Tag: PROTECTED AREAS

Image #10: Bahuaja Sonene National Park – Increasing Deforestation Within and Around Southern Section (Puno, Peru)

Posted on by dcadmin

Here, in MAAP #10, we show the results of a deforestation analysis of two sectors of Bahuaja Sonene National Park and its surrounding buffer zone. The Park, which covers an area of more than 1.6 million hectares in the regions of Puno and Madre de Dios in the southern Peruvian Amazon, is an area of high biological diversity.

Specifically, we found increasing deforestation in 1) the buffer zone of the Park’s western section (Loromayo sector) and 2) inside the Park’s southeastern section (Colorado sector). In both cases, we identified shifting cultivation associated with coca cultivation as one of the main drivers of deforestation.

Image 10a. Deforestation detected in and around Bahuaja Sonene National Park and its buffer zone. Please note that Zooms “A” and “B” are described in more detail below. Data: SERNANP, PNCB, USGS.
Image 10a. Deforestation detected in and around Bahuaja Sonene National Park and its buffer zone. Please note that Zooms “A” and “B” are described in more detail below. Data: SERNANP, PNCB, USGS.

Key Results

We highlight two key areas within and around Bahuaja Sonene National Park where deforestation grew substantially between 2013 and 2015:

1) Sector Loromayo, located in the buffer zone immediately outside the western section of the Park (see Zoom A). We estimate that more than 1,000 hectares (ha) were deforested since 2010, peaking in 2014 (331 ha). This expanding deforestation entered the Park in 2014.

2) Sector Colorado, located in the southeastern section of the Park (see Zoom B). We estimate, between 2001 to 2014, the deforestation of over 530 hectares inside the Park and over 1,170 hectares in the surrounding buffer zone. As in Loromayo, there was a notable increase in deforestation starting in 2010, with the peak occurring in 2014.

In both sectors, Loromayo and Colorado, we identified that one of the main drivers of deforestation is coca cultivation.

Description of Data

In the following maps:

Any variation of green in the satellite imagery indicates areas of forest cover.

Yellow (2000-2004), orange (2005-2008), red (2009-2012), and purple (2013) indicate areas that were deforested between 2000 and 2013 according to data from the National Program of Forest Conservation for the Mitigation of Climate Change (PNCB) of the Ministry of the Environment of Peru.

The colors pink (2014) and turquoise (2015) indicate areas that were deforested in the last two years based on our analysis of Landsat imagery using CLASlite forest monitoring software.

Zoom A: Loromayo River (western buffer zone)

 

Image 10b. The expansion of deforestation along the Loromayo river in the buffer zone to the west of Bahuaja Sonene National Park. Data: SERNANP, USGS, IBC, PNCB.
Image 10b. The expansion of deforestation along the Loromayo river in the buffer zone to the west of Bahuaja Sonene National Park. Data: SERNANP, USGS, IBC, PNCB.

As shown in Figure 10b, we identified a striking pattern of deforestation in the sector Loromayo, located between the Malinowski and Chaspa rivers in the Park’s western buffer zone in the department of Puno. Note that the deforestation entered the Park in 2014.

In this area, we documented the deforestation of 1,005 hectares since 2010. This deforestation peaked in 2014, with 331 hectares, including 1.8 hectares within the Park. Not much data is yet available for 2015.

Please note that we previously reported on the advance of gold mining deforestation seen in Image 10b along the Malinowski River in MAAP #5.

Sector Loromayo: Shifting Agriculture that includes Coca Cultivation

 

Image 10c. Coca density data (upper panel) in relation to a recent high resolution satellite image of the area (lower panel). Data: UNODC 2014, SERNANP, Worldview-2 from Digital Globe (NextView).
Image 10c. Coca density data (upper panel) in relation to a recent high resolution satellite image of the area (lower panel). Data: UNODC 2014, SERNANP, Worldview-2 from Digital Globe (NextView).

In the recent UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime) report “Monitoreo de Cultivos de Coca 2014” [Coca Crop Monitoring 2014], it was reported that the Loromayo sector (coca zone San Gabán) has a medium to high density of coca cultivation, with a recent increase of 5.9% since 2013. Therefore, we conculde that coca cultivation is one of the major drivers of the observed deforestation.

Image 10c displays the most recent UNODC coca density data (upper panel) in relation to a recent high resolution satellite image of the area (lower panel). Deforestation is rapidly expanding in the vicinity of the Park boundary. Unfortunately, in this image, a few clouds cover the small area where the deforestation recently entered Park.

Zoom B: Sector Colorado (Southeastern section of Park)

Image 10d. The expansion of deforestation in the Colorado sector of Bahuaja Sonene National Park. Data: SERNANP, USGS, IBC, PNCB.
Image 10d. The expansion of deforestation in the Colorado sector of Bahuaja Sonene National Park. Data: SERNANP, USGS, IBC, PNCB.

As seen in Figure 10d, deforestation is well established and increasing in the sector Colorado, located in the southeast section of Bahuaja Sonene National Park, with the Region of Puno. Our analysis in this area extended from the upper Tambopata River to the Azata river.

We document the deforestation, since 2001, of 538 ha inside the Park and an additional 1,172 ha within the surrounding buffer zone. Similar to the sector Loromayo sector, there was a marked increase in deforestation since 2010, with a peak in 2014. More than half of the deforestation (53%, 287 ha) occurred since 2010, with a maximum of 81 ha in 2014. Not much data is yet available for 2015.

Sector Colorado: Presence of Coca Cultivation Inside the Park

 

Image 10e. Coca density data (upper panel) in relation to a recent high resolution satellite image of the area (lower panel). Data: UNODC 2014, SERNANP, SPOT6 from Airbus.
Image 10e. Coca density data (upper panel) in relation to a recent high resolution satellite image of the area (lower panel). Data: UNODC 2014, SERNANP, SPOT6 from Airbus.

According to a recent report by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), the deforestation in the Colorado sector was a result of the advance of agriculture and livestock cultivation in the area. Moreover, according to the recent UNODC report noted above, this sector (coca zone Inambari-Tambopata) also has a high density of coca, with 108 ha on the interior of Bahuaja Sonene National Park and 1,610 ha in the buffer zone, likely making it one of the major drivers of the observed deforestation.

Image 10e displays the UNODC coca density data (upper panel) in relation to a recent high resolution satellite image of the area (lower panel).

SERNANP Response

In response to this article, SERNANP (the Peruvian protected areas agency) issued this statement:

“El sector denominado como Colorado es sector ubicado dentro del Parque Nacional Bahuaja Sonene, que actualmente se encuentra zonificado como Zona de Recuperación; dicha zonificación se otorga a aquellas zonas que por actividades antrópicas han sido afectadas y que necesitan estudios complementarios para determinar su zonificación definitiva.”

[The sector named ‘Colorado’ is a sector located within the Bahuaja Sonene National Park, which currently is zoned as a ‘Restoration Zone.’ Said zoning is extended to those zones which have been affected due to anthropic activities and require supplementary studies so as to determine their definitive zoning designation.] Debemos señalar que en este sector se han detectado severas plagas que afectan los cultivos de frutos como la naranja y café, desencadenando que la población asentada en la zona de amortiguamiento del Parque se vean forzada a reemplazar estas plantaciones por el cultivo de coca en algunos casos.

[We should note that severe pests have been detected in this sector which affect the cultivation of fruit such as oranges and coffee; this has lead the population settled in the park’s buffer zone to have no choice but to replace these crops with the cultivation of coca in some cases.] Esta situación ha sido identificada y advertida oportunamente por el jefe del Parque Nacional Bahuaja Sonene a las entidades pertinentes para iniciar su erradicación; no obstante, el SERNANP también ha emprendido un trabajo conjunto con las autoridades locales y el comité de gestión del área natural protegida para combatir esta amenaza, lo cual figura en el Plan Maestro 2015-2019 del área en mención. Ahí se contemplan estrategias como la construcción de un puesto de control y vigilancia para monitorear permanentemente esta situación.

[The head of the Bahuaja Sonene National Park has identified and issued a warning about this situation in a timely manner to the relevant entities so as to initiate its eradication work; notwithstanding, SERNANP has also undertaken joint work with local authorities and the management committee of the natural protected area to combat this threat, which figures in the 2015-2019 Master Plan of the area in question. The latter contains strategies such as the construction of a checkpoint and guard post for permanently monitoring this situation.] Asimismo, se vienen promoviendo mesas de diálogo y el desarrollo de actividades económicas sostenibles que reemplacen los cultivos ilícitos y que garanticen la calidad de vida de la población de Colorado.”

[Likewise, dialogue roundtables and the development of sustainable economic activities have been promoted that can replace the illicit crops and guarantee quality of life for the population of Colorado.]

Citation

Finer M, Novoa S (2015) Bahuaja Sonene National Park – Increasing Deforestation Within and Around the Southern Section (Puno, Peru). MAAP: Image #10. Link: https://maaproject.org/2015/07/image-10-bahuaja/

References

UNODC. Monitoreo de cultivos ilícitos Perú 2014. p 29. (Lima, 2015).

Image #8: New Deforestation Detected Within Sierra Del Divisor (Peru) in June

Posted on by dcadmin

Recall that in Image of the Week #7 we documented the increasing threats (illegal coca, logging, and mining) to the Sierra del Divisor Reserved Zone. We just obtained brand new, high-resolution imagery showing new deforestation deep within this protected area during the month of June. Here, Image of the Week #8, presents new maps of this recent deforestation. According to several consulted experts, the cause of this deforestation is illegal coca cultivation or a new illegal logging camp.

Image 8a: Very high resolution (38 cm) image from June 23 showing new deforestation within the Sierra del Divisor Reserved Zone. Data: WorldView-3 from Digital Globe (NextView).
Image 8a: Very high resolution (38 cm) image from June 23 showing new deforestation within the Sierra del Divisor Reserved Zone. Data: WorldView-3 from Digital Globe (NextView).

New Deforestation Detected

Image 8a shows the new deforestation detected within the southeast section of the Sierra del Divisor Reserved Zone. As of June 23, 2015 (the date of the image), the total new deforestation was 13 hectares. This deforestion is located between the La Cúpula and Shesha hills.

In Image of the Week #7 we showed that there is a series of illegal logging camps nearby, but this new deforestation is located much deeper in the reserve. According to several consulted experts, the cause of the new deforestation is illegal coca cultivation or a new illegal logging camp.

Updated Baseline Map

 

Image 8b. Updated baseline map of the southeast section of the Sierra del Divisor Reserved Zone. Data: MINAM, SERNANP, USGS, IBC, Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA.
Image 8b. Updated baseline map of the southeast section of the Sierra del Divisor Reserved Zone. Data: MINAM, SERNANP, USGS, IBC, Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA.

Image 8b is an updated map of the deforestation within the southeast section of the Sierra del Divisor Reserved Zone. Note that the new 2015 deforestation is found much deeper within the reserve than previous detected forest loss.

Confirming Recent Deforestation

 

Image 8c. Landsat time-series (2014-2015) of the recent deforestation. Data: USGS.
Image 8c. Landsat time-series (2014-2015) of the recent deforestation. Data: USGS.

To better understand how the recent deforestation unfolded, we created a satellite (Landsat) image time-series. Note that in Image 8c all four panels show the exact same area over time. In August 2014, our focal area was completely forested. The first evidence of deforestation is seen in May 2015. In June 2015, the deforestation grows quickly.

Deforestation Within the Isconahua Territorial Reserve

Image 8d. Deforestation within the Territorial Reserve Isconahua. Data: MINAM, SERNANP, USGS, IBC, Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA.
Image 8d. Deforestation within the Territorial Reserve Isconahua. Data: MINAM, SERNANP, USGS, IBC, Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA.

Image 8d shows the new deforestation is also located with the Isconahua Territorial Reserve.

This is an official land designation in favor of indigenous peoples in isolation, to protect their rights, habitat, and the conditions that ensure their existence and integrity as a people.

SERNANP Response

In response to this article, SERNANP (the Peruvian protected areas agency) issued this statement:

“The Sierra del Divisor Reserved Zone is a transitional area under the Peruvian National Service of Natural Protected Areas (SERNANP).

Over the past few years, Sierra del Divisor has made significant efforts in its fight against ilegal logging and other activities that threaten it. However, it is worth noting that Image of the Week #8: New Deforestation Detected Within Sierra del Divisor (Peru) in June corresponds with an area of overlap with the Isconahua Territorial Reserve, a sector in which the Ministry of Culture works in coordination with SERNANP.

As part of our actions, SERNANP has planned a flyover in the zone to verify information regarding the new deforestation alert in the Sierra del Divisor, and will continue with special park guard patrolling that began last week, despite the local climate conditions.”

+++

“La Zona Reservada Sierra del Divisor es un espacio de carácter transitorio a cargo del Servicio Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas por el Estado (SERNANP).

En los últimos años la ZRSD ha realizado grandes esfuerzos en su lucha contra la tala ilegal y otras actividades que la amenazan. Sin embargo, hay que precisar que la Imagen de la Semana #8: Nueva Deforestación al Interior de la ZRSD corresponde al ámbito de traslape (superposición) con la Reserva Territorial Isconahua, donde también interviene el Ministerio de Cultura, la cual el SERNANP trabaja de manera conjunta con dicho sector.

En el marco de nuestras acciones, el SERNANP viene programando un sobrevuelo en la zona para verificar la información sobre la nueva alerta de deforestación en la ZRSD, y continuar con el patrullaje especial del personal guardaparque que viene realizando desde la semana pasada, pese a las condiciones climáticas del lugar”.

Citation

Finer M, Novoa S, Peña N (2015) Nueva Deforestación al Interior de la Zona Reservada Sierra del Divisor. MAAP: Imagen #8. Link: https://maaproject.org/2015/06/imagen-8-sierradivisor

Image #6: Expanding Gold Mining Deforestation Enters Amarakaeri Communal Reserve (Madre De Dios, Peru)

Posted on by dcadmin

Recall that in Image of the Week #1 and Image of the Week #5 we documented how gold mining deforestation continues to expand within the Department of Madre de Dios, Peru (in the areas known as La Pampa and Upper Malinowski, respectively). Here, Image of the Week #6 documents how expanding deforestation from the mining zone known as Huepetuhe/Delta-1 is now entering the Amarakaeri Communal Reserve, an important Peruvian protected area that is co-managed by indigenous communities and Peru’s National Protected Areas Service (known as SERNANP).
Our analysis shows that gold mining deforestation, expanding from Huepetuhe/Delta-1, entered the southeast corner of the reserve in 2013 and expanded in 2014 and 2015. We also show that gold mining deforestation is spreading within the reserve’s south-eastern buffer zone.

Image of the Week 6a. Deforestation detected within and around the Amarakaeri Communal Reserve and its buffer zone. Zoom Area #1 indicates focal area in Images 6b and 6c, while Zoom Area #2 indicates focal area in Image 6d. Key data sources: MINAM, SERNANP, ACCA, USGS, IBC, Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA.
Image of the Week 6a. Deforestation detected within and around the Amarakaeri Communal Reserve and its buffer zone. Zoom Area #1 indicates focal area in Images 6b and 6c, while Zoom Area #2 indicates focal area in Image 6d. Key data sources: MINAM, SERNANP, ACCA, USGS, IBC, Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA.

Key Findings:

According to our CLASlite analysis, deforestation entered the southeast corner of the Amarakaeri Communal Reserve in 2013 and expanded in 2014 and 2015 (see Zoom #1 below). Additional analysis revealed that the driver of this deforestation was gold mining due to the pattern and appearance of the forest loss.

We also detected increasing gold mining deforestation within the reserve’s south-eastern buffer zone between 2014 and 2015 (see Zoom #2 below). See below for more details.

We also detected a small amount of deforestation in 2014 from Hunt Oil’s drilling of Pad A within the reserve (see “B” in Image 6a). Note that overall deforestation from this gas exploration project has been very low because the company did not build an access road.

Gold Mining Deforestation Enters the Reserve (Zoom Area #1)

Image 6b. Zoom Area #1 provides an enhanced view of the deforestation within the southeast section of Amarakaeri Communal Reserve and its surrounding buffer zone. Key data sources: MINAM, SERNANP, ACCA, Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA, USGS.
Image 6b. Zoom Area #1 provides an enhanced view of the deforestation within the southeast section of Amarakaeri Communal Reserve and its surrounding buffer zone. Key data sources: MINAM, SERNANP, ACCA, Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA, USGS.

Image 6b is a zoom view of the deforestation within the southeast section of Amarakaeri Communal Reserve and its surrounding buffer zone (see Zoom Area #1 in Image 6a for context).

Here, one can more clearly see how the gold mining deforestation entered the southeast corner of the reserve in 2013 and expanded in 2014 and 2015.

Total gold mining deforestation within this section of the Reserve is currently 11 hectares. Although this is currently only 1% of the Reserve’s total area, it represents a growing trend that may worsen.

Note that all of the rest of the deforestation in the image is within the reserve’s surrounding buffer zone.

 

Satellite Image Time-series of Deforestation Entering the Reserve (Zoom Area #1)

Image 6c. Satellite (Landsat 8) image time-series (2013 – 2015) of deforestation within the southeast section of the Amarakaeri Communal Reserve. Note that all four panels show the same location over time. Key data sources: USGS, SERNANP.
Image 6c. Satellite (Landsat 8) image time-series (2013 – 2015) of deforestation within the southeast section of the Amarakaeri Communal Reserve. Note that all four panels show the same location over time. Key data sources: USGS, SERNANP.

To better understand the deforestation dynamics over time within the southeast corner of the Amarakaeri Communal Reserve, we created a satellite (Landsat 8) image time-series. As seen in Image 6c, gold mining deforestation within the reserve is first seen in July 2013, and then slowly expands on several fronts until February 2015, the last good Landsat image for the area. Note that all four panels show the same location. Also note that all area in each panel outside the reserve is within its official buffer zone.

Gold Mining Deforestation Encroaching Upon Another Part of the Reserve (Zoom Area #2)

Image 6d. Zoom view of the deforestation within the south-eastern buffer zone of the Amarakaeri Communal Reserve. Left panel shows deforestation results data and right panel shows high resolution SPOT 7 imagery for the area in white dashed lines. Key data sources: MINAM, SERNANP, ACCA, Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA, USGS, and SPOT 7 from Airbus.
Image 6d. Zoom view of the deforestation within the south-eastern buffer zone of the Amarakaeri Communal Reserve. Left panel shows deforestation results data and right panel shows high resolution SPOT 7 imagery for the area in white dashed lines. Key data sources: MINAM, SERNANP, ACCA, Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA, USGS, and SPOT 7 from Airbus.

Image 6d shows how gold mining deforestation is encroaching on another part of the south-eastern section of the reserve (see Zoom Area #2 in Image 6a for context). As seen in the left panel, the deforestation within the buffer zone began expanding most notably in 2014 and 2015.

To confirm the driver of the deforestation, we acquired high resolution satellite imagery (SPOT 7 with 1.5 m resolution). As seen in the right panel of Image 6d, the pattern of the recent deforestation is characteristic of gold mining, and not other possible drivers such as agriculture.

Data Description:

Background map is a mosaic of two Landsat 8 images (30 m resolution) from April 10, 2014 and August 30, 2013. Any variation of green indicates forest cover. Note there is some scattered cloud cover. Data is from USGS.

Protected areas data is from SERNANP. Dark green indicates an established Peruvian national protected area or conservation concession and yellow-green indicates an official protected area buffer zone.

Black indicates areas that were deforested as of 2000 according to data from the Peruvian Environment Ministry (MINAM 2009). Yellow, orange, and red indicate areas that were deforested from 2000 to 2012 (each color covers a four year period) (Hansen MC et al. 2013 Science 342: 850–53; Data download).

Purple, pink, and teal indicate areas that were deforested between January 2013 and February 2015 based on our analysis of Landsat imagery using CLASlite forest monitoring software.

Citation

Finer M, Novoa S (2015) Gold Mining Deforestation Enters Amarakaeri Communal Reserve (Madre de Dios, Peru). MAAP: Image #6. Link: https://maaproject.org/2015/08/image-of-the-week-6-gold-mining-deforestation-enters-amarakaeri-communal-reserve/

Image #3: Detection of New (Logging?) Roads in The Peruvian Amazon

Posted on by dcadmin

Image of the Week #3 shows the rapid proliferation of two new road networks in the northern Peruvian Amazon (Department of Loreto). Most notably, it highlights the construction of nearly 150 km of new roads, possibly illegal logging roads, through mostly primary forest between 2013 and 2014. One of the roads is within the buffer zone of the Cordillera Azul National Park.

Image of the Week 3. Detection of new road construction in the northern Peruvian Amazon (Department of Loreto) Key data sources: MINAM, Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA, USGS, SERNANP, Grupo Palmas, GOREL.
Image of the Week 3. Detection of new road construction in the northern Peruvian Amazon (Department of Loreto) Key data sources: MINAM, Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA, USGS, SERNANP, Grupo Palmas, GOREL.

Map Description

Background map is a Landsat 8 image (30 m resolution) from September 7, 2014. Green indicates forest cover. Our analysis has demonstrated that much of this forest cover is primary forest. Data is from USGS.

Black indicates areas that were deforested as of 2000 according to data from the Peruvian Environment Ministry. Yellow, orange, and red indicate areas that were deforested from 2000 to 2012 (each color covers a four year period) (Hansen MC et al. 2013 Science 342: 850–53; Data download).

Purple indicates areas that were deforested between 2013 and 2014 based on our analysis of Landsat imagery using CLASlite forest monitoring software. Note the two new road networks, labeled North and South, respectively, to the west of the Ucayali River.

Black dashed lines indicate planned oil palm plantations. We obtained this data from Environmental Impact Studies and the Regional Government of Loreto (GOREL).

Protected areas data is from SERNANP. Note the different shades of green to differentiate the protected area and its respective buffer zone.

Image 3b. Road construction time-series. Key data sources: USGS, SERNANP, Grupo Palmas.
Image 3b. Road construction time-series. Key data sources: USGS, SERNANP, Grupo Palmas.

Construction of New Roads

We color coded the segments of road by construction period: Grey indicates road segments constructed between 2009 and 2012. Teal indicates road segments constructed between January 2013 and July 2014 (117.3 km). Dark-orange indicates road segments constructed between July and September 2014 (25.9 km). Pink indicates road segments constructed between September and October 2014 (4.8 km).

In sum, 148 km of new roads was constructed in this area between January 2013 and October 2014 (76.24 km in south and 77.38 km in the north).

The southern network is characteristic of a logging road in that it does not have a clear destination and instead just keeps extending and branching deeper into closed-canopy forest.

The northern network is more puzzling in that it crosses a proposed palm oil concession (Grupo Romero’s Tierra Blanca project) and terminates at the Alfaro River. Also note several areas of recent deforestation near the road in the northwest corner of the oil palm concession.

Image 3c. High resolution SPOT 6 images (1.5 m resolution) of portions of the northern and southern road networks. Key data sources: USGS, SPOT 6.
Image 3c. High resolution SPOT 6 images (1.5 m resolution) of portions of the northern and southern road networks. Key data sources: USGS, SPOT 6.

High-resolution zooms

Panel A is a high resolution SPOT 6 image (1.5 m resolution) from August 2014 of a portion of the northern road network.

Panel B is a high resolution SPOT 6 image (1.5 m resolution) from October 2014 of a portion of the southern road network.

 

Citation

Finer M, Novoa S (2015) Detection of New (Logging?) Roads in the Peruvian Amazon. MAAP: Image #3. Link: https://maaproject.org/2015/04/detection-of-new-road-construction-in-southern-loreto-peru/