeking financing for a 250 km road linking the current frontier town Ixiamas with the isolated town Chivé, located near the Peruvian border on the Madre de Dios river. This road would cross extensive tracts of primary Amazon forest and savannah in the north of the La Paz department, including the newly created Bajo Madidi Municipal Conservation Area and the Tacana II indigenous territory.

Zoom G. Ixiamas – Chivé Road. Data: ABT, ACEAA, ACA, RAISG.

Methodology

Our analysis and maps focus on the western Amazon (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and western Brazil).

Most of the new roads were constructed in the past five years and were digitized from satellite imagery. Note that for some of these new roads, just initial rehabilitation/improvement of a rough road started and there is still potential for future impacts from paving.

Most of the proposed roads were obtained from official government data sets (and complemented by civil society reports).

We credit the following data sources: Ministerio de Transportes y Comunicaciones (Peru), Geobosques/MINAM (Peru), Ministério da Infraestrutura (Brazil),  Autoridad de Fiscalización y Control Social de Bosques y Tierra – ABT (Bolivia), Gobierno Autonomo Descentralizado Provincial de Napo (Ecuador), Fundación para la Conservación y el Desarrollo Sostenible – FCDS (Colombia), Fundación EcoCiencia (Ecuador), Diálogo Chino, Conservation Strategy Fund, RAISG, Conservación Amazónica – ACCA (Peru), Conservación Amazónica – ACEAA (Bolivia), and Amazon Conservation (digitalization of some new and proposed roads).

Reference:
Vilela et al (2020) A better Amazon road network for people and the environment. PNAS 17 (13) 7095-7102.

Acknowledgments

We especially thank Diálogo Chino for their support of this report. We also thank E. Ortiz, S. Novoa, S. Villacis, D. Larrea, M. Terán, and D. Larrea for helpful comments on earlier drafts of the text and images.

Citation

Finer M, Mamani N (2022) New and Proposed Roads Across the Western Amazon. MAAP: 157.

MAAP #154: Illegal Gold Mining in the Peruvian Amazon – 2022 update

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Base Map. Locations of illegal gold mining sites in the southern Peruvian Amazon analyzed in this report. Click to enlarge. Data: MAAP/ACA.

Illegal gold mining reached crisis levels in the southern Peruvian Amazon in 2017 and 2018, clearing over 1,200 hectares (3,000 acres) in the most critically impacted area, known as La Pampa (located in the buffer zone of Tambopata National Reserve, region of Madre de Dios).

In early 2019, the Peruvian government launched Operation Mercury, an unprecedented long-term crackdown on illegal mining, with an initial focus in La Pampa.

Here, we present an updated analysis of illegal gold mining in the Peruvian Amazon. Specifically, we compare rates of deforestation before vs after Operation Mercury at the most important illegal mining sites (see Base Map).

We found that illegal gold mining deforestation decreased 62% overall across all sites following Operation Mercury, including a remarkable 96% decrease in La Pampa.

However, illegal mining deforestation has increased at several key sites, most notably indigenous territories.

 

 

 

Results: Base Map

The Results Map below illustrates the major findings. Red indicates gold mining deforestation post-Operation Mercury (3,688 hectares between March 2019 and December 2021), while yellow indicates the pre Operation baseline (6,933 hectares between January 2017 and February 2019).

Note that deforestation in the most critical illegal mining front, La Pampa (Tambopata National Reserve buffer zone), has essentially been stopped. However, mining continues in other key areas such as Mangote, Pariamanu, Camanti (Amarakaeri Commuanl Reserve buffer zone), Chaspa (Bahuaja Sonene National Park buffer zone), leading to new government interventions in each of these areas.

Regarding Native Communities, the most impacted after Operation Mercury include Barranco Chico (1,098 hectares), Tres Islas (503 hectares), Puerto Luz (136 hectares), and Kotsimba (inside the Alto Malinowski area; 518 hectares). The government has recently conducted two raids in Barranco Chico, indicating they are aware of this situation.

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

Results: Graph

The Results Graph below further details the major findings:

  • Overall, gold mining deforestation decreased 62% across all sites following Operation Mercury (from 279 to 105 hectares per month).
    h
  • Most notably, mining deforestation decreased 96% in La Pampa, the most critically impacted area (from 149 to 6.5 hectares per month).
    j
  • Mining deforestation decreased 81% in the other sites within the buffer zones of key protected area (Tambopata National Reserve, Bahuaja Sonene National Park, and Amarakaeri Communal Reserve).
    j
  • Mining deforestation increased 100% in two new critical fronts, Pariamanu and Chaspa.
    g
  • Mining deforestation increased 128% in the four Native Communities (Barranco Chico, Boca Inambari, Tres Islas, and Puerto Luz).
Results Graph. Data: ACA/MAAP.

Very High Resolution Satellite Imagery (Skysat)

Below, we show a striking series of recent (January to March 2022) and very high resolution (0.5 meter Skysat) images of three primary current illegal mining sites: Barranco Chico, Pariamanu and Mangote. These images reveal machinery and infrastructure (indicated by red circles) as well as camps (indicated by yellow squares) directly associated with illegal gold mining activity.

Native Community Barranco Chico

Native Community Barranco Chico 1. Data: MAAP/ACA, Skysat/Planet.
Native Community Barranco Chico 2. Data: MAAP/ACA, Skysat/Planet.

Pariamanu

Pariamanu 1. Data: MAAP/ACA, Skysat/Planet.
Pariamanu 2. Data: MAAP/ACA, Skysat/Planet.
Pariamanu 3. Data: MAAP/ACA, Skysat/Planet.

Mangote

Mangote 1. Data: MAAP/ACA, Skysat/Planet.

 

Mangote 2. Data: MAAP/ACA, Skysat/Planet.

 

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 ten major sites: La Pampa, Mangote, Alto Malinowski, Camanti, Pariamanu/Pariamarca, Apaylon, Chaspa, Barranco Chico, and Boca Inambari. 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 sites, we identified, digitized, and analyzed all visible gold mining deforestation between January 2017 and the present (December 2021). 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 32 months, during the analysis the data was standardized as gold mining deforestation per month.

The data is updated through December 2021.

Acknowledgments

We thank O. Liao, S. Otoya, J. Guerra, K. Nielsen, S. Novoa, M.E. Gutierrez, Z. Romero, and G. Palacios for their helpful comments on this report.

This report was conducted with technical assistance from USAID, via the Prevent project. Prevent works with the Government of Peru, civil society and the private sector to prevent and combat environmental crimes for the sake of the conservation of the Peruvian Amazon, particularly in the regions of Loreto, Madre de Dios and Ucayali.

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, Spore J (2021) Peruvian Amazon Illegal Gold Mining update. MAAP: #154.

MAAP #153: Amazon Deforestation Hotspots 2021

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Amazon Base Map. Deforestation hotspots across the Amazon in 2021 (as of September 18). Data: UMD/GLAD, ACA/MAAP.

We present a first look at the major 2021 Amazon deforestation hotspots.*

The Amazon Base Map illustrates several key findings:p

  • We estimate the loss of over 1.9 million hectares (4.8 million acres) of primary forest loss across the nine countries of the Amazon biome in 2021.
    k
  • This matches the previous two years, bringing the total deforestation to 6 million hectares (15 million acres) since 2019, roughly the size of the state of West Virginia.
    p
  • In 2021, most of the deforestation occurred in Brazil (70%), followed by Bolivia (14%), Peru (7%), and Colombia (6%).
    p
  • In Brazil, hotspots are concentrated along the major road networks. Many of these areas were also burned following the deforestation.
    j
  • In Bolivia, fires once again impacted several important ecosystems, including the Chiquitano dry forests.
    p
  • In Peru, deforestation continues to impact the central region, most notably from large-scale clearing for a new Mennonite colony.
    p
  • In Colombia, there continues to be an arc of deforestation impacting numerous protected areas and indigenous territories.

Below, we zoom in on the four countries with the highest deforestation (Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, and Colombia), with additional maps and analysis.

Brazil Base Map. Deforestation hotspots in Brazilian Amazon. Data: UMD/GLAD, ACA/MAAP.

Brazilian Amazon

The Brazil Base Map shows the notable concentration of deforestation hotspots along the major roads (especially roads 163, 230, 319, and 364) in the states of Acre, Amazonas, Pará, and Rondônia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bolivia Base Map. Deforestation hotspots in Bolivian Amazon. Data: UMD/GLAD, ACA/MAAP.

Bolivian Amazon

The Bolivia Base Map shows the concentration of hotspots due to major fires in the Chiquitano dry forest biome, largely located in the department of Santa Cruz in the southeast section of the Amazon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peru Base Map. Deforestation hotspots in the Peruvian Amazon. Data: UMD/GLAD, ACA/MAAP.

Peruvian Amazon

The Peru Base Map shows the concentration of deforestation in the central Amazon (Ucayali region).

We highlight the rapid deforestation (365 hectares) for a new Mennonite colony in 2021, near the town of Padre Marquez (see MAAP #149).

Also, note some additional hotspots in the south (Madre de Dios region), but these are largely from expanding agriculture instead of the historical driver of gold mining.

Indeed, gold mining deforestation has been greatly reduced due to government actions, but this illegal activity still threatens several key areas and indigenous territories (MAAP #130).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Colombia Base Map. Deforestation hotspots in northwest Colombian Amazon. Data: UMD/GLAD, ACA/MAAP.

Colombian Amazon

As described in previous reports (see MAAP #120), the Colombia Base Map shows there continues to be an “arc of deforestation” in the northwest Colombian Amazon (Caqueta, Meta, and Guaviare departments).

This arc impacts numerous Protected Areas (particularly Tinigua and Chiribiquete National Parks) and Indigenous Reserves (particularly Yari-Yaguara II and Nukak Maku).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Notes and Methodology

The analysis was based on 10-meter resolution primary forest loss alerts (GLAD+) produced by the University of Maryland and also presented by Global Forest Watch. These alerts are derived from the Sentinel-2 satellite operated by the European Space Agency.

We emphasize that this data represents a preliminary estimate and more definitive annual data will come later in the year.

We also note that this data does include forest loss caused by natural forces and burned areas.

Our geographic range for the Amazon is a hybrid between both the biogeographic boundary (as defined by RAISG) and watershed boundary, designed for maximum inclusion.

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 the 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: 5-7%; High: 7-14%; Very High: >14%.

Acknowledgements

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

Citation

Finer M, Mamani N, Spore J (2022) Amazon Deforestation Hotspots 2021. MAAP: 153.

MAAP #152: Major Deforestation Continues in Chiribiquete National Park (Colombian Amazon)

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Base Map. Seven fronts of deforestation inside Chiribiquete National Park. Data: MAAP.

Deforestation within and around Chiribiquete National Park represents one of the most critical threats to primary forests in the Colombian Amazon.

In this report, we document the recent deforestation of more than 2,000 hectares (4,950 acres) across seven fronts within Chiribiquete National Park, between September 2021 and February 2022 (see Base Map).

In addition, we estimate the total deforestation of more than 6,000 hectares (14,800 acres) within the Park since its expansion in 2018.

It is important to note that many of the major fires during February 2022 in the Colombian Amazon were actually burning recently deforested areas like these.

Below, we zoom in on the 7 deforestation fronts (Letters A-G on the Base Map) with both high resolution (3 meters) and very high resolution (0.5 meters) satellite images.

 

 

 

 

Zoom A shows the recent deforestation of 158 hectares (390 acres) in perhaps the most severe front, located in the western sector of the Park. Surrounding the park is an additional 243 hectares (600 acres) of forest loss. We also include a pair of very high-resolution images of the most recently deforested areas surrounded by intact but threatened primary forest (Zooms A1 and A2).

Zoom B shows recent deforestation of 0.5 hectares within the park, but there is an advancing deforestation front just outside the Park (more than 600 hectares, or 1,480 acres).

Zoom C shows the recent deforestation of 222 hectares (550 acres). Note the presence of the Tunia-Ajaju road. Surrounding the park is an additional 300 hectares (740 acres) of forest loss.

Zoom D shows the additional deforestation of 64 hectares (158 acres) further down the Tunia-Ajaju road.

 

Zoom E shows the recent deforestation of 388 hectares (960 acres) along the Cachicamo-Tunia road. Surrounding the park is an additional 660 hectares (1,630 acres) of forest loss. We also include a couple of very high-resolution images of the most recently deforested areas surrounded by intact but threatened primary forest (Zoom E1).

 

 

 

Zoom F shows the recent deforestation of 314 hectares (775 acres) in the northern sector of the Park. Surrounding the park is an additional 450 hectares (1,112 acres) of forest loss.

 

Finally, Zoom G shows the recent deforestation of 58 hectares (143 acres) in the northeast sector of the Park.

 

Acknowledgments

We thank L.A. Gómez and R. Botero for their contributions to this report.

This report is part of a series focused on the Colombian Amazon through a strategic collaboration between the Amazon Conservation and FCDS (Fundación para la Conservación y el Desarrollo Sostenible), with the support of the International Conservation Fund of Canada (ICFC).

Citation

Finer M, Mamani N (2022) Major Deforestation Continues in Chiribiquete National Park (Colombian Amazon). MAAP: 152.

MAAP #151: Illegal Mining in the Ecuadorian Amazon

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Base Map. The two case studies of illegal mining in the Ecuadorian Amazon: Yutzupino and Punino. Data: EcoCiencia.

In this report, we report on illegal gold mining activity in the Ecuadorian Amazon, building off our previous reports on Peru (MAAP #130) and Brazil (MAAP #116).

The Base Map shows the two new cases presented below: Yutzupino (Napo province) and Punino (border of Napo and Orellana provinces).

Both cases showed alarming expansion in 2021 and require continued action by authorities to minimize the impact in 2022.

This report is part of a series focused on the Ecuadorian Amazon through a strategic collaboration between the organizations Fundación EcoCiencia and Amazon Conservation, with the support of the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad).

 

 

 

 

 

Yutzupino

We have documented the rapid mining expansion of 70 hectares (173 acres) between October 2021 and January 2022, on the banks of the Jatunyacu River in the Napo province (see Image Yutzupino 1). Most of this activity occurred in December, highlighting the recent activity at the site.

Image Yutzupino 1. Data: Planet.

The gold mining concession Confluencia is located in this area. However, the operating company TerraEarth Resources has stated that it is not responsible for this sudden mining expansion, indicating that the detected activity is illegal because it does not have the proper licenses.

On January 8 of this year (2022), the Ecuadorian government carried out a field intervention, confirming the illegal activity (see national news report). Despite this action, the illegal mining activity has continued to advance in January 2022, increasing by at least 6 hectares (15 acres).

To analyze this most recent activity, we obtained a very high-resolution satellite image (Skysat, 0.50 meters) from January 17 (2022). We identified the presence of at least 70 mining-related machines that still remained on site after the government’s field operation was carried out (see Image Yutzupino 2 and Zooms A-B).

Image Yutzupino 2. Data: Planet, EcoCiencia.
Skysat Zoom A. Data: Planet, EcoCiencia.
Skysat Zoom B. Data: Planet, EcoCiencia.

Punino

We have also documented the mining deforestation of 32 hectares (79 acres) between November 2019 and November 2021, on the banks of the Río Punino on the border between the provinces of Napo and Orellana (see Image Punino 1).

Image Punino 1. Data: Planet.

Two active gold mining concessions, Punino I and Punino II, are located in this area. However, nearly half (46%) of the detected mining deforestation (15 ha) is located outside these concessions, indicating that it is illegal activity (see Image Punino 2).

Image Punino 2. Data: EcoCiencia, Planet.

Para contextualizar dicha deforestación ilegal, hemos utilizado una imagen de muy alta resolución (Skysat, 0.50 metros) para mostrar en detalle la expansión minera fuera de las concesiones mineras, incluso con dragados, máquinas, y campamentos (ver Imagen Punino 3).

To analyze this most recent illegal mining deforestation, we obtained a very high-resolution satellite image (Skysat, 0.50 meters) from December 2021. We identified the details of the mining expansion outside the concessions, including machines and camps (see Image Punino 3).

Image Punino 3. Data: EcoCiencia, Planet.

Acknowledgments

We thank C. Rivadeneyra (F. EcoCiencia), E. Ortiz (AAF), and A. Folhadella (ACA) for their contributions to this report.

This report is part of a series focused on the Ecuadorian Amazon through a strategic collaboration between the organizations Fundación EcoCiencia and Amazon Conservation, with the support of the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad).

Cita

Villacís S, Ochoa J, Borja MO, Josse C, Finer M, Mamani N (2022) Illegal Mining in the Ecuadorian Amazon. MAAP: #151.