Author: Ana Folhadella

Major Conservation Win: New Protected Area Established in Peru

Posted on by Ana Folhadella

Great news for conservation: Señor de la Cumbre, a 7,800-acre area in Inambari, Madre de Dios, Peru has been officially established as a conservation area!

Photo by Lindsey Erin Lough 

Our sister organization, Conservación Amazónica – ACCA, provided the local community and government with legal and technical conservation support throughout the 8-year long process. Even though it was a long process, the persistence by all parties now means this vital piece of the Amazon is now protected. The official declaration notice can be found here in Spanish.

This conservation area has forests highly diverse in flora and fauna, important water sources for cities in the region, and high tourism potential thanks to its beauty and abundant wildlife. Due to its particular habitat and climate, this area is also home to several species endemic to Peru (such as 3 species of saddle-back tamarin), some categorized as “threatened”, which makes this new area even more significant.

The establishment of this area is moving our conservation strategies forward in the Manu-Madidi Conservation Corridor. By creating a mosaic of conservation areas like this one between Manu National Park in Peru and Madidi National Park in Bolivia – two of the most biodiverse places in the world – we’re connecting forests so that wildlife can move across uninterrupted swaths of land, which is essential for species that need large habitats to survive.

This work has been made possible by the generous support of the Andes Amazon Fund (AAF) and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.

Marcelina Gamarra Uses Drones to Protect Peruvian Forests

Posted on by Ana Folhadella

Photo of Marcelina, drone pilotEvery morning, Marcelina Gamarra opens her business of selling wooden cutting boards in the city of Puerto Maldonado and sits down to barter with her clients. However, during the 5-month harvest season in Peru, she focuses almost exclusively on the sustainable harvesting of Brazil nuts. “I collect the nuts from my dad’s concession, going deep into our forests to get them. I have always supported my dad and my family this way. With the money from the harvesting, we have been able to grow and expand to other activities like creating the wooden boards,” explains Marcelina. Her father was one of the first Brazil nut extractors in the area, but since losing his sight, he depends on the support of his 48-year-old daughter to survive.

Marcelina, drone pilot wide shot“Here, the fear I have is that squatters will enter our forest concession and begin destroying it. What would happen if they make our forest into farms, set it on fire for agriculture and that fire leaves us without Brazil nuts?” Forest fires are already exacerbated in the dry season in the region because people take advantage of the lack of rains to burn pastures or felled forest to make spaces for livestock. Generating these fires is prohibited by law, but many ignore these regulations as the government often cannot gather evidence of this illegal activity to prosecute offenders.

“Now that I know how to fly the drone, I can see that others do not enter my forest to destroy it and I can help my neighbors do the same.” Marcelina has been trained and certified as a drone pilot, and has Photo of Marcelina, drone pilotreceived all the technology she needed to do regular surveillance of her forest remotely, including a Mavic 2 drone, an iPhone 7 plus to run satellite monitoring smartphone apps, a computer and a printer.

“I never thought I’d be using drones to patrol my forests and keep my family’s future safe, but I’m excited that I can take on this role with the help of Amazon Conservation.”

Special thanks to The Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation for their generous support that makes this project possible.

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

Posted on by Ana Folhadella
ACOMAT member flying a drone for monitoring their forestry concession. Source: ACCA.
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.
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.
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.
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.

Case C. Illegal mining in the Conservation Concession "Inversiones Manu SAC," identified with a drone overflight. Source: ACCA.
Case C. Illegal mining in the Conservation Concession “Inversiones Manu SAC,” identified with a drone overflight. Source: 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.

Case D. Deforestation in the “Sara Hurtado Orozco B” Chestnut Forest Concession. Source: ACCA.
Case D. Deforestation in the “Sara Hurtado Orozco B” Brazil Nut Forest Concession. Source: 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.

Drones Empower Community Members to Take Part in Reporting and Stopping Crimes Against Their Forests

Posted on by Ana Folhadella


southwest amazon drone centerOur Southwest Amazon Drone Center is training local landowners, forest users, indigenous communities, students, and government officials to use cutting-edge satellite, smartphone, and drone technology to monitor and stop deforestation. We provide local people with the technology, knowledge, legal support, and connections they need to safely and effectively take action.

In 2019, we trained and certified 89 individuals in using drones and smartphone apps to detect illegal activities in remote areas of their forests, and report them using drone imagery as legally-admissible evidence for law enforcement to be able to take action and prosecute offenders.

Marcelina, Drone pilotSixteen of the new users were women, and their numbers continue to increase as we focus on their inclusion in this type of training. We also trained and helped the local association of forest users known as ACOMAT in carrying out 26 patrols using their newly-acquired technological capabilities (drones, satellite imagery and/or mobile applications). These patrols detected 16 incidents of illegal activity in 9 areas, and a total of 5 criminal complaints were filed with the local government of the Madre de Dios region of Peru, which are currently being addressed by the authorities. We were also able to hold six specialized trainings for volunteer community park guards (called Forest Custodians), who combine our technology with their traditional foot patrols inside protected areas.

southwest amazon drone center photo of logging
Drone footage of illegal logging in the area

Beyond directly providing the actual drone and smartphone technology to these communities and individuals, we also provide continued training, certifications, and drone maintenance workshops to support their long-term fight to keep forests protected. This approach has been become so successful that it is known as the “ACOMAT Model” in Peru, and, due to its high demand, we are beginning to replicate it in other areas of Peru in addition to making it available to other countries in the Amazon.

All in all, this work marks a key first step for communities to effectively engage the government and compel them to take action by providing clear evidence of illegal activities in a timely (meaning in real time – while the illegal activity is still going on), cost effective, high-tech way.

Click here to read how ACOMAT members were recently able to detect illegal logging via drones.

Special thanks to The Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation, the members of the Cloud Appreciation Society, the
Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, and all individuals and organizations whose generous support made this project possible.

Understanding The Birds Of Tahuamanu

Posted on by Ana Folhadella

Woodcreeper birdOur bird survey at the Tahuamanu Biological Station is determining the ornithological diversity that the area protects, as well as establishes a baseline for their conservation and the development of birdwatching activities for ecotourists.

This project was carried out by creating two field camps for the researchers to cover all of the major habitat types. The first camp was based at the Tahuamanu station itself, from which the tours to the nearby Tahuamanu River area were made, enabling researchers to visit the lowland Amazonian forests and bamboo forests. The second camp was located outside the station, in order to understand the abundance and diversity of birds in the surrounding areas including unique riverbanks, grasslands and other lowland forests.

Researchers at both camps used a “Play Back” method (a best practice proposed in the research of Villareal et al. 2004), which consists of using recordings of birds at a moderate volume to draw them Comparison Graphnear, combined with a very light weight 40-foot net to capture the ones that fly by. Once captured, the birds were safely identified and photographed and released back into their habitat. We used world-class specialized field biology guides to ensure the proper identification and classification of these birds.

In total, we identified 267 species of birds belonging to 179 genus and 49 taxonomy families. The best represented species were the flycatcher family (Tyrannidae) with 28 species, followed by Ovenbirds (Furnaridae) and Antbirds (Thamnophilidae) with 25 species each (see the figure below for an overall distribution of the most commonly-found species).

Rufous-fronted antthrushTwelve of these species were listed under different categories of threat on the IUCN Red List, such as the endangered White-bellied parrot (Pionites leucogaster) and the Channel-billed Toucan (Ramphastos vitellinus).

Additionally, this species of Rufous-fronted antthrush is known in just two places in Bolivia. Living in riverbanks, it is difficult to observe as it’s very elusive. We were able to capture and photograph this bird as part of this project, which shows the importance of conservation areas and research stations like Tahuamanu in keeping threatened species like this one thriving.

Lastly, we also were able to identify four new species that were never recorded before in this area! These 267 Total species recorded, 12 threatened species identified, 4 new species found graphicspecies were the White-throated King bird (Tyrannus albogularis), Slender-billed Xenops (Xenops tenuirostris), Elegant Woodcreeper (Xiphorhynchus elegans), and the Ocellated Woodcreeper (Xiphorhynchus ocellatus). These findings add another layer of value to demonstrate to local authorities and communities the importance of protecting this area: to avoid the extinction of these species, let scientists know where they can go to conduct avian research, and where ecotourists can go to observe these species.

Special thanks to The Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation for their generous support that makes this project possible.

MAAP: Fires In The Bolivian Amazon 2020

Posted on by Ana Folhadella
Base Map. Major fires in the Bolivian Amazon during 2020. Data: MAAP/ACEAA.
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 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 hectares).

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 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 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 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.
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

Posted on by Ana Folhadella
Very high resolution satellite image showing illegal logging in the southern Peruvian Amazon. Data: Maxar. Analysis: MAAP/ACCA.
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).

 

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

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.

 

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 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.
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.
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.

 

 

Improving The Computer Model For Identifying Brazil Nut Trees

Posted on by Ana Folhadella

Amazon Conservation had successfully developed a computer-based tool that identifies Brazil nut trees using high-resolution satellite imagery and drones in pilot areas covering 300,000 hectares (see blog post here). This year, we adapted our methodology and converted our model into a Google Earth Engine development environment to enable it to be used in a different computer language with significant technical benefits – including making it more user-friendly and accessible by others. This improvement made it possible for this tool to be applied to other areas of the Bolivian Amazon, including the municipalities of Porvenir, Puerto Rico, and Santa Rosa del Abuná.

Satellite models
Computer models, drones, and satellites are helping us identify productive trees in dense forests, which can grow sustainable economies locally and regionally. These might be seem like just dots on a computer screen, but they hold the potential to make forest-based economies viable in a large scale and increase the demand for environmental protection.

It also enabled us to streamline the calculation processes, significantly reducing the computation time involved in the first version of our model and making us more agile in our analysis. The improvement of our Brazil nut tree identification tool enabled us to move forward while pandemic restrictions are in force and staff and communities cannot go into the field. Although we had planned to expand this effort initially by employing extensive field work to fly drones to gather this data, we were able to make this technological advancement first, which will make future field validation an easier process.

Brazil nut tree This advancement provides us with a sufficient base for determining the Brazil nut production potential of the 34.5 million acres of productive forests that we are focused on and to develop complementary algorithms to identify other economically and ecologically viable palm species like açaí, Palma Real, and Majo.

We are excited about the potential of this breakthrough and continuing to generate more innovative tools based on this type of technology, as it is helping us provide solutions to improve food security, decrease deforestation, and strengthen the forest-based economy that these communities are striving for.

Special thanks to The Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation for their generous support that makes this project possible.

Protecting River Turtles From Potential Extinction

Posted on by Ana Folhadella

Traditionally, local communities surrounding Tahuamanu have consumed the eggs of Yellow-spotted river turtles (Podocnemis unifilis, commonly known as peta in Spanish) as an important protein source for their diet.

Photo of Yellow-spotted river turtle (Podocnemis unifilis)However, with village expansion accelerating demand for these eggs as well as increasing river traffic damaging local basins, these turtles face increased pressures from loss of habitat and overharvesting. Plus, with the boom in globalization, the use of peta eggs has developed from a local tradition into a full-fledged illegal trade, as outsiders loot eggs on the beaches of local rivers to sell in large urban centers throughout Bolivia and across the border in Brazil and Peru. Because of these factors, the peta is now listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN’s Red List) as a vulnerable species, likely to become threatened unless reproduction of the species improves and its habitat is better protected.

The Amazonian University of Pando – with support from our local sister organization Conservación Amazónica – ACEAA, the municipal government, and even the local Army brigade – has been leading conservation activities and research at Tahuamanu Biological Station to improve the incubation of river turtle eggs and increase survival rates of young hatchlings by delaying their release into the wild, all in order to increase the species’ chances of survival.

Tahuamanu Research Station
Tahuamanu Research Station

Although some aspects of these conservation efforts were happening before, it was not strategic nor scientific. It did not follow systematic data collection and recording practices and procedures, and there was no follow-up conducted on the young turtles once they were released back in the wild.

We helped build the capacity of the local biological station staff to understand how to collect and register field data, and the safe collection of eggs in the field. This included using geo-referencing to track the locations of eggs and turtle releases, as well as best practices in caring and transporting these species. Strengthening the capacity of local experts not only helps ensure that future collections and hatchings are scientifically measurable in order to improve and measure impact, but also empowers local people to better manage and control the full process of conservation of these species.

We also assisted the university and local staff at the biological station in purchasing the needed scientific equipment and supplies to implement these efforts, as well as helped host a community event to train a local Army brigade to aid the collection of 1,800 eggs from 50 turtle nests.

These eggs were collected from different sections along the Tahuamanu river. Following collection they Photo of Two Yellow-spotted river turtles (Podocnemis unifilis)are cared for by local staff at the station, hatching between 65-80 days after being laid. Once the eggs have hatched, the baby turtles are kept in conditioned water ponds to monitor their growth until they are large enough to be released into their natural habitat. Of this batch, 85% of the eggs were hatched.

We have already purchased the tagging equipment to “mark” these turtles so they can be monitored after their release, however, due to political unrest in Bolivia in late 2019 and the current COVID-19 global pandemic that has restricted mobility in the country, they have not yet been released back to the wild. They are, however, being fully cared for at the biological station and staff will release them once restrictions are lifted.

We still expect to carry out one more training event to teach staff and volunteers how to release the turtles and how to monitor the survival, dispersal, and growth of these turtles.

Special thanks to The Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation for their generous support that makes this project possible.

Amazon Fire Season Intensifies; Shifts to Raging Forest Fires

Posted on by Ana Folhadella

Forest Fire in the Brazilian Amazon (Mato Grosso). Data: Planet.We have documented 1,650 major fires in the Brazilian Amazon this year, and well over half (60%) have occurred in September.*

We have been detecting around 62 major fires a day during September, relative to 18 in August (and 2 in July).

Moreover, we flag the major spike in Amazon forest fires, defined here as human-caused fires in standing forest.

We found over 700 forest fires, which now account for 43% of all major fires, up from 13% in August (and just 1% in July).

We roughly estimate that 4.6 million acres (1.8 million hectares) have been impacted by these forest fires in the Brazilian Amazon.

The satellite image to the right is just one example of a recent major forest fire in the Brazilian Amazon. Below, for greater context, we show a before and after panel of that same fire.

Many of the major fires (49%) continue to burn recently deforested areas, defined here as areas where the forest was previously and recently cleared (between 2018 and 2020) prior to burning. This percentage, however, was much higher earlier in the fire season (For example, 84% in July).

Check out Mongabay’s real-time Brazilian Amazon fire tracker based on our analysis.

*The data, updated through September 20, is based on our novel real-time Amazon Fires Monitoring app, which is based on the detection of elevated aerosol emissions that indicate the burning of large amounts of biomass (defined here as a “major fire.”

Satellite Images of Amazon Forest Fires

The following high-resolution satellite images (courtesy of Planet) show the before (left panel) and after (right panel) of a recent major fire in the Brazilian Amazon (Mato Grosso state). Further below is another panel zooming out to show the surrounding matrix of forest fires, recently deforested area fires, and cropland fires.

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.

 

Citation

Finer M, Vale H, Walker K, Villa L, Nicolau A, Ariñez A  (2020) Amazon Fire Season Continues to Intensify in September. MAAP.