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Indigenous Peoples &amp; Local Communities

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Isabela Barriga

David Gibbs

Cameron Ellis

<p>Indigenous Peoples and local communities <a href="https://www.wri.org/insights/4-ways-indigenous-and-community-lands-can-reduce-emissions#:~:text=For%20example%2C%20research%20by%20WRI,not%20managed%20by%20indigenous%20peoples." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">play a crucial role</a> in protecting forests and the areas they manage tend to experience <a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/cobi.14195" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lower deforestation</a> rates than other forests. In fact, forests managed by Indigenous Peoples in the Amazon Basin are some of the <a href="https://www.wri.org/insights/amazon-carbon-sink-indigenous-forests" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">most effective carbon sinks</a> on the planet. By maintaining these forests, they actively contribute to global climate change mitigation efforts.</p>



<p>New climate financing mechanisms are creating opportunities for Indigenous Peoples and local communities to generate revenue to support the long-term stewardship of their ancestral lands and forest resources. However, communities often lack access to the data and tools required to quantify forest carbon fluxes (emissions from forest loss and disturbance, and removals due to plant growth) and communicate their contributions in ways recognized by these mechanisms.</p>



<p>To help communities supply such data, Global Forest Watch (GFW) offers accessible, open-source maps and statistics on forest carbon fluxes. GFW’s interactive <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/map/?map=eyJkYXRhc2V0cyI6W3siZGF0YXNldCI6ImNhcmJvbi1yZW1vdmFscyIsIm9wYWNpdHkiOjEsInZpc2liaWxpdHkiOnRydWUsImxheWVycyI6WyJjYXJib24tcmVtb3ZhbHMtMjAwMS0yMDIwIl19LHsiZGF0YXNldCI6Im5ldC1jYXJib24tZmx1eCIsIm9wYWNpdHkiOjEsInZpc2liaWxpdHkiOnRydWUsImxheWVycyI6WyJuZXQtY2FyYm9uLWZsdXgtMjAwMS0yMDIwIl19LHsiZGF0YXNldCI6ImNhcmJvbi1lbWlzc2lvbnMiLCJvcGFjaXR5IjoxLCJ2aXNpYmlsaXR5Ijp0cnVlLCJsYXllcnMiOlsiY2FyYm9uLWVtaXNzaW9ucy0yMDAxLTIwMjAiXX0seyJkYXRhc2V0IjoiaW50ZWdyYXRlZC1kZWZvcmVzdGF0aW9uLWFsZXJ0cy04Yml0Iiwib3BhY2l0eSI6MSwidmlzaWJpbGl0eSI6dHJ1ZSwibGF5ZXJzIjpbImludGVncmF0ZWQtZGVmb3Jlc3RhdGlvbi1hbGVydHMtOGJpdC1nbGFkTCIsImdsYWRMT25seSJdfSx7ImRhdGFzZXQiOiJwb2xpdGljYWwtYm91bmRhcmllcyIsImxheWVycyI6WyJkaXNwdXRlZC1wb2xpdGljYWwtYm91bmRhcmllcyIsInBvbGl0aWNhbC1ib3VuZGFyaWVzIl0sIm9wYWNpdHkiOjEsInZpc2liaWxpdHkiOnRydWV9LHsiZGF0YXNldCI6InRyZWUtY292ZXItZ2Fpbi01eSIsImxheWVycyI6WyJ0cmVlLWNvdmVyLWdhaW4tNXkiXSwib3BhY2l0eSI6MSwidmlzaWJpbGl0eSI6dHJ1ZX0seyJkYXRhc2V0IjoidHJlZS1jb3Zlci1sb3NzIiwibGF5ZXJzIjpbInRyZWUtY292ZXItbG9zcyJdLCJvcGFjaXR5IjoxLCJ2aXNpYmlsaXR5Ijp0cnVlfSx7ImRhdGFzZXQiOiJ0cmVlLWNvdmVyIiwibGF5ZXJzIjpbInRyZWUtY292ZXItMjAxMCJdLCJvcGFjaXR5IjoxLCJ2aXNpYmlsaXR5Ijp0cnVlfV19&mapMenu=eyJtZW51U2VjdGlvbiI6ImRhdGFzZXRzIiwiZGF0YXNldENhdGVnb3J5IjoiY2xpbWF0ZSJ9">emissions, removals and net flux maps</a>, with associated statistics, support action unlike any other forest carbon monitoring system. The maps are updated annually, allowing communities to tell the carbon story behind every pixel of forest. &nbsp;</p>



<p>Rainforest Foundation US (RFUS), a non-profit organization dedicated to securing Indigenous Peoples’ land rights across Central and South America, is working with Indigenous communities and their allies to use this data and information to access climate financing opportunities. Since 2016, RFUS has worked alongside Indigenous communities to leverage tools like GFW data to detect and stop land invasions in their territories. This has resulted in <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2015171118" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">significant reductions in deforestation</a> around some communities.</p>



<p>More recently, RFUS has collaborated with communities to interpret and apply GFW’s forest carbon data to help them access climate finance and participate in carbon-related decision-making. In recent years, GFW data on carbon fluxes has been an integral part of RFUS’ programming and advocacy for Indigenous Peoples’ rights.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="2048" height="1365" src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Sep2024_Titulacion-Carococha_079_Sebastian-Castaneda-2048x1365.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-19529" srcset="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Sep2024_Titulacion-Carococha_079_Sebastian-Castaneda-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Sep2024_Titulacion-Carococha_079_Sebastian-Castaneda-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Sep2024_Titulacion-Carococha_079_Sebastian-Castaneda-768x512.jpg 768w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Sep2024_Titulacion-Carococha_079_Sebastian-Castaneda-1536x1024.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Titling teams map and demarcate community boundaries in Carcocha, Peru. Credit Sebastian Castañeda</figcaption></figure>



<p>Read on to learn more about two case studies where RFUS is working with Indigenous communities to use GFW’s carbon monitoring data to strengthen the protection of their forests and rights.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Direct payments program as an alternative to carbon markets</h2>



<p>External incentives can help communities carry out forest monitoring more consistently and effectively. They also help finance essential infrastructure and services, such as electricity, latrines and clean water systems, allowing communities to avoid turning to activities that drive deforestation, such as mining or commercial agriculture, and instead pursue livelihoods that keep forests standing and sequestering carbon.</p>



<p>To help provide these incentives, RFUS established a direct payments fund with support from private donors to compensate 32 communities in Ecuador and northern Peru for protecting over 350,000 hectares of standing tropical forest. For approximately two years, communities conducted forest patrols, documented evidence of land incursions and filed legal complaints to protect their territories. In this innovative direct payment program — which was independent of the carbon market and did not issue carbon credits — RFUS used GFW’s tree cover, tree cover loss, <a href="https://gfw.global/3tauzVt">forest carbon removals</a> and <a href="https://gfw.global/47iENb6">net forest carbon flux</a> data to estimate the carbon sequestered by communities’ forests.</p>



<p>By using the custom area analysis tool on <a href="https://gfw.global/4bOp721">GFW’s dashboard</a>, RFUS was able to quickly and easily estimate the standing forest area and carbon sequestration rates within the forests of participating communities. This data enabled RFUS and participating communities to quantify the climate benefits of their forests, providing a clear rationale for the payments. Based on this information, communities received 10 soles (~$4 USD) per hectare of standing forest per year, commensurate with Peru’s national forest payments program, Probosques.<em></em></p>



<p>Unlike carbon credits, these payments were not tied to reductions in emissions or reforestation. Instead, these payments were designed to recognize, support and honor communities’ continued stewardship of their forests. The only conditions attached to the payments were that the resulting projects had to benefit communities and receive full community approval. Furthermore, funds could not be used for activities that contributed to deforestation, and communities had to maintain deforestation rates within their recent average.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p>



<p>Communities used these funds to invest in priority projects such as continuing their traditional agricultural practices and initiatives, constructing solar panel arrays, sanitation systems, potable water systems, communal boats and sustainable economic development projects. The unique nature of this program — making payments directly to communities based on public GFW carbon monitoring data — gave communities greater autonomy and agency to invest in and manage the projects they chose.</p>



<p>In the Peru-Colombia-Brazil tri-border area, Ticuna communities used the funds to advance their land titling efforts. By using the funds to cover the costs of surveyors and legal support, the communities <a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Frainforestfoundation.org%2Fhow-climate-finance-can-reach-indigenous-peoples-and-local-communities%2F&data=05%7C02%7CPaige.Johnson%40wri.org%7C5904f82b68234045a96408ddefd86e63%7C476bac1f36b24ad98699cda6bad1f862%7C0%7C0%7C638930435315519121%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=ULYpl8%2BqV%2Fn3NyG3RyYnQvvMuPiBB0P5lns2AaggRvE%3D&reserved=0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">secured an additional 45,000 hectares</a> of titled land, creating a contiguous Ticuna territory along the banks of the Amazon River. They are also piloting a collaborative titling effort with the regional government of Loreto that has since expanded across the state of Loreto, 59 territories, and over 100,000 hectares in three years.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="2048" height="1538" src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_0863-2048x1538.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-19530" srcset="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_0863-2048x1538.jpg 2048w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_0863-1024x769.jpg 1024w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_0863-768x577.jpg 768w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_0863-1536x1153.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Titling ceremony in Loreto, Peru. Credit: Daniel Tuesta</figcaption></figure>



<p>Across the border in Ecuador, the Indigenous community of Sarayaku is one of the largest territories to receive these direct payments, which they have used to invest directly in their “life plan,” or <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cw0EBmUON0K/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kawsak Sacha</a>, which in Kichwa means “The Living Forest.” This reflects the Sarayaku’s philosophy of being an integral part of the forest ecosystem, as well as their vision for the future. While the funding available through this program did not cover all elements of the life plan, the funds and decisions were managed autonomously by the Sarayaku communities. They focused primarily on community infrastructure projects that resulted in significant improvements in the quality of life for community members.</p>



<p>Samai Gualinga, Vice President of the Sarayaku community, said of the direct payments program: “a new standard of fair compensation and retribution is being created … it’s necessary to seek our own ways of monitoring our territory … to have our own databases … to show how much biodiversity and carbon we have … we need economic funds to support the families working on our monitoring projects.”</p>



<p>Scaling this direct payment program across the Amazon Basin may be difficult. However, the flexibility of GFW data allowed RFUS to put climate financing directly in the hands of Indigenous Peoples and support locally-led climate finance outside of carbon markets.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Informing community roles in national carbon credit deals</h2>



<p>In 2022, the national government of Guyana signed a <a href="https://carboncredits.com/hess-signs-750m-redd-carbon-credits-deal-with-guyana/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">jurisdictional REDD+</a> deal to sell $750 million worth of carbon credits from reducing deforestation in the country (REDD+ is a <a href="https://unfccc.int/topics/land-use/workstreams/redd/what-is-redd" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">framework</a> for paying developing countries when they reduce emissions from deforestation). Guyana was the first country to sell carbon credits at the national level and the deal requires that the revenue from the sale of credits are distributed to communities around the country through a process of <a href="https://blog.aspiration.com/benefit-sharing-voluntary-carbon-market/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">benefits sharing</a>. Under this deal, 242 Indigenous communities opted in to receive the proposed 15% share of the benefits from the sale to support community led projects.</p>



<p>RFUS uses GFW forest carbon data to help inform communities in Guyana about how forests emit and sequester carbon, how these can be estimated and monitored, and to calculate the amount of carbon being sequestered on both titled and customary lands. While RFUS and local partners such as the Amerindian People’s Association are not using GFW’s data to dispute Guyana’s national REDD+ calculations, GFW data informs Indigenous organizations on how the contributions of their communities are <a href="https://www.development-today.com/archive/2023/dt-2--2023/carbon-certifier-admits-that-key-indigenous-complaints-were-not-on-the-table-when-credits-were-issued-to-guyana-last-year" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">or are not</a> reflected in the benefit sharing program.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="2048" height="1536" src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_3115-2048x1536.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-19527" srcset="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_3115-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_3115-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_3115-768x576.jpeg 768w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_3115-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A Patamona woman cooks cassava in Guyana’s North Pakaraimas mountain range. Credit RFUS</figcaption></figure>



<p>For example, in the South Rupununi region of Guyana, of the 2.9 million hectares of customary Indigenous land in Wapichan Wiizi, around 590,000 hectares have been formally recognized by the government. The unrecognized Indigenous lands account for the bulk of the area and an even higher percentage of the territory’s forests since many Guyanese land titles were granted primarily for savanna areas rather than for forests. The South Rupununi District Council (SRDC) <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/dashboards/aoi/642b3e00493227001be0b2cf/?category=climate&map=eyJjYW5Cb3VuZCI6dHJ1ZX0%3D&widget=carbonFlux">uploaded their land claim</a> (delineated over years of community mapping) to GFW and saw that just their customary territory alone accounts for nearly 10% of Guyana’s overall annual carbon sequestration. This and other WRI data have generated key figures for ongoing collaborative discussions between the SRDC and the government of Guyana regarding formal recognition of these customary lands and potential designation of the area as a community conserved area.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="2048" height="1365" src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06626-2048x1365.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-19526" srcset="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06626-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06626-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06626-768x512.jpg 768w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06626-1536x1024.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Indigenous communities in Guyana’s rugged interior often contain a mix of dense forests and tropical savannas. Credit RFUS</figcaption></figure>



<p>“Carbon and carbon sequestration are abstract concepts that can easily get lost in national policy discussions and financial transactions,” said Linburg Pearson, Mapping and Monitoring Leader at Amerindian People’s Association. “GFW data has helped us understand the role that specific communities and lands play in regard to carbon emissions and sequestration.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Democratizing data helps make forest protection more equitable</h2>



<p>GFW’s open-source data is helping to promote transparency and broaden access by making critical information on forests and carbon emissions and sequestration accessible to communities. This helps bridge the gap between Indigenous communities and sources of finance, creating more equitable and just opportunities.</p>



<p>In this vein, GFW’s forest carbon monitoring data has been an important resource for RFUS and the communities they work with, illustrating how free, global carbon emissions and sequestration maps can support forest monitoring on a community level and improved outcomes for communities. These examples from Indigenous and local communities effectively using the carbon data to improve their livelihoods and democratize data can shed light on how to create more equitable and responsive financial mechanisms that prioritize the needs and rights of forest protectors.</p>



<p></p>



<p><em>This work builds on WRI’s broader commitment to support Indigenous Peoples and local communities in securing rights, protecting forests and strengthening climate resilience. </em><a href="https://www.wri.org/equitable-development/indigenous-peoples-local-communities" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Learn more here</em></a><em> about how GFW and WRI are supporting Indigenous Peoples and local communities.</em></p>



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Forest Carbon Data Helps Communities Benefit Financially from their Forests

<p>Indigenous Peoples and local communities <a href="https://www.wri.org/insights/4-ways-indigenous-and-community-lands-can-reduce-emissions#:~:text=For%20example%2C%20research%20by%20WRI,not%20managed%20by%20indigenous%20peoples." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">play a crucial role</a> in protecting forests and the areas they manage tend to experience <a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/cobi.14195" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lower deforestation</a> rates than other forests. In fact, forests managed by Indigenous Peoples in the Amazon Basin are some of the <a href="https://www.wri.org/insights/amazon-carbon-sink-indigenous-forests" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">most effective carbon sinks</a> on the planet. By maintaining these forests, they actively contribute to global climate change mitigation efforts.</p>



<p>New climate financing mechanisms are creating opportunities for Indigenous Peoples and local communities to generate revenue to support the long-term stewardship of their ancestral lands and forest resources. However, communities often lack access to the data and tools required to quantify forest carbon fluxes (emissions from forest loss and disturbance, and removals due to plant growth) and communicate their contributions in ways recognized by these mechanisms.</p>



<p>To help communities supply such data, Global Forest Watch (GFW) offers accessible, open-source maps and statistics on forest carbon fluxes. GFW’s interactive <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/map/?map=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&amp;mapMenu=eyJtZW51U2VjdGlvbiI6ImRhdGFzZXRzIiwiZGF0YXNldENhdGVnb3J5IjoiY2xpbWF0ZSJ9">emissions, removals and net flux maps</a>, with associated statistics, support action unlike any other forest carbon monitoring system. The maps are updated annually, allowing communities to tell the carbon story behind every pixel of forest. &nbsp;</p>



<p>Rainforest Foundation US (RFUS), a non-profit organization dedicated to securing Indigenous Peoples’ land rights across Central and South America, is working with Indigenous communities and their allies to use this data and information to access climate financing opportunities. Since 2016, RFUS has worked alongside Indigenous communities to leverage tools like GFW data to detect and stop land invasions in their territories. This has resulted in <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2015171118" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">significant reductions in deforestation</a> around some communities.</p>



<p>More recently, RFUS has collaborated with communities to interpret and apply GFW’s forest carbon data to help them access climate finance and participate in carbon-related decision-making. In recent years, GFW data on carbon fluxes has been an integral part of RFUS’ programming and advocacy for Indigenous Peoples’ rights.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Sep2024_Titulacion-Carococha_079_Sebastian-Castaneda-2048x1365.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-19529"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Titling teams map and demarcate community boundaries in Carcocha, Peru. Credit Sebastian Castañeda</figcaption></figure>



<p>Read on to learn more about two case studies where RFUS is working with Indigenous communities to use GFW's carbon monitoring data to strengthen the protection of their forests and rights.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Direct payments program as an alternative to carbon markets</h2>



<p>External incentives can help communities carry out forest monitoring more consistently and effectively. They also help finance essential infrastructure and services, such as electricity, latrines and clean water systems, allowing communities to avoid turning to activities that drive deforestation, such as mining or commercial agriculture, and instead pursue livelihoods that keep forests standing and sequestering carbon.</p>



<p>To help provide these incentives, RFUS established a direct payments fund with support from private donors to compensate 32 communities in Ecuador and northern Peru for protecting over 350,000 hectares of standing tropical forest. For approximately two years, communities conducted forest patrols, documented evidence of land incursions and filed legal complaints to protect their territories. In this innovative direct payment program — which was independent of the carbon market and did not issue carbon credits — RFUS used GFW’s tree cover, tree cover loss, <a href="https://gfw.global/3tauzVt">forest carbon removals</a> and <a href="https://gfw.global/47iENb6">net forest carbon flux</a> data to estimate the carbon sequestered by communities’ forests.</p>



<p>By using the custom area analysis tool on <a href="https://gfw.global/4bOp721">GFW’s dashboard</a>, RFUS was able to quickly and easily estimate the standing forest area and carbon sequestration rates within the forests of participating communities. This data enabled RFUS and participating communities to quantify the climate benefits of their forests, providing a clear rationale for the payments. Based on this information, communities received 10 soles (~$4 USD) per hectare of standing forest per year, commensurate with Peru’s national forest payments program, Probosques.<em></em></p>



<p>Unlike carbon credits, these payments were not tied to reductions in emissions or reforestation. Instead, these payments were designed to recognize, support and honor communities’ continued stewardship of their forests. The only conditions attached to the payments were that the resulting projects had to benefit communities and receive full community approval. Furthermore, funds could not be used for activities that contributed to deforestation, and communities had to maintain deforestation rates within their recent average.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p>



<p>Communities used these funds to invest in priority projects such as continuing their traditional agricultural practices and initiatives, constructing solar panel arrays, sanitation systems, potable water systems, communal boats and sustainable economic development projects. The unique nature of this program — making payments directly to communities based on public GFW carbon monitoring data — gave communities greater autonomy and agency to invest in and manage the projects they chose.</p>



<p>In the Peru-Colombia-Brazil tri-border area, Ticuna communities used the funds to advance their land titling efforts. By using the funds to cover the costs of surveyors and legal support, the communities <a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Frainforestfoundation.org%2Fhow-climate-finance-can-reach-indigenous-peoples-and-local-communities%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7CPaige.Johnson%40wri.org%7C5904f82b68234045a96408ddefd86e63%7C476bac1f36b24ad98699cda6bad1f862%7C0%7C0%7C638930435315519121%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=ULYpl8%2BqV%2Fn3NyG3RyYnQvvMuPiBB0P5lns2AaggRvE%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">secured an additional 45,000 hectares</a> of titled land, creating a contiguous Ticuna territory along the banks of the Amazon River. They are also piloting a collaborative titling effort with the regional government of Loreto that has since expanded across the state of Loreto, 59 territories, and over 100,000 hectares in three years.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_0863-2048x1538.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-19530"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Titling ceremony in Loreto, Peru. Credit: Daniel Tuesta</figcaption></figure>



<p>Across the border in Ecuador, the Indigenous community of Sarayaku is one of the largest territories to receive these direct payments, which they have used to invest directly in their “life plan,” or <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cw0EBmUON0K/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kawsak Sacha</a>, which in Kichwa means “The Living Forest.” This reflects the Sarayaku’s philosophy of being an integral part of the forest ecosystem, as well as their vision for the future. While the funding available through this program did not cover all elements of the life plan, the funds and decisions were managed autonomously by the Sarayaku communities. They focused primarily on community infrastructure projects that resulted in significant improvements in the quality of life for community members.</p>



<p>Samai Gualinga, Vice President of the Sarayaku community, said of the direct payments program: “a new standard of fair compensation and retribution is being created … it’s necessary to seek our own ways of monitoring our territory … to have our own databases … to show how much biodiversity and carbon we have … we need economic funds to support the families working on our monitoring projects.”</p>



<p>Scaling this direct payment program across the Amazon Basin may be difficult. However, the flexibility of GFW data allowed RFUS to put climate financing directly in the hands of Indigenous Peoples and support locally-led climate finance outside of carbon markets.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Informing community roles in national carbon credit deals</h2>



<p>In 2022, the national government of Guyana signed a <a href="https://carboncredits.com/hess-signs-750m-redd-carbon-credits-deal-with-guyana/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">jurisdictional REDD+</a> deal to sell $750 million worth of carbon credits from reducing deforestation in the country (REDD+ is a <a href="https://unfccc.int/topics/land-use/workstreams/redd/what-is-redd" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">framework</a> for paying developing countries when they reduce emissions from deforestation). Guyana was the first country to sell carbon credits at the national level and the deal requires that the revenue from the sale of credits are distributed to communities around the country through a process of <a href="https://blog.aspiration.com/benefit-sharing-voluntary-carbon-market/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">benefits sharing</a>. Under this deal, 242 Indigenous communities opted in to receive the proposed 15% share of the benefits from the sale to support community led projects.</p>



<p>RFUS uses GFW forest carbon data to help inform communities in Guyana about how forests emit and sequester carbon, how these can be estimated and monitored, and to calculate the amount of carbon being sequestered on both titled and customary lands. While RFUS and local partners such as the Amerindian People’s Association are not using GFW’s data to dispute Guyana’s national REDD+ calculations, GFW data informs Indigenous organizations on how the contributions of their communities are <a href="https://www.development-today.com/archive/2023/dt-2--2023/carbon-certifier-admits-that-key-indigenous-complaints-were-not-on-the-table-when-credits-were-issued-to-guyana-last-year" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">or are not</a> reflected in the benefit sharing program.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_3115-2048x1536.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-19527"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A Patamona woman cooks cassava in Guyana’s North Pakaraimas mountain range. Credit RFUS</figcaption></figure>



<p>For example, in the South Rupununi region of Guyana, of the 2.9 million hectares of customary Indigenous land in Wapichan Wiizi, around 590,000 hectares have been formally recognized by the government. The unrecognized Indigenous lands account for the bulk of the area and an even higher percentage of the territory’s forests since many Guyanese land titles were granted primarily for savanna areas rather than for forests. The South Rupununi District Council (SRDC) <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/dashboards/aoi/642b3e00493227001be0b2cf/?category=climate&amp;map=eyJjYW5Cb3VuZCI6dHJ1ZX0%3D&amp;widget=carbonFlux">uploaded their land claim</a> (delineated over years of community mapping) to GFW and saw that just their customary territory alone accounts for nearly 10% of Guyana’s overall annual carbon sequestration. This and other WRI data have generated key figures for ongoing collaborative discussions between the SRDC and the government of Guyana regarding formal recognition of these customary lands and potential designation of the area as a community conserved area.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06626-2048x1365.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-19526"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Indigenous communities in Guyana’s rugged interior often contain a mix of dense forests and tropical savannas. Credit RFUS</figcaption></figure>



<p>“Carbon and carbon sequestration are abstract concepts that can easily get lost in national policy discussions and financial transactions,” said Linburg Pearson, Mapping and Monitoring Leader at Amerindian People’s Association. “GFW data has helped us understand the role that specific communities and lands play in regard to carbon emissions and sequestration.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Democratizing data helps make forest protection more equitable</h2>



<p>GFW’s open-source data is helping to promote transparency and broaden access by making critical information on forests and carbon emissions and sequestration accessible to communities. This helps bridge the gap between Indigenous communities and sources of finance, creating more equitable and just opportunities.</p>



<p>In this vein, GFW's forest carbon monitoring data has been an important resource for RFUS and the communities they work with, illustrating how free, global carbon emissions and sequestration maps can support forest monitoring on a community level and improved outcomes for communities. These examples from Indigenous and local communities effectively using the carbon data to improve their livelihoods and democratize data can shed light on how to create more equitable and responsive financial mechanisms that prioritize the needs and rights of forest protectors.</p>



<p></p>



<p><em>This work builds on WRI’s broader commitment to support Indigenous Peoples and local communities in securing rights, protecting forests and strengthening climate resilience. </em><a href="https://www.wri.org/equitable-development/indigenous-peoples-local-communities" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Learn more here</em></a><em> about how GFW and WRI are supporting Indigenous Peoples and local communities.</em></p>



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Rainforest Foundation US has collaborated with Indigenous communities to apply GFW’s forest carbon data to help them access climate finance.

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<p><em>A decade ago, the launch of Global Forest Watch (GFW) ushered in a new era of accountability and transparency around monitoring and protecting the world’s forests. To celebrate 10 years of impact, our <strong>Voices of Global Forest Watch series</strong> will highlight successes of GFW users, partners and community members throughout the year. We invite you to read, watch and share the stories of exceptional leaders in forest monitoring who have played a pivotal role in protecting forests everywhere.</em></p>



<iframe loading="lazy" width="560" height="400" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/81QXh8wJwno?si=qw9WDO8r0RXmgfy0" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>



<p></p>



<p><strong>“[Indigenous Communities] say they once hunted the animals, the fish; now they say they hunt deforestation through integrated deforestation alerts.” </strong><em>–</em> Wendy Pineda, General Project Manager for Rainforest Foundation US (RFUS) in Peru. </p>



<p></p>



<p>This sentiment captures the essence of how Indigenous Peoples in the Peruvian Amazon are using advanced tools to fight deforestation.</p>



<p>RFUS, a partner with Global Forest Watch since 2016, has been pivotal in training and building the capacity of forest monitors, particularly in Peru’s Loreto region. Their work supports Indigenous Peoples in defending their rights and territories, and their collaboration with GFW has led to significant strides in forest conservation in the region. For example, a 2021 study looking at results from two years of monitoring found that communities using GFW data and tools were able to reduce deforestation in their territories by <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2015171118" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">52% within the first year alone.</a></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="2048" height="1365" src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/RFUS-uses-GFW-2048x1365.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-17848" srcset="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/RFUS-uses-GFW-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/RFUS-uses-GFW-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/RFUS-uses-GFW-768x512.jpg 768w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/RFUS-uses-GFW-1536x1024.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Since 2016, Rainforest Foundation US has been using Global Forest Watch tools with significant results in the fight against deforestation in Indigenous peoples’ territories.</figcaption></figure>



<p>Wendy Pineda, a specialist in geospatial technology and engineering and project management techniques, has been instrumental in creating participatory tools and training methodologies for these communities.</p>



<p>Wendy supports RFUS’s activities such as a training in 2017 for community monitors on how to use the Forest Watcher app for monitoring and verifying deforestation in the Ucayali region. This pilot led to scaling of programs from Ucayali to Loreto, which were the activities evaluated in the 2021 study.</p>



<p>Together with Peru’s National Protected Area Service (SERNANP), RFUS and local communities were able to use GLAD alerts to identify and halt illegal logging operations and coca cultivation in the buffer zone of the Sierra Divisor National Park. RFUS later extended field training using GLAD alerts and Forest Watcher to Loreto. In both Ucayali and Loreto, the field data collected through the community monitoring served as the basis for prosecution of those implicated in illegal deforestation by Peruvian government agencies.</p>



<p>RFUS currently works with approximately 200 Indigenous men and women using tools like GFW to improve monitoring of their territories and prevent the loss of forests and critical resources. This has led some communities to develop their own land management plans. RFUS has also made efforts to increase women’s access to technology by implementing a gender and social inclusion program, enabling more women to become monitors and trainers.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1086" height="724" src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Mirian-Sanchez-San-Jose-de-Pacache-community-Peru.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-17849" srcset="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Mirian-Sanchez-San-Jose-de-Pacache-community-Peru.jpg 1086w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Mirian-Sanchez-San-Jose-de-Pacache-community-Peru-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Mirian-Sanchez-San-Jose-de-Pacache-community-Peru-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1086px) 100vw, 1086px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Forest monitor Mirian Sánchez trains women from the San José de Pacache community, Peru, in using technology for forest protection.</figcaption></figure>



<p>Some communities’ demonstrated capacity to manage their territory has led to their inclusion in Peru’s <a href="https://www.gob.pe/institucion/minam/noticias/23055-comunidades-indigenas-usan-herramientas-tecnologicas-para-el-control-de-las-actividades-ilegales-que-impactan-en-el-bosque" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Conditional Payment for Ecosystem Services program</a>, providing financial support for ongoing monitoring efforts.</p>



<p>Wendy underscores the importance democratizing technology has played: “Now that [GFW has] been able to democratize information — satellite images, data — this information can be [used] by any Indigenous man or woman.” This shift enables Indigenous communities to independently manage their territories and understand their forests’ contributions to climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation.</p>



<p>This has been a <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/help/forest-watcher/webinars/beyond-satellite-monitoring-impacts-on-the-lives-of-indigenous-communities-in-the-peruvian-amazon/">game-changer</a> for helping more community members become expert technology users. “There are many iconic cases of Indigenous Peoples’ success using GFW tools,” said Wendy. For example, installing technology information hubs that provide access to early deforestation and wildfire alerts, helping communities produce research to support legal and judicial claims.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="2048" height="1365" src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/RFUS-Peru-Alto-Napo-2048x1365.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-17850" srcset="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/RFUS-Peru-Alto-Napo-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/RFUS-Peru-Alto-Napo-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/RFUS-Peru-Alto-Napo-768x512.jpg 768w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/RFUS-Peru-Alto-Napo-1536x1024.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Rainforest Foundation US Peru team, led by Wendy Pineda, arriving at a partner Indigenous community in the Alto Napo region of the Peruvian Amazon.</figcaption></figure>



<p>However, forest monitoring does not come without risks and challenges. While the rise in data information available to Indigenous Peoples strengthens their ability to secure their rights, the increased visibility also exposes environmental advocates. “In that sense, we need to start thinking about how these technologies can also protect environmental defenders,” said Wendy.</p>



<p>RFUS continues to expand their reach. They are now working with 59 Indigenous communities across the Napo, Lower Amazon and Ucayali River Basins to create new satellite information hubs. RFUS also continues to strengthen existing forest monitoring systems, improving access to satellite information, internet and necessary equipment. These hubs enhance Indigenous trainers’ capacities to train forest patrollers and replicate trainings across other communities.</p>



<p>Reflecting on the impact of RFUS’s work, Wendy emphasized the importance of continued support and technological advancements: “Our efforts show that when Indigenous communities are equipped with the right tools, they become formidable defenders of their forests.” As RFUS and its partners push forward, they remain dedicated to empowering more communities and ensuring that the voices and expertise of Indigenous Peoples are at the forefront of forest conservation efforts.</p>



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Video filmed at the Land & Carbon Lab Summit in June 2023.

 

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Voices of Global Forest Watch: Wendy Pineda, Rainforest Foundation US

<p><em>A decade ago, the launch of Global Forest Watch (GFW) ushered in a new era of accountability and transparency around monitoring and protecting the world’s forests. To celebrate 10 years of impact, our <strong>Voices of Global Forest Watch series</strong> will highlight successes of GFW users, partners and community members throughout the year. We invite you to read, watch and share the stories of exceptional leaders in forest monitoring who have played a pivotal role in protecting forests everywhere.</em></p>



<iframe width="560" height="400" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/81QXh8wJwno?si=qw9WDO8r0RXmgfy0" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>



<p></p>



<p><strong>"[Indigenous Communities] say they once hunted the animals, the fish; now they say they hunt deforestation through integrated deforestation alerts." </strong><em>–</em> Wendy Pineda, General Project Manager for Rainforest Foundation US (RFUS) in Peru. </p>



<p></p>



<p>This sentiment captures the essence of how Indigenous Peoples in the Peruvian Amazon are using advanced tools to fight deforestation.</p>



<p>RFUS, a partner with Global Forest Watch since 2016, has been pivotal in training and building the capacity of forest monitors, particularly in Peru's Loreto region. Their work supports Indigenous Peoples in defending their rights and territories, and their collaboration with GFW has led to significant strides in forest conservation in the region. For example, a 2021 study looking at results from two years of monitoring found that communities using GFW data and tools were able to reduce deforestation in their territories by <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2015171118" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">52% within the first year alone.</a></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/RFUS-uses-GFW-2048x1365.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-17848"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Since 2016, Rainforest Foundation US has been using Global Forest Watch tools with significant results in the fight against deforestation in Indigenous peoples' territories.</figcaption></figure>



<p>Wendy Pineda, a specialist in geospatial technology and engineering and project management techniques, has been instrumental in creating participatory tools and training methodologies for these communities.</p>



<p>Wendy supports RFUS’s activities such as a training in 2017 for community monitors on how to use the Forest Watcher app for monitoring and verifying deforestation in the Ucayali region. This pilot led to scaling of programs from Ucayali to Loreto, which were the activities evaluated in the 2021 study.</p>



<p>Together with Peru's National Protected Area Service (SERNANP), RFUS and local communities were able to use GLAD alerts to identify and halt illegal logging operations and coca cultivation in the buffer zone of the Sierra Divisor National Park. RFUS later extended field training using GLAD alerts and Forest Watcher to Loreto. In both Ucayali and Loreto, the field data collected through the community monitoring served as the basis for prosecution of those implicated in illegal deforestation by Peruvian government agencies.</p>



<p>RFUS currently works with approximately 200 Indigenous men and women using tools like GFW to improve monitoring of their territories and prevent the loss of forests and critical resources. This has led some communities to develop their own land management plans. RFUS has also made efforts to increase women’s access to technology by implementing a gender and social inclusion program, enabling more women to become monitors and trainers.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Mirian-Sanchez-San-Jose-de-Pacache-community-Peru.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-17849"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Forest monitor Mirian Sánchez trains women from the San José de Pacache community, Peru, in using technology for forest protection.</figcaption></figure>



<p>Some communities' demonstrated capacity to manage their territory has led to their inclusion in Peru's <a href="https://www.gob.pe/institucion/minam/noticias/23055-comunidades-indigenas-usan-herramientas-tecnologicas-para-el-control-de-las-actividades-ilegales-que-impactan-en-el-bosque" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Conditional Payment for Ecosystem Services program</a>, providing financial support for ongoing monitoring efforts.</p>



<p>Wendy underscores the importance democratizing technology has played: "Now that [GFW has] been able to democratize information — satellite images, data — this information can be [used] by any Indigenous man or woman." This shift enables Indigenous communities to independently manage their territories and understand their forests' contributions to climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation.</p>



<p>This has been a <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/help/forest-watcher/webinars/beyond-satellite-monitoring-impacts-on-the-lives-of-indigenous-communities-in-the-peruvian-amazon/">game-changer</a> for helping more community members become expert technology users. "There are many iconic cases of Indigenous Peoples’ success using GFW tools,” said Wendy. For example, installing technology information hubs that provide access to early deforestation and wildfire alerts, helping communities produce research to support legal and judicial claims.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/RFUS-Peru-Alto-Napo-2048x1365.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-17850"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Rainforest Foundation US Peru team, led by Wendy Pineda, arriving at a partner Indigenous community in the Alto Napo region of the Peruvian Amazon.</figcaption></figure>



<p>However, forest monitoring does not come without risks and challenges. While the rise in data information available to Indigenous Peoples strengthens their ability to secure their rights, the increased visibility also exposes environmental advocates. “In that sense, we need to start thinking about how these technologies can also protect environmental defenders,” said Wendy.</p>



<p>RFUS continues to expand their reach. They are now working with 59 Indigenous communities across the Napo, Lower Amazon and Ucayali River Basins to create new satellite information hubs. RFUS also continues to strengthen existing forest monitoring systems, improving access to satellite information, internet and necessary equipment. These hubs enhance Indigenous trainers' capacities to train forest patrollers and replicate trainings across other communities.</p>



<p>Reflecting on the impact of RFUS’s work, Wendy emphasized the importance of continued support and technological advancements: "Our efforts show that when Indigenous communities are equipped with the right tools, they become formidable defenders of their forests." As RFUS and its partners push forward, they remain dedicated to empowering more communities and ensuring that the voices and expertise of Indigenous Peoples are at the forefront of forest conservation efforts.</p>



<hr> 

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Video filmed at the Land & Carbon Lab Summit in June 2023.

 

</div> 

 

<hr>



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<p><em>Hace una década, el lanzamiento de Global Forest Watch (GFW) marcó un hito de responsabilidad y transparencia en el monitoreo y protección de nuestros bosques a nivel mundial. Para celebrar estos 10 años de impacto, nuestra serie <strong>"Voces de Global Forest Watch"</strong> destacará los logros de quienes han sido parte de esta gran iniciativa. Te invitamos a leer, ver y compartir las historias de líderes excepcionales que han jugado un rol fundamental en la protección de nuestros bosques.&nbsp;</em></p>



<iframe width="560" height="450" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/81QXh8wJwno?si=qw9WDO8r0RXmgfy0" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>



<p></p>



<p><strong>"[Las comunidades indígenas] dicen que antes cazaban animales y peces, ahora dicen que “cazan” la deforestación a través de alertas integradas de deforestación."</strong> - Wendy Pineda, Gerente General de Proyectos de Rainforest Foundation US (RFUS) en Perú. </p>



<p>Este sentimiento capta la esencia de cómo los pueblos indígenas de la Amazonía peruana están utilizando tecnología de punta para defender su territorio.&nbsp;</p>



<p>RFUS, socio de Global Forest Watch desde 2016, ha sido fundamental en la capacitación de monitores forestales, particularmente en la región peruana de Loreto.&nbsp;Su trabajo apoya a los pueblos indígenas en la defensa de sus derechos y territorios, y su alianza con GFW ha generado resultados sorprendentes&nbsp;en la conservación de los bosques en la región. Por ejemplo, un estudio de 2021&nbsp;reveló que las comunidades que utilizaron las herramientas de GFW lograron reducir la deforestación en un&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2015171118" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">un 52% en el primer año.</a>&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/RFUS-uses-GFW-2048x1365.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-17848"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Desde<strong>el </strong>2016, Rainforest Foundation US <strong>utiliza </strong>herramientas de Global Forest Watch con resultados significativos en la lucha contra la deforestación en los territorios de los pueblos indígenas.</figcaption></figure>



<p>Wendy Pineda, especialista en tecnología geoespacial, técnicas de ingeniería y gestión de proyectos, ha sido fundamental en la creación de metodologías participativas de capacitación&nbsp;para estas comunidades. Gracias a su trabajo, monitores comunitarios han aprendido a usar la aplicación Forest Watcher para identificar y verificar la deforestación, cuyos resultados positivos iniciales como piloto en Ucayali impulsaron la expansión del proyecto a Loreto, como se detalla en el estudio de 2021. &nbsp;</p>



<p>Junto con el Servicio Nacional de Áreas Protegidas del Perú (SERNANP), la RFUS y las comunidades locales&nbsp;utilizaron las alertas GLAD para detectar y detener la tala ilegal y el cultivo de coca en la zona de amortiguamiento&nbsp;el Parque Nacional Sierra Divisor. Posteriormente, RFUS extendió el entrenamiento de campo utilizando alertas GLAD y Forest Watcher a Loreto. Los datos recopilados en Ucayali en Loreto por el monitoreo comunitario sirvieron de base para procesar a los responsables antes las agencias gubernamentales peruanas.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>Actualmente, RFUS trabaja con cerca de 200 hombres y mujeres indígenas que utilizan GFW para monitorear sus territorios y prevenir la pérdida de bosques&nbsp;y recursos críticos.&nbsp;Muchas comunidades ahora cuentan con sus propios planes de manejo&nbsp;territorial.&nbsp;Además, RFUS ha promovido la participación de las mujeres&nbsp;en la tecnología mediante la implementación de un programa de género e inclusión social, lo que permite que más mujeres se conviertan en monitores y capacitadoras.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Mirian-Sanchez-San-Jose-de-Pacache-community-Peru.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-17849"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">La monitora forestal Mirian Sánchez capacita a mujeres de la comunidad San José de Pacache, Perú, en el uso de tecnología para la protección del bosque.</figcaption></figure>



<p>El éxito de estas comunidades para gestionar su territorio les ha permitido acceder a programas como el <a href="https://www.gob.pe/institucion/minam/noticias/23055-comunidades-indigenas-usan-herramientas-tecnologicas-para-el-control-de-las-actividades-ilegales-que-impactan-en-el-bosque" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pago Condicional por Servicios Ecosistémicos de Perú</a>, lo que les brinda un apoyo económico adicional para continuar con sus esfuerzos de monitoreo.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Wendy destaca la importancia que ha tenido la democratización de la tecnología: "Ahora que [GFW] ha sido capaz de democratizar la información (imágenes satelitales, datos), esta información puede ser [utilizada] por cualquier hombre o mujer indígena". Este cambio permite a las comunidades indígenas gestionar de forma independiente sus territorios y comprender mejor el valor de sus bosques en la lucha contra el cambio climático y la conservación de la biodiversidad.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Con este <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/help/forest-watcher/webinars/beyond-satellite-monitoring-impacts-on-the-lives-of-indigenous-communities-in-the-peruvian-amazon/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">punto de inflexión</a>&nbsp;más miembros de las comunidades se han convertido en expertos en tecnología. "Hay muchos casos icónicos de éxito de los pueblos indígenas utilizando las herramientas de GFW", dijo Wendy. Por ejemplo, la instalación de centros de información tecnológica que brindan acceso a alertas tempranas de deforestación e incendios forestales, ayudando a las comunidades a&nbsp;respaldar reclamos legales y judiciales con investigaciones sólidas.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/RFUS-Peru-Alto-Napo-2048x1365.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-17850"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">El equipo de Rainforest Foundation US Perú, dirigido por Wendy Pineda, llega a una comunidad indígena asociada en la región del Alto Napo de la Amazonía peruana.</figcaption></figure>



<p>Sin embargo, el monitoreo forestal también presenta riesgos y desafíos. Si bien la tecnología brinda más herramientas e información para garantizar sus derechos, esta visibilidad también expone a los defensores ambientales a mayores riesgos. "En ese sentido, tenemos que empezar a pensar en cómo estas tecnologías también pueden proteger a los defensores del medio ambiente", dijo Wendy.&nbsp;</p>



<p>RFUS sigue ampliando su alcance y actualmente trabaja con 59 comunidades en las cuencas de los ríos Napo, Bajo Amazonas y Ucayali para establecer nuevos centros de información satelital. Asimismo, la organización continúa fortaleciendo los sistemas de monitoreo forestal existentes, mejorando el acceso a información satelital, internet y equipos especializados. Estos centros permiten que los instructores indígenas desarrollen sus capacidades para capacitar a los guardianes forestales y replicar estas capacitaciones en otras comunidades.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Al reflexionar sobre los logros de RFUS, Wendy destaca la importancia de un apoyo constante y de la innovación tecnológica. "Nuestros esfuerzos muestran que cuando las comunidades indígenas están equipadas con las herramientas adecuadas, se convierten en formidables defensoras de sus bosques", afirma. Orientados hacia nuevos logros, RFUS&nbsp;y sus aliados seguirán trabajando para empoderar a más comunidades y garantizar que las voces y conocimientos de los pueblos indígenas estén a la vanguardia en la conservación forestal.&nbsp;</p>



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Video filmed at the Land & Carbon Lab Summit in June 2023.

 

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Voces de Global Forest Watch: Wendy Pineda, Rainforest Foundation US 

As part of our Voices of Global Forest Watch series, learn about Wendy Pineda's work in Peru with Rainforest Foundation US

Voices of GFW: Wendy Pineda, Rainforest Foundation US

Nancy Sanchez

Ruth Nogueron

Withman A. Sánchez Hidalgo

<p>“Just for monitoring, just for surveillance, our leaders have been killed,” recounts Ranin Koshi (in Shipibo meaning Strong Man, Hunter), the leader of <a href="https://www.orau.org.pe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Organización Regional de AIDESEP-Ucayali (ORAU)</a> in Peru. The Indigenous communities ORAU represents have long recognized their territory in the Peruvian Amazon as the very essence of life. It’s the foundation of their culture, history and survival.</p>



<style>
.css-19vc5o2 aside {
   width: 100% !important;
float: none !important;
margin-left:
0px
!important;
}
</style>
<aside id="textbox"><em><b>About ORAU</b><p></p>
ORAU is a nonprofit civil association founded in 1999 with the purpose of representing and promoting the economic, social, political and cultural development of 13 Indigenous federations representing 20 Indigenous ethnic groups including: Amahuaca, Asháninka, Ashéninka Cashibo-Kakataibo, Cocama – Cocamilla, Shipibo – Conibo, Culina, Isconahua, Machiguenga, Mashco – Piro, Mastanahua, Murunahua, Nahua, Sharanahua, Cashinahua, Yaminahua, Yanesha, Yine, Awajun, and Chitonahua, whose ancestral territories are mostly located in the Ucayali department but also in part of the Loreto region (Ucayali province) and Huanuco department (Puerto Inca province) of Peru. ORAU is the regional office of AIDESEP (Asociación Interétnica de Desarrollo de la Selva Peruana), the governing organization representing Indigenous Peoples of the Peruvian Amazon.
</em> </aside>



<p>Yet, this deep bond with the land is under constant threat from illegal logging, deforestation, illicit crops, and other forms of intrusion. In 2001, Peru’s primary forest covered 69.1 million hectares, making up 54% of the country’s total land area. By 2023, the country experienced a 4% reduction of these forests.</p>



<p>Forest monitoring in communal territories has been going on for many years and has been embraced strongly, becoming a core part of the culture of Indigenous communities in the Peruvian Amazon. Despite the threats, these communities were able to <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2015171118" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">decrease deforestation</a> in their areas by more than 50% in just a year when using satellite data from Global Forest Watch (GFW) in their monitoring.</p>



<p>But more tools are needed to both protect forests and keep communities safe — in-person monitoring has led to dangerous confrontations and, tragically, the loss of leaders who dared to defend their sovereignty over their lands.</p>



<p>Now, Indigenous leaders in Peru are working collaboratively to develop new resources using MapBuilder, a tool that is helping them to control the data and narrative around deforestation in their territories and the threats they face to better work together, target solutions, and guard and defend their territories against latent threats to ancestral forests.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A history of forest monitoring using satellite data</h2>



<p>With support from Rainforest Foundation US (RFUS) since 2016, and organizations like ORAU, Indigenous communities in the Ucayali and Loreto regions have moved beyond traditional methods of territory monitoring, developing the technical capacity to collect and manage satellite data and analyses themselves. Gone are the days of relying solely on physical patrols and the unaided eye; now, satellite imagery and near real-time data paint a territory-wide picture of their land’s condition.</p>



<p>“Technology allows us to reaffirm and guarantee our rights, especially with regards to the territory, for our future generations,” says Ranin Koshi.</p>



<p>In 2022, ORAU created its Satellite Information Center, “Imenko Tsiroti,” to address deforestation and threats in communal areas with the support of RFUS and to meet the needs of Indigenous peoples for mapping and satellite information for monitoring, surveillance and land management. This center processes data collected by forest monitors, along with relevant GFW data on forest loss in their territories, to address the challenge of monitoring community forests in near real-time to prevent and reduce deforestation.</p>



<p>Since last year, ORAU has been promoting the creation of its Regional Indigenous Environmental Crime Monitoring Network, with the Imenko Tsiroti Center as its base and main hub. With the support of &nbsp;<a href="https://www.usaid.gov/peru/documents/proyecto-prevenir" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">USAID’s PREVENIR project</a>, it seeks to reduce the incidence of deforestation and crimes faced by Indigenous communities, as well as carry out strategic patrols and minimize the exposure of Indigenous vigilantes, monitors and/or leaders through the analysis of satellite data and technological tools.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A collaborative approach to visualizing data with MapBuilder</h2>



<p>To help further advance Indigenous communities’ capacity, Peru’s Indigenous organizations identified MapBuilder as an ideal tool for Indigenous leaders to help visualize the data the communities are gathering from their territories about the threats they face and share it in dynamic format in their discussions and negotiations with external actors (such as government agencies, UN bodies and donors) without having to print and carry large maps. <a href="https://mapbuilder.wri.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MapBuilder</a> is a tool developed by WRI’s Data Lab that allows users to create interactive maps combining curated, timely, trusted global data — including data from GFW — with the user’s local data.</p>



<p>At two RFUS-organized Tech Camps in 2023 — a reciprocal educational experience designed to train participants in using satellite data and tools, and also to understand the communities’ needs and collaborate on what needs data and tools can address — the GFW team trained technical staff from the Indigenous organizations to customize MapBuilder to create their own online geospatial portals.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1151" height="729" src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1_2023-Tech-Camp-organized-by-RFUS-–-workshop-in-Iquitos-Peru.-Credit-RFUS.jpg" alt="2023 Tech Camp organized by RFUS – workshop in Iquitos, Peru" class="wp-image-17509" srcset="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1_2023-Tech-Camp-organized-by-RFUS-–-workshop-in-Iquitos-Peru.-Credit-RFUS.jpg 1151w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1_2023-Tech-Camp-organized-by-RFUS-–-workshop-in-Iquitos-Peru.-Credit-RFUS-1024x649.jpg 1024w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1_2023-Tech-Camp-organized-by-RFUS-–-workshop-in-Iquitos-Peru.-Credit-RFUS-768x486.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1151px) 100vw, 1151px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1155" height="770" src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2_2023-Tech-Camp-organized-by-RFUS-–-workshop-in-Iquitos-Peru.-Credit-RFUS.jpg" alt="2023 Tech Camp organized by RFUS – workshop in Iquitos, Peru." class="wp-image-17510" srcset="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2_2023-Tech-Camp-organized-by-RFUS-–-workshop-in-Iquitos-Peru.-Credit-RFUS.jpg 1155w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2_2023-Tech-Camp-organized-by-RFUS-–-workshop-in-Iquitos-Peru.-Credit-RFUS-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2_2023-Tech-Camp-organized-by-RFUS-–-workshop-in-Iquitos-Peru.-Credit-RFUS-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1155px) 100vw, 1155px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">2023 Tech Camp organized by RFUS – workshop in Iquitos, Peru. Credit: RFUS.</figcaption></figure>



<p>GFW also trained the organizations to create ESRI StoryMaps, which are useful to highlight specific issues such as video testimonials, photo galleries and narrative maps.</p>



<p>A main outcome of the Tech Camps was the creation of the ORAU geospatial portal using MapBuilder. This was possible due to the partnership between GFW, RFUS, the Indigenous organizations and the GIS mapping software company ESRI, participating as equal contributors in a process focused on shared learning and mutual benefit. Each contributor plays an important role in this process: GFW provides tailored monitoring data, the MapBuilder template, and training; RFUS convenes and facilitates the space for collaboration through the Tech Camps and offers crucial technical support on-site; and ORAU, through its Imenko Tsiroti Satellite Information Center, provides the data for the geospatial portal and functions as the data hub to collect field data generated by Indigenous communities as they patrol their territories informed by GFW deforestation alerts. This collaboration has been significantly advanced by the software licenses donations from ESRI, enhancing the project’s capacity for developing and maintaining tools like MapBuilder.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1095" height="730" src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2023-Tech-Camp-organized-by-RFUS-–-Indigenous-groups-demonstrate-their-maps-in-Pucallpa-Peru.-Credit-RFUS.jpg" alt="2023 Tech Camp organized by RFUS – Indigenous groups demonstrate their maps in Pucallpa, Peru. Credit: RFUS." class="wp-image-17511" srcset="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2023-Tech-Camp-organized-by-RFUS-–-Indigenous-groups-demonstrate-their-maps-in-Pucallpa-Peru.-Credit-RFUS.jpg 1095w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2023-Tech-Camp-organized-by-RFUS-–-Indigenous-groups-demonstrate-their-maps-in-Pucallpa-Peru.-Credit-RFUS-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2023-Tech-Camp-organized-by-RFUS-–-Indigenous-groups-demonstrate-their-maps-in-Pucallpa-Peru.-Credit-RFUS-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1095px) 100vw, 1095px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">2023 Tech Camp organized by RFUS – Indigenous groups demonstrate their maps in Pucallpa, Peru. Credit: RFUS.</figcaption></figure>



<p>This collective endeavor, centered around joint exploration and development, leverages technology to directly integrate Indigenous partners’ knowledge and needs.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Telling the story of forest threats</h2>



<p>Why, though, is visualizing information on a map so transformative? The answer lies in the map’s ability to contextualize data, creating a compelling narrative about the areas and communities it represents. A map tells a visual story, highlighting trends and priorities through the data it cross-references. For Indigenous communities, this means having the ability to prioritize resources and efforts based on timely, evidence-based data. For example, <a href="https://my.gfw-mapbuilder.org/v1.latest/?appid=867894697a6a4bc68c18a2c4b95ae464">maps</a> can leverage data from GFW on deforestation alerts and incorporate local insights on illegal activities, which in turn can help identify which community would benefit most from training monitors to detect illegal logging.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://my.gfw-mapbuilder.org/v1.latest/?appid=867894697a6a4bc68c18a2c4b95ae464"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1860" height="1096" src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/ORAU-mapbuilder-map.png" alt="" class="wp-image-17530" srcset="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/ORAU-mapbuilder-map.png 1860w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/ORAU-mapbuilder-map-1024x603.png 1024w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/ORAU-mapbuilder-map-768x453.png 768w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/ORAU-mapbuilder-map-1536x905.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1860px) 100vw, 1860px" /></a></figure>



<p>Through the use of MapBuilder, Indigenous leaders are creating online geospatial portals and StoryMaps, making the reality of their territories visible to the world. It offers an unfiltered, bottom-up perspective on the threats these communities face and their efforts to counteract them.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1898" height="2048" src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/24.05.28_MapBuilder-Peru_Insights_EN-1898x2048.png" alt="How indigenous organizations in the Peruvian Amazon monitor their territories" class="wp-image-17512" srcset="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/24.05.28_MapBuilder-Peru_Insights_EN-1898x2048.png 1898w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/24.05.28_MapBuilder-Peru_Insights_EN-949x1024.png 949w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/24.05.28_MapBuilder-Peru_Insights_EN-768x829.png 768w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/24.05.28_MapBuilder-Peru_Insights_EN-1423x1536.png 1423w" sizes="(max-width: 1898px) 100vw, 1898px" /></figure>



<p>With tools like MapBuilder, the Indigenous communities and organizations that represent them control the narrative based on the data they are collecting and releasing to the public.</p>



<p>This shift towards digital storytelling and monitoring represents a significant milestone in forest protection. “There is deforestation; I can only say it. But now, I can demonstrate it physically with the ease of technology,” Ranin Koshi says, adding that this transition from manual to digital is revolutionary for the communities and their leadership. MapBuilder provides them with undeniable evidence of the challenges they face, transforming abstract threats into tangible realities that can be addressed and acted upon.</p>



<p>But that’s not all. With over 33 leaders assassinated in a decade, starting with Edwin Chota in 2014 and Quinto Inuma in 2023, by adding the location of the threats to Indigenous environmental defenders, the maps show the convergence of the threats with the deforestation drivers based on the evidence collected during the patrols.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Scaling collaboration to protect Indigenous-held forests</h2>



<p>By integrating GFW data with communities’ field data into interactive applications, organizations like ORAU are fostering trust and enhancing collaborative efforts among community members and external stakeholders. The geospatial portals, developed using the MapBuilder template within ArcGIS Online, facilitate the seamless sharing of crucial environmental data, tailored to each organization’s specific needs and contexts.</p>



<p>Peru is just the starting point, signaling the potential for expansion within the Amazon Basin. Other Indigenous and local communities have begun to adopt monitoring technologies. For example, the <a href="https://sarayaku.org/guardianes-selva/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sarayaku </a>People in Ecuador use monitoring technology to support the implementation of their territory management plan, and <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/grants-and-fellowships/projects/?country=COL&projectId=99" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">COCOMASUR</a> protects the territory of 33 Afro-descendant communities in Colombia. At the regional level, the AIDESEP-COICA Early Warning and Rapid Response Alert System (<a href="https://aidesep.org.pe/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Infografia-Sistema-de-Alerta-Temprana-de-COICA.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SAT/RR-COICA</a>) seeks to combine monitoring technology with a platform and protocols to respond to threats to Indigenous territories and peoples.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>ORAU’s MapBuilder-based geoportal is more than just a mapping tool; it’s a testament to the power of collaboration between technology experts and Indigenous organizations and communities. The use of MapBuilder in Peru by Indigenous organizations can pave the way for its adoption elsewhere, and shows how technology, when shaped by the very people it aims to serve, can become a powerful tool in the preservation of resources.</p>



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Indigenous Communities in the Peruvian Amazon Protect their Forest Heritage with MapBuilder 

<p>“Just for monitoring, just for surveillance, our leaders have been killed,” recounts Ranin Koshi (in Shipibo meaning Strong Man, Hunter), the leader of <a href="https://www.orau.org.pe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Organización Regional de AIDESEP-Ucayali (ORAU)</a> in Peru. The Indigenous communities ORAU represents have long recognized their territory in the Peruvian Amazon as the very essence of life. It's the foundation of their culture, history and survival.</p>



<style>
.css-19vc5o2 aside {
   width: 100% !important;
float: none !important;
margin-left:
0px
!important;
}
</style>
<aside id="textbox"><em><b>About ORAU</b><p></p>
ORAU is a nonprofit civil association founded in 1999 with the purpose of representing and promoting the economic, social, political and cultural development of 13 Indigenous federations representing 20 Indigenous ethnic groups including: Amahuaca, Asháninka, Ashéninka Cashibo-Kakataibo, Cocama - Cocamilla, Shipibo - Conibo, Culina, Isconahua, Machiguenga, Mashco - Piro, Mastanahua, Murunahua, Nahua, Sharanahua, Cashinahua, Yaminahua, Yanesha, Yine, Awajun, and Chitonahua, whose ancestral territories are mostly located in the Ucayali department but also in part of the Loreto region (Ucayali province) and Huanuco department (Puerto Inca province) of Peru. ORAU is the regional office of AIDESEP (Asociación Interétnica de Desarrollo de la Selva Peruana), the governing organization representing Indigenous Peoples of the Peruvian Amazon.
</em> </aside>



<p>Yet, this deep bond with the land is under constant threat from illegal logging, deforestation, illicit crops, and other forms of intrusion. In 2001, Peru’s primary forest covered 69.1 million hectares, making up 54% of the country’s total land area. By 2023, the country experienced a 4% reduction of these forests.</p>



<p>Forest monitoring in communal territories has been going on for many years and has been embraced strongly, becoming a core part of the culture of Indigenous communities in the Peruvian Amazon. Despite the threats, these communities were able to <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2015171118" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">decrease deforestation</a> in their areas by more than 50% in just a year when using satellite data from Global Forest Watch (GFW) in their monitoring.</p>



<p>But more tools are needed to both protect forests and keep communities safe — in-person monitoring has led to dangerous confrontations and, tragically, the loss of leaders who dared to defend their sovereignty over their lands.</p>



<p>Now, Indigenous leaders in Peru are working collaboratively to develop new resources using MapBuilder, a tool that is helping them to control the data and narrative around deforestation in their territories and the threats they face to better work together, target solutions, and guard and defend their territories against latent threats to ancestral forests.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A history of forest monitoring using satellite data</h2>



<p>With support from Rainforest Foundation US (RFUS) since 2016, and organizations like ORAU, Indigenous communities in the Ucayali and Loreto regions have moved beyond traditional methods of territory monitoring, developing the technical capacity to collect and manage satellite data and analyses themselves. Gone are the days of relying solely on physical patrols and the unaided eye; now, satellite imagery and near real-time data paint a territory-wide picture of their land's condition.</p>



<p>“Technology allows us to reaffirm and guarantee our rights, especially with regards to the territory, for our future generations,” says Ranin Koshi.</p>



<p>In 2022, ORAU created its Satellite Information Center, “Imenko Tsiroti," to address deforestation and threats in communal areas with the support of RFUS and to meet the needs of Indigenous peoples for mapping and satellite information for monitoring, surveillance and land management. This center processes data collected by forest monitors, along with relevant GFW data on forest loss in their territories, to address the challenge of monitoring community forests in near real-time to prevent and reduce deforestation.</p>



<p>Since last year, ORAU has been promoting the creation of its Regional Indigenous Environmental Crime Monitoring Network, with the Imenko Tsiroti Center as its base and main hub. With the support of &nbsp;<a href="https://www.usaid.gov/peru/documents/proyecto-prevenir" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">USAID's PREVENIR project</a>, it seeks to reduce the incidence of deforestation and crimes faced by Indigenous communities, as well as carry out strategic patrols and minimize the exposure of Indigenous vigilantes, monitors and/or leaders through the analysis of satellite data and technological tools.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A collaborative approach to visualizing data with MapBuilder</h2>



<p>To help further advance Indigenous communities’ capacity, Peru's Indigenous organizations identified MapBuilder as an ideal tool for Indigenous leaders to help visualize the data the communities are gathering from their territories about the threats they face and share it in dynamic format in their discussions and negotiations with external actors (such as government agencies, UN bodies and donors) without having to print and carry large maps. <a href="https://mapbuilder.wri.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MapBuilder</a> is a tool developed by WRI’s Data Lab that allows users to create interactive maps combining curated, timely, trusted global data — including data from GFW — with the user’s local data.</p>



<p>At two RFUS-organized Tech Camps in 2023 — a reciprocal educational experience designed to train participants in using satellite data and tools, and also to understand the communities’ needs and collaborate on what needs data and tools can address — the GFW team trained technical staff from the Indigenous organizations to customize MapBuilder to create their own online geospatial portals.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1_2023-Tech-Camp-organized-by-RFUS-–-workshop-in-Iquitos-Peru.-Credit-RFUS.jpg" alt="2023 Tech Camp organized by RFUS – workshop in Iquitos, Peru" class="wp-image-17509"/></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2_2023-Tech-Camp-organized-by-RFUS-–-workshop-in-Iquitos-Peru.-Credit-RFUS.jpg" alt="2023 Tech Camp organized by RFUS – workshop in Iquitos, Peru." class="wp-image-17510"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">2023 Tech Camp organized by RFUS – workshop in Iquitos, Peru. Credit: RFUS.</figcaption></figure>



<p>GFW also trained the organizations to create ESRI StoryMaps, which are useful to highlight specific issues such as video testimonials, photo galleries and narrative maps.</p>



<p>A main outcome of the Tech Camps was the creation of the ORAU geospatial portal using MapBuilder. This was possible due to the partnership between GFW, RFUS, the Indigenous organizations and the GIS mapping software company ESRI, participating as equal contributors in a process focused on shared learning and mutual benefit. Each contributor plays an important role in this process: GFW provides tailored monitoring data, the MapBuilder template, and training; RFUS convenes and facilitates the space for collaboration through the Tech Camps and offers crucial technical support on-site; and ORAU, through its Imenko Tsiroti Satellite Information Center, provides the data for the geospatial portal and functions as the data hub to collect field data generated by Indigenous communities as they patrol their territories informed by GFW deforestation alerts. This collaboration has been significantly advanced by the software licenses donations from ESRI, enhancing the project's capacity for developing and maintaining tools like MapBuilder.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2023-Tech-Camp-organized-by-RFUS-–-Indigenous-groups-demonstrate-their-maps-in-Pucallpa-Peru.-Credit-RFUS.jpg" alt="2023 Tech Camp organized by RFUS – Indigenous groups demonstrate their maps in Pucallpa, Peru. Credit: RFUS." class="wp-image-17511"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">2023 Tech Camp organized by RFUS – Indigenous groups demonstrate their maps in Pucallpa, Peru. Credit: RFUS.</figcaption></figure>



<p>This collective endeavor, centered around joint exploration and development, leverages technology to directly integrate Indigenous partners' knowledge and needs.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Telling the story of forest threats</h2>



<p>Why, though, is visualizing information on a map so transformative? The answer lies in the map's ability to contextualize data, creating a compelling narrative about the areas and communities it represents. A map tells a visual story, highlighting trends and priorities through the data it cross-references. For Indigenous communities, this means having the ability to prioritize resources and efforts based on timely, evidence-based data. For example, <a href="https://my.gfw-mapbuilder.org/v1.latest/?appid=867894697a6a4bc68c18a2c4b95ae464">maps</a> can leverage data from GFW on deforestation alerts and incorporate local insights on illegal activities, which in turn can help identify which community would benefit most from training monitors to detect illegal logging.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://my.gfw-mapbuilder.org/v1.latest/?appid=867894697a6a4bc68c18a2c4b95ae464"><img src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/ORAU-mapbuilder-map.png" alt="" class="wp-image-17530"/></a></figure>



<p>Through the use of MapBuilder, Indigenous leaders are creating online geospatial portals and StoryMaps, making the reality of their territories visible to the world. It offers an unfiltered, bottom-up perspective on the threats these communities face and their efforts to counteract them.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/24.05.28_MapBuilder-Peru_Insights_EN-1898x2048.png" alt="How indigenous organizations in the Peruvian Amazon monitor their territories" class="wp-image-17512"/></figure>



<p>With tools like MapBuilder, the Indigenous communities and organizations that represent them control the narrative based on the data they are collecting and releasing to the public.</p>



<p>This shift towards digital storytelling and monitoring represents a significant milestone in forest protection. “There is deforestation; I can only say it. But now, I can demonstrate it physically with the ease of technology,” Ranin Koshi says, adding that this transition from manual to digital is revolutionary for the communities and their leadership. MapBuilder provides them with undeniable evidence of the challenges they face, transforming abstract threats into tangible realities that can be addressed and acted upon.</p>



<p>But that’s not all. With over 33 leaders assassinated in a decade, starting with Edwin Chota in 2014 and Quinto Inuma in 2023, by adding the location of the threats to Indigenous environmental defenders, the maps show the convergence of the threats with the deforestation drivers based on the evidence collected during the patrols.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Scaling collaboration to protect Indigenous-held forests</h2>



<p>By integrating GFW data with communities’ field data into interactive applications, organizations like ORAU are fostering trust and enhancing collaborative efforts among community members and external stakeholders. The geospatial portals, developed using the MapBuilder template within ArcGIS Online, facilitate the seamless sharing of crucial environmental data, tailored to each organization's specific needs and contexts.</p>



<p>Peru is just the starting point, signaling the potential for expansion within the Amazon Basin. Other Indigenous and local communities have begun to adopt monitoring technologies. For example, the <a href="https://sarayaku.org/guardianes-selva/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sarayaku </a>People in Ecuador use monitoring technology to support the implementation of their territory management plan, and <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/grants-and-fellowships/projects/?country=COL&amp;projectId=99" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">COCOMASUR</a> protects the territory of 33 Afro-descendant communities in Colombia. At the regional level, the AIDESEP-COICA Early Warning and Rapid Response Alert System (<a href="https://aidesep.org.pe/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Infografia-Sistema-de-Alerta-Temprana-de-COICA.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SAT/RR-COICA</a>) seeks to combine monitoring technology with a platform and protocols to respond to threats to Indigenous territories and peoples.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>ORAU’s MapBuilder-based geoportal is more than just a mapping tool; it's a testament to the power of collaboration between technology experts and Indigenous organizations and communities. The use of MapBuilder in Peru by Indigenous organizations can pave the way for its adoption elsewhere, and shows how technology, when shaped by the very people it aims to serve, can become a powerful tool in the preservation of resources.</p>



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<p>"Solo por monitorear, solo por vigilar, han asesinado a nuestros líderes", relata Ranin Koshi (en Shipibo, Hombre Fuerte, Cazador), líder de la Organización Regional de AIDESEP-Ucayali (ORAU) en Perú. Las comunidades indígenas que representa la ORAU reconocen desde hace mucho tiempo su territorio en la Amazonía peruana como la esencia misma de la vida. Es la base de su cultura, historia y supervivencia.</p>



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<aside id="textbox"><em><b>Acerca de la ORAU</b><p></p>
La ORAU es una asociación civil sin fines de lucro fundada en 1999 con el propósito de representar y promover el desarrollo económico, social, político y cultural de 20 pueblos indígenas y 13 bases federativas, como: Amahuaca, Asháninka, Ashéninka Cashibo-Kakataibo, Cocama - Cocamilla, Shipibo – Conibo, Culina, Isconahua, Machiguenga, Mashco – Piro, Mastanahua, Murunahua, Nahua, Sharanahua, Cashinahua, Yaminahua, Yanesha, Yine, Awajun, Chitonahua, cuyos territorios ancestrales se encuentran mayoritariamente en el departamento Ucayali, parte de la región Loreto (provincia de Ucayali) y departamento Huánuco (provincia Puerto Inca). La ORAU es la oficina regional de la AIDESEP (Asociación Interétnica de Desarrollo de la Selva Peruana), la organización vocera de los pueblos indígenas de la Amazonía del Perú.
</em> </aside>



<p>Sin embargo, este profundo vínculo con la tierra está constantemente amenazado por la tala ilegal, la deforestación, cultivos ilícitos y otras formas de intrusión. En 2001, los bosques primarios de Perú cubrían 69,1 millones de hectáreas, lo que representaba el 54% de la superficie total del país. Para 2023, el país experimentaba una reducción del 4% de estos bosques.</p>



<p>El monitoreo forestal en los territorios comunales se lleva realizando desde hace muchos años y se está convirtiendo en un elemento central del patrimonio de las comunidades indígenas de la Amazonía peruana. A pesar de las amenazas, estas comunidades <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2015171118">lograron reducir la deforestación</a> en sus áreas en más del 50% en solo un año al utilizar datos satelitales de Global Forest Watch (GFW) en su monitoreo.</p>



<p>Pero se necesitan más herramientas para proteger los bosques y mantener seguras a las comunidades: el monitoreo en persona ha provocado enfrentamientos peligrosos y, trágicamente, la pérdida de líderes que se atrevieron a defender la soberanía sobre sus tierras.</p>



<p>Ahora, los líderes indígenas de Perú están trabajando en colaboración para desarrollar nuevos recursos utilizando MapBuilder, una herramienta que les está ayudando a controlar los datos y la narrativa en torno a la deforestación en sus territorios y las amenazas que enfrentan para trabajar mejor juntos y encontrar soluciones que les permitan monitorear, vigilar y defender sus territorios frente a amenazas latentes en los bosques ancestrales.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Una historia de monitoreo forestal utilizando datos satelitales</h2>



<p>Con el apoyo de organizaciones como RFUS desde 2016, y organizaciones como la ORAU, las comunidades indígenas en las regiones de Ucayali y Loreto han ido más allá de los métodos tradicionales de monitoreo territorial, desarrollando la capacidad técnica para recolectar y administrar datos por sí mismas. Atrás quedaron los días de depender únicamente de las patrullas físicas y a simple vista; ahora, las imágenes satelitales y los datos casi en tiempo real brindan una imagen completa del estado de sus territorios.</p>



<p>“La tecnología nos permite reafirmar y garantizar nuestros derechos, especialmente en lo que respecta al territorio, para nuestras generaciones futuras”, dice Ranin Koshi.</p>



<p>En 2022, la ORAU creó su Centro de Información Satelital “Imenko Tsiroti” (CISIT) para abordar la deforestación y las amenazas en territorios comunales con el apoyo de la RFUS y atender la demanda de información cartográfica y satelital de los pueblos indígenas con información para monitoreo, vigilancia y gestión de territorio. Dicho centro procesa datos con información de Global Forest Watch con la gran tarea de monitorear los bosques comunales utilizando tecnología que brinda información en tiempo casi real para prevenir y reducir la deforestación.</p>



<p>Desde el año pasado, la ORAU impulsa la creación de su Red de Monitoreo Regional Indígena de Delitos Ambientales con el CISIT como base y eje principal. Con la asistencia del Proyecto <a href="https://www.usaid.gov/peru/documents/proyecto-prevenir">PREVENIR de USAID</a>, se busca reducir la incidencia de la deforestación y los delitos que afrontan las comunidades nativas, así como la realización de patrullajes estratégicos y minimizar la exposición de los vigilantes, monitores y/o líderes indígenas mediante el análisis de datos satelitales y herramientas tecnológicas.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Un enfoque colaborativo para visualizar datos con MapBuilder</h2>



<p>Para ayudar a avanzar aún más la capacidad de las comunidades indígenas, las organizaciones indígenas identificaron a MapBuilder como una herramienta para que los líderes indígenas ayuden a visualizar los datos geográficos sobre sus territorios y las amenazas que enfrentan en sus discusiones y negociaciones con actores externos (como agencias gubernamentales, organismos de la ONU, donantes y organizaciones de la sociedad civil). <a href="https://mapbuilder.wri.org/">MapBuilder</a> es una herramienta desarrollada por el Data Lab de WRI que permite a los usuarios crear mapas interactivos que combinan datos globales oportunos y confiables, incluidos los datos de GFW, con los datos locales del usuario.</p>



<p>En dos campamentos tecnológicos (Tech Camps) organizados por RFUS en 2023 - una experiencia educativa recíproca diseñada para capacitar a los participantes en el uso de datos y herramientas satelitales, y también para comprender las necesidades de las comunidades y colaborar en qué necesidades pueden abordar los datos y las herramientas - el equipo de GFW capacitó al personal técnico de las organizaciones indígenas para crear sus propios portales geoespaciales en línea.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1_2023-Tech-Camp-organized-by-RFUS-–-workshop-in-Iquitos-Peru.-Credit-RFUS.jpg" alt="2023 Tech Camp organized by RFUS – workshop in Iquitos, Peru" class="wp-image-17509"/></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2_2023-Tech-Camp-organized-by-RFUS-–-workshop-in-Iquitos-Peru.-Credit-RFUS.jpg" alt="2023 Tech Camp organized by RFUS – workshop in Iquitos, Peru." class="wp-image-17510"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Campamento Tecnológico 2023 organizado por RFUS - taller en Iquitos, Perú. Crédito: RFUS.</figcaption></figure>



<p>GFW también capacitó a las organizaciones para crear ESRI StoryMaps, que son útiles para resaltar materiales multimedia como testimonios en video, galerías de fotos y mapas narrativos.</p>



<p>Un resultado principal de los Tech Camps fue la creación del portal geoespacial la ORAU utilizando MapBuilder. Esto fue posible gracias a la alianza entre GFW, RFUS, la organización indígena y la donación de software de mapeo y sistemas geoespaciales de ESRI, participando como contribuyentes iguales en un proceso enfocado en el aprendizaje compartido y el beneficio mutuo. Cada colaborador juega un papel importante en este proceso:</p>



<p>GFW y WRI proporcionan datos de monitoreo personalizados, la plantilla MapBuilder y capacitación; RFUS convoca y facilita el espacio de colaboración a través de los Tech Camps además de ofrecer apoyo técnico crucial en campo; y la ORAU, a través del CISIT, proporciona los datos para el portal geoespacial y funciona como el centro de datos para recopilar datos de campo generados por las comunidades indígenas mientras patrullan sus territorios informados por las alertas de deforestación de GFW. Esta colaboración ha avanzado significativamente debido a&nbsp; las donaciones de licencias de software de ESRI, mejorando la capacidad del proyecto para desarrollar y mantener herramientas como MapBuilder.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2023-Tech-Camp-organized-by-RFUS-–-Indigenous-groups-demonstrate-their-maps-in-Pucallpa-Peru.-Credit-RFUS.jpg" alt="2023 Tech Camp organized by RFUS – Indigenous groups demonstrate their maps in Pucallpa, Peru. Credit: RFUS." class="wp-image-17511"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Campamento Tecnológico 2023 organizado por RFUS - Grupos indígenas muestran sus mapas en Pucallpa, Perú. Crédito: RFUS.</figcaption></figure>



<p>Este esfuerzo colectivo, centrado en la exploración y el desarrollo conjuntos, aprovecha la tecnología para integrar directamente el conocimiento y las necesidades de los socios indígenas.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Contando la historia de las amenazas forestales</h2>



<p>¿Por qué, entonces, visualizar información en un mapa es tan transformador? La respuesta radica en la capacidad del mapa para contextualizar los datos, creando una narrativa convincente sobre las áreas y comunidades que representa. Un mapa cuenta una historia visual, destacando tendencias y prioridades a través de los datos que hace referencia cruzada. Para las comunidades indígenas, esto significa tener la capacidad de priorizar recursos y esfuerzos en función de datos oportunos y basados ​​en evidencia. Por ejemplo, <a href="https://my.gfw-mapbuilder.org/v1.latest/?appid=867894697a6a4bc68c18a2c4b95ae464">los mapas</a> pueden aprovechar datos de GFW sobre alertas de deforestación e incorporar información local sobre actividades ilegales, lo que a su vez puede ayudar a identificar qué comunidad se beneficiaría más de la capacitación de monitores para detectar la tala ilegal.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://my.gfw-mapbuilder.org/v1.latest/?appid=867894697a6a4bc68c18a2c4b95ae464"><img src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/ORAU-mapbuilder-map-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-17533"/></a></figure>



<p>Mediante el uso de MapBuilder, los líderes indígenas están creando portales geoespaciales y StoryMaps en línea, haciendo visible la realidad de sus territorios para el mundo. Ofrece una perspectiva sin filtros y de abajo hacia arriba sobre las amenazas que enfrentan estas comunidades y sus esfuerzos para contrarrestarlas.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/24.05.28_MapBuilder-Peru_Insights_ES-1898x2048.png" alt="Cómo las organizaciones indígenas en la Amazonía peruana monitorean y mapean sus territorios" class="wp-image-17527"/></figure>



<p>Con herramientas como MapBuilder, las comunidades indígenas y las organizaciones que las representan controlan la narrativa en función de los datos que recopilan y publican al público.</p>



<p>Este cambio hacia la narración y el monitoreo digitales representa un hito significativo en la protección de sus bosques ancestrales. “Hay deforestación; solo puedo decirlo. Pero ahora, puedo demostrarlo físicamente con la facilidad de la tecnología”, dice Ranin Koshi, y agrega que esta transición de manual a digital es revolucionaria para las comunidades y su liderazgo. MapBuilder les proporciona evidencia innegable de los desafíos que enfrentan, transformando las amenazas abstractas en realidades tangibles que pueden abordarse y sobre las que se puede actuar.</p>



<p>Pero eso no es todo. Con más de 33 líderes asesinados en una década, desde Edwin Chota en 2014 hasta Quinto Inuma en 2023, al agregar la ubicación de las amenazas a los defensores indígenas del medio ambiente, los mapas muestran la convergencia de las amenazas con los factores de deforestación según la evidencia recopilada durante los patrullajes.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Escalando la colaboración para proteger los bosques de las comunidades indígenas</h2>



<p>Al integrar los datos de GFW con los datos de campo obtenidos por las comunidades en aplicaciones interactivas, organizaciones como la ORAU fomentan la confianza y fortalecen los esfuerzos de colaboración entre los miembros de la comunidad y las partes interesadas externas. Los portales geoespaciales, desarrollados utilizando la plantilla MapBuilder dentro de ArcGIS Online, facilitan el intercambio fluido de datos ambientales cruciales, adaptados a las necesidades y contextos específicos de cada organización.</p>



<p>Perú es solo el punto de partida, lo que indica el potencial de expansión dentro de la cuenca del Amazonas. Otras comunidades indígenas y locales han comenzado a adoptar tecnologías de monitoreo. Por ejemplo, el Pueblo Sarayaku en Ecuador utiliza tecnología de monitoreo para apoyar la implementación de su plan de manejo territorial, y COCOMASUR protege el territorio de 33 comunidades afrodescendientes en Colombia. A nivel regional, el Sistema de Alerta Temprana y Respuesta Rápida AIDESEP-COICA (SAT/RR-COICA) busca combinar la tecnología de monitoreo con una plataforma y protocolos para responder a las amenazas a los territorios y pueblos indígenas.</p>



<p>El geoportal de la ORAU basado en MapBuilder es más que una simple herramienta de mapeo; es un testimonio del poder de la colaboración entre expertos en tecnología y organizaciones y comunidades indígenas. El uso de MapBuilder en Perú por organizaciones indígenas puede abrir el camino para su adopción en otros lugares, y muestra cómo la tecnología, cuando la moldean las mismas personas a las que pretende servir, puede convertirse en una herramienta poderosa para la preservación de los recursos.</p>



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Las comunidades indígenas de la Amazonía peruana protegen su patrimonio forestal con MapBuilder

Indigenous leaders in Peru are using MapBuilder to manage deforestation data in their territories and defend their ancestral forests.

Indigenous Communities in Peru Protect their Forests with MapBuilder

Deforestation Alerts

Deforestation Alerts | Global Forest Watch Blog

Small grants fund

Small grants fund | Global Forest Watch Blog

<p><em>“We are part of nature and nature lives in coexistence. Everything is interconnected and everything depends on each other … If we don’t work collaboratively and in a connected way, we sure won’t be able to move forward.” </em>– Tatiana Espinosa, President of ARBIO Perú ACOMAD – Madre De Dios, and a member of the Amazonía Que Late Network</p>



<iframe loading="lazy" width="450" height="400" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/konVVZhR5_M?si=G9R976DqJWz0eRVz" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>



<p></p>



<p>Deep in the Amazon, volunteers from the Voluntary and Communal Conservation Network of San Martin receive a deforestation alert in <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/help/forest-watcher/">Forest Watcher</a>: the forest monitoring app shows an <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/blog/data-and-research/integrated-deforestation-alerts/">alert</a> detecting a disturbance in a monitored area. The volunteers arrive by various means — from small boat, motorcycle, or horseback to endless walking — to an area that has been cleared, illegally. Within the Forest Watcher app, they document a report and capture evidence of the impact. Network volunteers alert the local authorities who launch an official investigation.</p>



<p>Guardians of the forest in San Martín, Peru, use Global Forest Watch’s (GFW) data and technologies such as Forest Watcher daily to monitor forests, prevent deforestation and defend biodiversity. <a href="https://ampaperu.info/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Amazónicos por la Amazonía</a> (AMPA) — a nonprofit organization committed to conserving Peru’s natural and cultural heritage and improving the sustainable development of the people of the Andean Amazon, and a GFW Small Grants Fund recipient — works with allies such as conservation concession holders from the San Martin Network to monitor and patrol forest areas (conservation and ecotourism concessions are public forest areas where legal management rights are granted to groups such as NGOs, like AMPA, that are organized by the civil society of the communities that voluntarily conserve the forests).</p>



<p>AMPA works with local communities and authorities to carry out joint actions to verify deforestation and raise awareness of environmental crimes. Since 2017, they actively monitored forest loss in the regions of San Martín, Loreto and Ucayali — an area that totals over 900,000 hectares. Through this work, they provided the San Martin network with a space to connect and collaborate on the conservation of the forest lands that were assigned to them for management and protection.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Leveraging GFW tools to build forest monitoring capacity</h2>



<p>AMPA is a four-time recipient of the GFW <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/grants-and-fellowships/projects/">Small Grants Fund</a> (SGF), which provides financial and technical assistance to organizations to monitor and respond to deforestation. AMPA’s projects aim to pair local knowledge with a more robust use of GFW data and tools to improve the response capacity and awareness of environmental crimes in Peru’s San Martin region. During their projects, AMPA has trained volunteers on how to use tools like GFW data and the Forest Watcher app.</p>



<p>GFW’s partnership with AMPA started in 2017 during their first year as a SGF grantee. AMPA used GFW data and tools to implement a control and surveillance system within the conservation initiatives in the San Martin Network.</p>



<p>“Associations that protect forests use [GFW] as part of their surveillance and control systems, allowing them to organize patrol watches, tours and identify areas according to the degree of threat and vulnerability,” explained Jorge Fachín, Director of the Forest Program, Conservation and Monitoring of AMPA</p>



<p>GFW tools and monitoring equipment help AMPA improve forest monitoring activities of the volunteer network by enabling them to lead patrols more easily and rapidly. The use of drones and mobile apps like Forest Watcher help the volunteers collect sufficient information to carry out field activities with authorities, collect necessary information and evidence, and generate patrol reports.</p>



<p>Over the course of several SGF projects, AMPA worked with conservation networks in the Peruvian Amazon, including San Martin to use GFW solutions and develop&nbsp;their monitoring capacity, evolving each project based on lessons learned from their previous work. This involved the use and management of deforestation alerts and the development of skills to handle GPS, drones and cameras, and a “train the trainers” approach.</p>



<p>This equipped the San Martin Network to train their members on how to use GFW tools and identify deforestation alerts, and provided young network members with personalized training for data management and tools.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">GIS and monitoring unit ready to respond to environmental crimes</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="768" height="432" src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/AMPA_photo-2_resized.jpg" alt="Volunteers using a drone" class="wp-image-16483"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Volunteers using a drone. Credit: AMPA.</figcaption></figure>



<p>AMPA also expanded its focus to continue to build capacity in forest custodian accreditation workshops, which include members of the Peruvian Amazon networks AMPA works with. This includes the formation of a Geographic Information System (GIS) and monitoring unit to monitor areas with GFW and remote sensing technology. The GIS and monitoring unit helped improve the verification of deforestation alerts and provide detailed information on the forest cover changes in the conservation areas.</p>



<p>Collaborating with technically capable monitoring brigades and forest custodians from the Peruvian Amazon networks strengthened AMPA’s ability to work directly with authorities to verify and respond to environmental crimes. The GIS and monitoring unit provided technical support in verification procedures to the authorities and prepared deforestation and field verification reports that were shared with Specialized Prosecution in Environmental Affairs (FEMA) and the Regional Environmental Authority (ARA). These reports support legal and administrative complaints against those responsible for environmental crimes, such as illegal deforestation.</p>



<p>Ultimately, authorities from FEMA and ARA officially recognized AMPA’ reports, along with GLAD alerts and Planet and drone imagery, as official evidence of environmental crimes.</p>



<p>Joint actions between AMPA’s GIS and monitoring unit, local actors and authorities helped strengthen and improve attention to environmental crimes with the active participation and involvement of local partners playing a key role. Due to the quality of reports submitted to FEMA on behalf of the San Martin Network, AMPA now has a formal inter-institutional agreement to assist the FEMA office in San Martin with collecting information on possible illegal deforestation using drones and Planet imagery.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Alliances with local authorities</h2>



<p>AMPA organized workshops with representatives of the institutions directly involved in addressing environmental crimes in the region, which included designing a unified process for representatives and partners to collect key information for investigations through technical procedures that integrated GFW data and tools. Additionally, AMPA provided trainings for FEMA and ARA members on how to best use the data and tools.</p>



<p>AMPA helped prosecutors and technicians obtain accreditation as operators of remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS, or drones) which strengthened their ability to conduct verifications. Furthermore, AMPA also supported monitoring and conservation partners to get accredited as RPAS operators, improving their ability to verify deforestation alerts in the areas they investigated, which in turn strengthened their reporting of forest-related crimes to authorities.</p>



<p>To share insights from their strategic approach for verifying and reporting crimes, AMPA developed a roadmap on integrating technology use and collaboration with local actors and authorities, including information on strategic alliances with different stakeholders (communities and local, regional and national governments).</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="724" src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/infographic_road-map-for-responding-environmental-crimes-using-glad-alerts-ampa-1024x724-1.png" alt="Infographic: Road map for responding to environmental crime" class="wp-image-16484" srcset="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/infographic_road-map-for-responding-environmental-crimes-using-glad-alerts-ampa-1024x724-1.png 1024w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/infographic_road-map-for-responding-environmental-crimes-using-glad-alerts-ampa-1024x724-1-768x543.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>This manual was created as part of the San Martin Network’s efforts to raise awareness and help address environmental crimes. They also shared this manual with partners on the platform of “<a href="https://www.amazoniaquelate.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Escuela</em> <em>Amazonía que Late</em></a>,” an initiative led by AMPA that brings together local communities, Indigenous Peoples, organized civil society and local governments, and other partners across various conservation initiatives in Peru to learn about strategies to protect its natural and cultural heritage.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Raising awareness of community forest monitoring efforts</h2>



<p>The surveillance and control system for forest monitoring developed by AMPA resulted in community advocacy efforts to raise awareness of environmental crimes within local, regional and national law enforcement authorities, including the prosecutor’s office, to reduce illegal deforestation. AMPA’s reports based on the deforestation alerts <a href="https://diariovoces.com.pe/197474/fiscalia-ambiental-de-alto-amazonas-reforzara-acciones-de-control-y-vigilancia?fbclid=IwAR3QvgpG4hFv62o7gpVVntlM7RzPtfA_3KrwUAVp-BxbsIxq50qF-4Tdfuo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">received media coverage</a> and not only caught the attention of authorities to identify offenders, but their complaints were raised to the prosecutor’s office. To date, two reports based on AMPA’s approach that were referred to the authorities have resulted in sentencing of those responsible for environmental crimes.</p>



<p>As part of their communication strategy, AMPA prepared press releases and audiovisual materials to feature the main activities of their project that were disseminated across local, regional and national media and partner websites. These communication efforts helped emphasize and highlight the role of AMPA’s participatory monitoring work and raise awareness among stakeholders of environmental crimes.</p>



<p>Additionally, AMPA has hosted meetings and workshops with public institutions responsible for forest management in Peru to explain their control and surveillance system. National and subnational government agencies have recognized AMPA as an important stakeholder in the conservation and management of forests in the San Martin region and in the Peruvian Amazon, and several additional national and regional government agencies have requested training and technical support from them.</p>



<p>“We’re proud of the renewal of the inter-institutional agreement with the Specialized Prosecution in Environmental Affairs (FEMA) and the interest of other donors to continue promoting and executing projects with forest monitoring components based on our experience in other regions,” said Jorge Fachín.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">From deforestation alert to community action and beyond</h2>



<p>A key element of AMPA’s success is their approach to building partnerships with local communities and law enforcement authorities to use tools like GFW to verify deforestation and address environmental crimes, together. Today, AMPA continues their work within the network of community conservation concessions and local law enforcement to combat deforestation in San Martin. They are building off the momentum of their first successful collaboration with law enforcement and are working with forest monitors to continue participating in field visits with FEMA. Additionally, they are expanding their geographic reach and response to environmental crimes and are working with prosecutors from four provinces, including Loreto, Amazonas and two in San Martin.</p>



<p>AMPA‘s work continues to be recognized by regional and national authorities. Notably, their inter-institutional agreement with FEMA has been renewed, and they continue to work with strategic partners and allies to promote and execute forest monitoring projects in the region. They plan to build on capacity-strengthening efforts of local forest conservation associations through participatory implementation of surveillance systems and processes for their conservation initiatives. Furthermore, they will continue to provide technical support to FEMA and coordinate with authorities and local actors that are helping deliver justice for those affected by environmental crimes, and ultimately improve the lives of the communities that depend on forests.</p>



<p><em>To learn more about AMPA, </em><a href="https://ampaperu.info/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>visit their website.</em></a></p>



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Forest Guardians in Action: Amazónicos por la Amazonía Tackles Environmental Crimes with GFW

<p><em>“We are part of nature and nature lives in coexistence. Everything is interconnected and everything depends on each other ... If we don’t work collaboratively and in a connected way, we sure won’t be able to move forward.” </em>- Tatiana Espinosa, President of ARBIO Perú ACOMAD – Madre De Dios, and a member of the Amazonía Que Late Network</p>



<iframe width="450" height="400" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/konVVZhR5_M?si=G9R976DqJWz0eRVz" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>



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<p>Deep in the Amazon, volunteers from the Voluntary and Communal Conservation Network of San Martin receive a deforestation alert in <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/help/forest-watcher/">Forest Watcher</a>: the forest monitoring app shows an <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/blog/data-and-research/integrated-deforestation-alerts/">alert</a> detecting a disturbance in a monitored area. The volunteers arrive by various means — from small boat, motorcycle, or horseback to endless walking — to an area that has been cleared, illegally. Within the Forest Watcher app, they document a report and capture evidence of the impact. Network volunteers alert the local authorities who launch an official investigation.</p>



<p>Guardians of the forest in San Martín, Peru, use Global Forest Watch’s (GFW) data and technologies such as Forest Watcher daily to monitor forests, prevent deforestation and defend biodiversity. <a href="https://ampaperu.info/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Amazónicos por la Amazonía</a> (AMPA) — a nonprofit organization committed to conserving Peru’s natural and cultural heritage and improving the sustainable development of the people of the Andean Amazon, and a GFW Small Grants Fund recipient — works with allies such as conservation concession holders from the San Martin Network to monitor and patrol forest areas (conservation and ecotourism concessions are public forest areas where legal management rights are granted to groups such as NGOs, like AMPA, that are organized by the civil society of the communities that voluntarily conserve the forests).</p>



<p>AMPA works with local communities and authorities to carry out joint actions to verify deforestation and raise awareness of environmental crimes. Since 2017, they actively monitored forest loss in the regions of San Martín, Loreto and Ucayali — an area that totals over 900,000 hectares. Through this work, they provided the San Martin network with a space to connect and collaborate on the conservation of the forest lands that were assigned to them for management and protection.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Leveraging GFW tools to build forest monitoring capacity</h2>



<p>AMPA is a four-time recipient of the GFW <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/grants-and-fellowships/projects/">Small Grants Fund</a> (SGF), which provides financial and technical assistance to organizations to monitor and respond to deforestation. AMPA’s projects aim to pair local knowledge with a more robust use of GFW data and tools to improve the response capacity and awareness of environmental crimes in Peru’s San Martin region. During their projects, AMPA has trained volunteers on how to use tools like GFW data and the Forest Watcher app.</p>



<p>GFW’s partnership with AMPA started in 2017 during their first year as a SGF grantee. AMPA used GFW data and tools to implement a control and surveillance system within the conservation initiatives in the San Martin Network.</p>



<p>“Associations that protect forests use [GFW] as part of their surveillance and control systems, allowing them to organize patrol watches, tours and identify areas according to the degree of threat and vulnerability,” explained Jorge Fachín, Director of the Forest Program, Conservation and Monitoring of AMPA</p>



<p>GFW tools and monitoring equipment help AMPA improve forest monitoring activities of the volunteer network by enabling them to lead patrols more easily and rapidly. The use of drones and mobile apps like Forest Watcher help the volunteers collect sufficient information to carry out field activities with authorities, collect necessary information and evidence, and generate patrol reports.</p>



<p>Over the course of several SGF projects, AMPA worked with conservation networks in the Peruvian Amazon, including San Martin to use GFW solutions and develop&nbsp;their monitoring capacity, evolving each project based on lessons learned from their previous work. This involved the use and management of deforestation alerts and the development of skills to handle GPS, drones and cameras, and a “train the trainers” approach.</p>



<p>This equipped the San Martin Network to train their members on how to use GFW tools and identify deforestation alerts, and provided young network members with personalized training for data management and tools.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">GIS and monitoring unit ready to respond to environmental crimes</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/AMPA_photo-2_resized.jpg" alt="Volunteers using a drone" class="wp-image-16483"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Volunteers using a drone. Credit: AMPA.</figcaption></figure>



<p>AMPA also expanded its focus to continue to build capacity in forest custodian accreditation workshops, which include members of the Peruvian Amazon networks AMPA works with. This includes the formation of a Geographic Information System (GIS) and monitoring unit to monitor areas with GFW and remote sensing technology. The GIS and monitoring unit helped improve the verification of deforestation alerts and provide detailed information on the forest cover changes in the conservation areas.</p>



<p>Collaborating with technically capable monitoring brigades and forest custodians from the Peruvian Amazon networks strengthened AMPA’s ability to work directly with authorities to verify and respond to environmental crimes. The GIS and monitoring unit provided technical support in verification procedures to the authorities and prepared deforestation and field verification reports that were shared with Specialized Prosecution in Environmental Affairs (FEMA) and the Regional Environmental Authority (ARA). These reports support legal and administrative complaints against those responsible for environmental crimes, such as illegal deforestation.</p>



<p>Ultimately, authorities from FEMA and ARA officially recognized AMPA’ reports, along with GLAD alerts and Planet and drone imagery, as official evidence of environmental crimes.</p>



<p>Joint actions between AMPA’s GIS and monitoring unit, local actors and authorities helped strengthen and improve attention to environmental crimes with the active participation and involvement of local partners playing a key role. Due to the quality of reports submitted to FEMA on behalf of the San Martin Network, AMPA now has a formal inter-institutional agreement to assist the FEMA office in San Martin with collecting information on possible illegal deforestation using drones and Planet imagery.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Alliances with local authorities</h2>



<p>AMPA organized workshops with representatives of the institutions directly involved in addressing environmental crimes in the region, which included designing a unified process for representatives and partners to collect key information for investigations through technical procedures that integrated GFW data and tools. Additionally, AMPA provided trainings for FEMA and ARA members on how to best use the data and tools.</p>



<p>AMPA helped prosecutors and technicians obtain accreditation as operators of remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS, or drones) which strengthened their ability to conduct verifications. Furthermore, AMPA also supported monitoring and conservation partners to get accredited as RPAS operators, improving their ability to verify deforestation alerts in the areas they investigated, which in turn strengthened their reporting of forest-related crimes to authorities.</p>



<p>To share insights from their strategic approach for verifying and reporting crimes, AMPA developed a roadmap on integrating technology use and collaboration with local actors and authorities, including information on strategic alliances with different stakeholders (communities and local, regional and national governments).</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/infographic_road-map-for-responding-environmental-crimes-using-glad-alerts-ampa-1024x724-1.png" alt="Infographic: Road map for responding to environmental crime" class="wp-image-16484"/></figure>



<p>This manual was created as part of the San Martin Network’s efforts to raise awareness and help address environmental crimes. They also shared this manual with partners on the platform of “<a href="https://www.amazoniaquelate.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Escuela</em> <em>Amazonía que Late</em></a>,” an initiative led by AMPA that brings together local communities, Indigenous Peoples, organized civil society and local governments, and other partners across various conservation initiatives in Peru to learn about strategies to protect its natural and cultural heritage.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Raising awareness of community forest monitoring efforts</h2>



<p>The surveillance and control system for forest monitoring developed by AMPA resulted in community advocacy efforts to raise awareness of environmental crimes within local, regional and national law enforcement authorities, including the prosecutor's office, to reduce illegal deforestation. AMPA’s reports based on the deforestation alerts <a href="https://diariovoces.com.pe/197474/fiscalia-ambiental-de-alto-amazonas-reforzara-acciones-de-control-y-vigilancia?fbclid=IwAR3QvgpG4hFv62o7gpVVntlM7RzPtfA_3KrwUAVp-BxbsIxq50qF-4Tdfuo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">received media coverage</a> and not only caught the attention of authorities to identify offenders, but their complaints were raised to the prosecutor’s office. To date, two reports based on AMPA’s approach that were referred to the authorities have resulted in sentencing of those responsible for environmental crimes.</p>



<p>As part of their communication strategy, AMPA prepared press releases and audiovisual materials to feature the main activities of their project that were disseminated across local, regional and national media and partner websites. These communication efforts helped emphasize and highlight the role of AMPA’s participatory monitoring work and raise awareness among stakeholders of environmental crimes.</p>



<p>Additionally, AMPA has hosted meetings and workshops with public institutions responsible for forest management in Peru to explain their control and surveillance system. National and subnational government agencies have recognized AMPA as an important stakeholder in the conservation and management of forests in the San Martin region and in the Peruvian Amazon, and several additional national and regional government agencies have requested training and technical support from them.</p>



<p>“We’re proud of the renewal of the inter-institutional agreement with the Specialized Prosecution in Environmental Affairs (FEMA) and the interest of other donors to continue promoting and executing projects with forest monitoring components based on our experience in other regions,” said Jorge Fachín.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">From deforestation alert to community action and beyond</h2>



<p>A key element of AMPA’s success is their approach to building partnerships with local communities and law enforcement authorities to use tools like GFW to verify deforestation and address environmental crimes, together. Today, AMPA continues their work within the network of community conservation concessions and local law enforcement to combat deforestation in San Martin. They are building off the momentum of their first successful collaboration with law enforcement and are working with forest monitors to continue participating in field visits with FEMA. Additionally, they are expanding their geographic reach and response to environmental crimes and are working with prosecutors from four provinces, including Loreto, Amazonas and two in San Martin.</p>



<p>AMPA‘s work continues to be recognized by regional and national authorities. Notably, their inter-institutional agreement with FEMA has been renewed, and they continue to work with strategic partners and allies to promote and execute forest monitoring projects in the region. They plan to build on capacity-strengthening efforts of local forest conservation associations through participatory implementation of surveillance systems and processes for their conservation initiatives. Furthermore, they will continue to provide technical support to FEMA and coordinate with authorities and local actors that are helping deliver justice for those affected by environmental crimes, and ultimately improve the lives of the communities that depend on forests.</p>



<p><em>To learn more about AMPA, </em><a href="https://ampaperu.info/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>visit their website.</em></a></p>



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<p><em>“Somos parte de la naturaleza y la naturaleza vive en conjunto. Todo está interconectado y todo depende una cosa de otra,.. Si no trabajamos en una manera colaborativa y de manera vinculada, no vamos a poder seguir adelante.”</em> - Tatiana Espinosa, Presidenta ARBIO Perú ACOMAD – Madre De Dios, Integrante de la Red Amazonía Que Late</p>



<iframe width="450" height="400" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/konVVZhR5_M?si=G9R976DqJWz0eRVz" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>



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<p>En lo profundo del Amazonía Andina Peruana, los integrantes de la Red Conservación Voluntaria y Comunal de San Martín reciben una alerta de deforestación en <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/help/forest-watcher/">Forest Watcher</a>: el aplicativo de monitoreo forestal muestra una <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/blog/data-and-research/integrated-deforestation-alerts/">alerta</a> que detecta una perturbación en un área monitoreada. Los voluntarios de la red se dirigen por diferentes medios (navegando en su peque – peque o moto, o interminables caminatas o a lomo de acémila) hasta las coordenadas y llegan a una zona que ha sido deforestada ilegalmente. Dentro de la aplicación Forest Watcher, documentan un informe y capturan evidencias del impacto. Los voluntarios de la red alertan a las autoridades locales que inician una investigación oficial.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Los guardianes del bosque en San Martín, Perú, utilizan diariamente los datos y tecnologías de Global Forest Watch (GFW), así como Forest Watcher, para monitorear los bosques, prevenir la deforestación y defender la biodiversidad. <a href="https://ampaperu.info/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Amazónicos por la Amazonía</a> (AMPA), una organización sin fines de lucro comprometida con la conservación del patrimonio natural y cultural del Perú y la mejora del desarrollo sostenible de los pueblos de la Amazonía andina, y receptora del Fondo de Pequeñas Subvenciones de GFW, trabaja con aliados como los titulares de concesiones de conservación del Red San Martín para monitorear y patrullar áreas forestales (las concesiones para conservación/ecoturismo son áreas de bosque público en las que se otorgan derechos legales de manejo a grupos como ONG como AMPA y sociedad civil organizada de las comunidades que voluntariamente vienen conservando los bosques).&nbsp;</p>



<p>AMPA trabaja con comunidades y autoridades locales para realizar acciones conjuntas para verificar la deforestación y generar conciencia sobre los delitos ambientales. Desde el 2017 monitorean activamente la pérdida de bosques en las regiones de San Martín, Loreto y Ucayali, un área que suma más de 900,00hectáreas. A través de este trabajo, brindaron a la red San Martín un espacio para conectarse y colaborar en la conservación de las tierras forestales que les fueron asignadas para su manejo y protección.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Aprovechar las herramientas de GFW para desarrollar la capacidad de monitoreo forestal</h2>



<p>AMPA ha recibido por cuatro oportunidades el <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/grants-and-fellowships/projects/">Fondo de Pequeñas Subvenciones</a> (SGF) de GFW, que brinda asistencia financiera y técnica a organizaciones para monitorear y responder a la deforestación. Sus proyectos tenían como objetivo combinar el conocimiento local con un uso más sólido de los datos y herramientas de GFW para mejorar la capacidad de respuesta y hacer incidencia sobre los delitos ambientales en la región de San Martín, en la Amazonia de Perú. Durante su proyecto, AMPA ha capacitado a los integrantes de la red de conservación de San Martin sobre cómo utilizar herramientas como los datos de GFW y la aplicación Forest Watcher.&nbsp;</p>



<p>La alianza de GFW con AMPA comenzó en 2017, durante su primer año como beneficiario del SGF. AMPA utilizó datos y herramientas de GFW para implementar un sistema de control y vigilancia dentro de las iniciativas de conservación en la Red San Martín.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“Las asociaciones locales que protegen los bosques utilizan [GFW] como parte de sus sistemas de vigilancia y control, lo que les permite organizar patrullajes, recorridos e identificar áreas según el grado de amenaza y vulnerabilidad”, explicó Jorge Fachín, Director del Programa de Conservación y Monitoreo de AMPA.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Las herramientas y el equipo de monitoreo de GFW ayudan a AMPA a mejorar las actividades de monitoreo forestal de la red de conservación de San Martin al permitirles liderar patrullas de manera más fácil y rápida. El uso de los drones y las aplicaciones móviles como Forest Watcher los ayudan a recopilar información importante para llevar a cabo actividades de campo con las autoridades, recopilar la información y evidencia necesarias y generar informes de patrullaje.&nbsp;</p>



<p>En el transcurso de los diferentes proyectos del SGF, AMPA trabajó con redes de conservación de la Amazonia Peruana, que incluye a San Martín en, para utilizar las soluciones de GFW y desarrollar sus capacidades de monitoreo, evolucionando cada proyecto en función de las lecciones aprendidas de su trabajo anterior. Esto implicó el uso y gestión de alertas de deforestación y el desarrollo de habilidades para manejar GPS, drones y cámaras fotográficas, y un enfoque de “formación de formadores”. Esto equipó a la Red San Martín para capacitar a sus miembros sobre cómo utilizar las herramientas de GFW e identificar alertas de deforestación, y brindó a los miembros jóvenes de la red capacitación personalizada para la gestión de datos y herramientas.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Unidad de sistemas de información geográfica (SIG) y monitoreo listos para la atención sobre delitos ambientales</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/AMPA_photo-2_resized.jpg" alt="Volunteers using a drone" class="wp-image-16483"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Crédito: AMPA.</figcaption></figure>



<p>AMPA también amplió su enfoque para continuar desarrollando capacidades en los talleres de acreditación de custodios forestales, que incluyen a los integrantes de las redes de la Amazonia peruana con las que trabaja AMPA, incluida la conformación de una unidad de Sistemas de Información Geográfica (SIG) y monitoreo, que brinda soporte continuo para monitorear áreas con GFW, sensores remotos y tecnología.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>La unidad de Sistemas de Información Geográfica (SIG) y monitoreo ayudaron a mejorar la verificación de las alertas de deforestación y proporcionar información detallada sobre los cambios en la cubierta forestal en las áreas de conservación.&nbsp;</p>



<p>La colaboración con brigadas de monitoreo con capacidad técnica y custodios forestales de las redes de la Amazonía peruana fortaleció la capacidad de AMPA para trabajar directamente con las autoridades para verificar y responder a los delitos ambientales. La unidad de Sistemas de Información Geográfica (SIG) y monitoreo brindaron soporte técnico en los procedimientos de verificación a las autoridades, elaboraron informes de deforestación y verificación de campo que fueron compartidos con la Fiscalía Especializada en Asuntos Ambientales (FEMA) y la Autoridad Ambiental Regional (ARA). Estos informes sustentan denuncias judiciales y administrativas contra los responsables de delitos ambientales, como la deforestación ilegal.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>Finalmente, las autoridades de FEMA y ARA reconocieron oficialmente los informes de AMPA, junto con las alertas de GLAD, las imágenes&nbsp; Planet y las imágenes de drones como evidencia oficial de delitos ambientales.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Las acciones conjuntas entre La unidad de Sistemas de Información Geográfica (SIG) y monitoreo, los actores y autoridades locales ayudaron a fortalecer y mejorar la atención a los delitos ambientales, con la participación activa y el involucramiento de los socios locales jugando un papel clave. Debido a la calidad de los informes presentados a FEMA en nombre de la Red San Martín, AMPA ahora tiene un acuerdo de cooperación interinstitucional formal para coadyuvar a las fiscalías de la FEMA en San Martín a recopilar información sobre posible deforestación ilegal utilizando drones e imágenes de Planet.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Alianzas con autoridades locales</h2>



<p>AMPA organizó talleres y mesas de trabajo con representantes de las instituciones directamente involucradas en abordar los delitos ambientales en la región, que incluyeron el diseño de un formato unificado para que representantes y socios recopilen información clave para las investigaciones a través de procedimientos técnicos que integraron datos y herramientas de GFW. Además, AMPA brindó capacitación a los miembros de Fiscalia Especializada en Materia Ambienta (FEMA) y la Autoridad Regional Ambiental (ARA sobre cómo utilizar mejor los datos y las herramientas.&nbsp;</p>



<p>AMPA ayudó a fiscales y técnicos a obtener la acreditación como operadores de sistemas de aeronaves pilotadas a distancia (RPAS o drones), lo que fortaleció su capacidad para realizar verificaciones. Además, AMPA también apoyó a los socios de monitoreo y conservación para obtener la acreditación como operadores de RPAS, mejorando su capacidad para verificar las alertas de deforestación en las áreas que investigaron, lo que a su vez fortaleció su presentación de delitos relacionados con los bosques ante las autoridades.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Para compartir conocimientos de su enfoque estratégico para verificar y denunciar delitos, AMPA desarrolló una hoja de ruta sobre la integración del uso de la tecnología y la colaboración con actores y autoridades locales, incluida información sobre alianzas estratégicas con diferentes partes interesadas (comunidades y gobiernos locales, regionales y nacionales).&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/infografia_ruta-de-atencion-a-delitos-ambientales-usando-alertas-glad-ampa-1024x724-1.jpeg" alt="Infografia: Ruta de atencion a delitos amientales" class="wp-image-16495"/></figure>



<p>Este manual fue creado como parte de los esfuerzos de la Red San Martín para crear conciencia y ayudar a abordar los delitos ambientales. También compartieron este manual en la plataforma de la “<a href="https://www.amazoniaquelate.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Escuela Amazonía que Late</a>”, una iniciativa liderada por AMPA, y que fue diseñada para las comunidades locales, pueblos indígenas, sociedad civil organizada y gobiernos locales, y otros socios de varias iniciativas de conservación en Perú para aprender sobre estrategias para proteger su patrimonio natural y cultural.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Crear conciencia sobre los esfuerzos de monitoreo forestal comunitario</h2>



<p>El sistema de vigilancia y control para el monitoreo forestal desarrollado por AMPA dio como resultado esfuerzos de promoción comunitaria para crear conciencia sobre los delitos ambientales dentro de las autoridades policiales locales, regionales y nacionales, incluida la fiscalía, para reducir la deforestación ilegal. Los informes del AMPA basados en las alertas de deforestación <a href="https://diariovoces.com.pe/197474/fiscalia-ambiental-de-alto-amazonas-reforzara-acciones-de-control-y-vigilancia?fbclid=IwAR3QvgpG4hFv62o7gpVVntlM7RzPtfA_3KrwUAVp-BxbsIxq50qF-4Tdfuo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">recibieron cobertura mediática</a> y no sólo llamaron la atención de las autoridades para identificar a los infractores, sino que sus denuncias fueron elevadas a la fiscalía. Hasta el momento, dos informes que se derivaron a las autoridades competentes y que contiene el enfoque de AMPA han resultado en sentencias contra los responsables de los delitos ambientales.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Como parte de su estrategia de comunicación, AMPA preparó comunicados de prensa y materiales audiovisuales para presentar las principales actividades de su proyecto que se difundieron en los medios locales, regionales y nacionales y en los sitios web de los socios. Estos esfuerzos de comunicación ayudaron a enfatizar y resaltar el papel del trabajo de monitoreo participativo de AMPA y crear conciencia entre las partes interesadas sobre los delitos ambientales.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Además, AMPA ha organizado reuniones y talleres con instituciones públicas responsables del manejo forestal en Perú para explicar su sistema de control y vigilancia. Las agencias gubernamentales nacionales y subnacionales han reconocido al AMPA como un actor importante en la conservación y el manejo de los bosques en la región de San Martín y en la Amazonía peruana, y varias agencias gubernamentales nacionales y regionales adicionales les han solicitado capacitación y apoyo técnico.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“Estamos orgullosos de la renovación del convenio interinstitucional con la Fiscalía Especializada en Asuntos Ambientales (FEMA) y del interés de otros donantes de seguir impulsando y ejecutando proyectos con componentes de monitoreo forestal basados en nuestra experiencia en otras regiones”, dijo Jorge Fachín.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">De la alerta de deforestación a la acción comunitaria y más allá</h2>



<p>Un elemento clave del éxito de AMPA es su enfoque para generar alianzas con comunidades locales y autoridades encargadas de hacer cumplir la ley para utilizar herramientas como GFW para verificar la deforestación y abordar los delitos ambientales, juntos. Hoy, AMPA continúa su trabajo dentro de la red de concesiones de conservación comunitaria y aplicación de la ley local para combatir la deforestación en San Martín. Están aprovechando el impulso de su primera colaboración exitosa con las autoridades y están trabajando con monitores forestales para continuar participando en visitas de campo con FEMA. Además, están ampliando su alcance geográfico y su respuesta para la atención a los delitos ambientales y están trabajando con fiscalías de cuatro regiones, incluidas Loreto, Amazonas y dos de San Martín.&nbsp;</p>



<p>El trabajo de AMPA sigue siendo reconocido por las autoridades regionales y nacionales. Cabe destacar que han renovado su acuerdo interinstitucional con FEMA y continúan trabajando con socios y aliados estratégicos para promover y ejecutar proyectos de monitoreo forestal en la región. Planean aprovechar los esfuerzos de fortalecimiento de capacidades de las asociaciones locales que conservan los bosques mediante la implementación participativa de sistemas y procesos de vigilancia para sus iniciativas de conservación. Además, continuarán brindando apoyo técnico a FEMA y coordinando con autoridades y actores locales que están ayudando a impartir justicia a los afectados por delitos ambientales contribuyendo de esta manera a la mejorar las vidas de las comunidades que dependen de los bosques.&nbsp;</p>



<p><em>Para obtener más información sobre AMPA, </em><a href="https://ampaperu.info/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>visite su página web</em></a><em>.</em></p>



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Guardianes del bosque en acción: Amazónicos por la Amazonía abordan los delitos ambientales con GFW

GFW Small Grants Fund recipient AMPA is working with communities and authorities to to verify and raise awareness of environmental crimes.

AMPA Tackles Environmental Crimes with GFW | GFW Blog

Indigenous community monitors in Copal Urco plan a patrol to monitor deforestation

<p>Loreto, Peru — A forest monitor from the Indigenous community of Vista Hermosa checks her smartphone. A satellite map showing the forest around her pops up. Her community’s territory is outlined and pink pixels—deforestation alerts—are visible within the boundaries. She and her fellow forest monitors react quickly, patrolling to the alert to confirm the deforestation. Finding the stumps and area cleared, they snap some photos and record their observations, and return to their community to relay the information and decide what to do next.</p>



<p>Vista Hermosa, along with 75 other communities in the Northeastern region of Peru are participants in a two-year randomized control trial, conducted by researchers at New from Johns Hopkins University and New York University, in partnership with the <a href="https://rainforestfoundation.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rainforest Foundation US (RFUS)</a>, <a href="http://www.orpio.org.pe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ORPIO</a> and Global Forest Watch, to determine whether equipping Indigenous communities with satellite data could help bring deforestation rates down.</p>



<p>The results, released today in the <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/118/29/e2015171118" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences</a>, found that communities that implemented technology-based forest monitoring saw a reduction of 52% in the first year and 21% in the second year, compared to similar territories that did not change their monitoring practices. The most significant reductions were in communities facing the most immediate threats to their forests. These findings have implications for deforestation prevention strategies across the Amazon as a low-cost, <a href="https://www-newsweek-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.newsweek.com/proven-hidden-climate-solution-opinion-1585765?amp=1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">high-return strategy</a> to combat climate change.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">You Can’t Prevent Deforestation If You Can’t See It</h3>



<p>The premise of the study was simple — in order to effectively act against deforestation within their territories, Indigenous communities first must be able to quickly detect it. Satellites offered a solution. Orbiting and imaging the Earth constantly, they can show changes in forest cover between images on tiny scales. These images are used to build GLAD alerts, updated weekly on the GFW platform to show likely instances of deforestation, as well as the weekly alerts produced by Peru’s Ministry of the Environment.</p>



<div class="imageright"><img decoding="async" class=" wp-image-3569 alignright" style="padding-bottom: 10px;" alt="A community monitor in Remanso del Amazonas identifies early warning signs of deforestation" src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/p_paisa_20150105_113737-scaled.jpg" width="100%">A community monitor in Remanso del Amazonas identifies early warning signs of deforestation. Photo by Beder Olortegui.</div>



<p>But these systems rely on technology access to use. Often the places where the use of alerts could have the biggest impact are deep in the rainforest, with no access to the internet or cell service.</p>



<p>“What good does the information do if it’s only seen by a bunch of academics and people in glass buildings?” said Tom Bewick, Peru Country Director for the Rainforest Foundation US, who was a principal architect of the study’s monitoring program. “The whole point is putting it into action.”</p>



<p>So, in order to put the data into action, RFUS provided each participating community with smartphones and training on the use of the phones, alerts and drones. Then, once per month, a courier would hand deliver the latest alert data along with maps and GPS coordinates to each community on a thumb drive. Community monitors could then transfer the data to their phones and access it offline to conduct patrols. The hope was that timely follow-up on the alerts would allow communities to stop deforestation in its tracks.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Elected Monitors Represent Their Communities</h3>



<p>ORPIO and the researchers identified 76 communities to participate in the study. Through a randomized lottery, 39 communities were selected to participate in the active monitoring program and 37 communities were designated to serve as controls. Later, three of the 39 selected communities decided not to participate.</p>



<p>Communities participating in the study selected three members to serve as forest monitors, who would take responsibility for investigating deforestation alerts in their territories. Forest monitors received a daily stipend of $8 (USD) while out on patrols.</p>



<p>When an alert was verified to be unauthorized clearing, monitors documented and brought their evidence back to the community to make collective decisions about how to follow up. Often, trees are cut by outsiders, either to illegally harvest logs, clear for agriculture, or cultivate coca for cocaine production.</p>



<p>Sometimes communities decide to confront the encroachers themselves. This was the case in <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/blog/people/smart-phones-and-satellite-imagery-the-indigenous-monitors-of-vista-hermosa-take-action/?utm_campaign=LAUNCH:+EGAP+Study&utm_medium=bitly&utm_source=GFWBlog" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vista Hermosa</a>, where, when shown the satellite images of their clandestine operations, the culprits decided to abandon the clearing. In other cases, communities have compiled reports to provide to the <a href="https://rainforestfoundation.org/video-indigenous-peruvians-are-using-satellites-and-drones-to-fight-deforestation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">environmental authorities in Peru</a>, who have then taken actions against the perpetrators.</p>



<p>Regardless of what a community decided to do with the information, having designated monitors reduced decision-making delays that could otherwise stall the response to encroachment. A comparison of the 36 participating communities to 37 control groups that maintained their typical monitoring practices found that monitoring activity intensified in communities where authority was invested in monitors. The average rate of territorial patrols and corresponding deforestation reports doubled in the first year.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Community Monitoring Methods Can be Replicated Elsewhere</h3>



<p>What the results of this study show is that investing in forest communities improves their capacity to protect their own territories, and this results in averted deforestation.</p>



<p>Bewick says that the model demonstrated by the project in Loreto could be adapted and expanded across the Amazon. According to the study, adopting similar local governance strategies in Peru could save 134,000 of 500,000 hectares of forests likely to be lost over the next decade. In Brazil, 300,000 of 2.2 million hectares of deforestation could be averted in the same time scale.</p>



<p>“Loreto represents everywhere,” Bewick said. “There’s a solution here, it’s cost effective, and it works. This would be a good investment for the future, not only for Peru but for our planet.”</p>



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Supplied with Tech, Indigenous Forest Monitors Curb Deforestation

<p>Loreto, Peru — A forest monitor from the Indigenous community of Vista Hermosa checks her smartphone. A satellite map showing the forest around her pops up. Her community’s territory is outlined and pink pixels—deforestation alerts—are visible within the boundaries. She and her fellow forest monitors react quickly, patrolling to the alert to confirm the deforestation. Finding the stumps and area cleared, they snap some photos and record their observations, and return to their community to relay the information and decide what to do next.</p>



<p>Vista Hermosa, along with 75 other communities in the Northeastern region of Peru are participants in a two-year randomized control trial, conducted by researchers at New from Johns Hopkins University and New York University, in partnership with the <a href="https://rainforestfoundation.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rainforest Foundation US (RFUS)</a>, <a href="http://www.orpio.org.pe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ORPIO</a> and Global Forest Watch, to determine whether equipping Indigenous communities with satellite data could help bring deforestation rates down.</p>



<p>The results, released today in the <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/118/29/e2015171118" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences</a>, found that communities that implemented technology-based forest monitoring saw a reduction of 52% in the first year and 21% in the second year, compared to similar territories that did not change their monitoring practices. The most significant reductions were in communities facing the most immediate threats to their forests. These findings have implications for deforestation prevention strategies across the Amazon as a low-cost, <a href="https://www-newsweek-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.newsweek.com/proven-hidden-climate-solution-opinion-1585765?amp=1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">high-return strategy</a> to combat climate change.</p>



<h3>You Can’t Prevent Deforestation If You Can’t See It</h3>



<p>The premise of the study was simple — in order to effectively act against deforestation within their territories, Indigenous communities first must be able to quickly detect it. Satellites offered a solution. Orbiting and imaging the Earth constantly, they can show changes in forest cover between images on tiny scales. These images are used to build GLAD alerts, updated weekly on the GFW platform to show likely instances of deforestation, as well as the weekly alerts produced by Peru's Ministry of the Environment.</p>



<div class="imageright"><img class=" wp-image-3569 alignright" style="padding-bottom: 10px;" alt="A community monitor in Remanso del Amazonas identifies early warning signs of deforestation" src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/p_paisa_20150105_113737-scaled.jpg" width="100%">A community monitor in Remanso del Amazonas identifies early warning signs of deforestation. Photo by Beder Olortegui.</div>



<p>But these systems rely on technology access to use. Often the places where the use of alerts could have the biggest impact are deep in the rainforest, with no access to the internet or cell service.</p>



<p>“What good does the information do if it’s only seen by a bunch of academics and people in glass buildings?” said Tom Bewick, Peru Country Director for the Rainforest Foundation US, who was a principal architect of the study’s monitoring program. “The whole point is putting it into action.”</p>



<p>So, in order to put the data into action, RFUS provided each participating community with smartphones and training on the use of the phones, alerts and drones. Then, once per month, a courier would hand deliver the latest alert data along with maps and GPS coordinates to each community on a thumb drive. Community monitors could then transfer the data to their phones and access it offline to conduct patrols. The hope was that timely follow-up on the alerts would allow communities to stop deforestation in its tracks.</p>



<h3>Elected Monitors Represent Their Communities</h3>



<p>ORPIO and the researchers identified 76 communities to participate in the study. Through a randomized lottery, 39 communities were selected to participate in the active monitoring program and 37 communities were designated to serve as controls. Later, three of the 39 selected communities decided not to participate.</p>



<p>Communities participating in the study selected three members to serve as forest monitors, who would take responsibility for investigating deforestation alerts in their territories. Forest monitors received a daily stipend of $8 (USD) while out on patrols.</p>



<p>When an alert was verified to be unauthorized clearing, monitors documented and brought their evidence back to the community to make collective decisions about how to follow up. Often, trees are cut by outsiders, either to illegally harvest logs, clear for agriculture, or cultivate coca for cocaine production.</p>



<p>Sometimes communities decide to confront the encroachers themselves. This was the case in <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/blog/people/smart-phones-and-satellite-imagery-the-indigenous-monitors-of-vista-hermosa-take-action/?utm_campaign=LAUNCH:+EGAP+Study&amp;utm_medium=bitly&amp;utm_source=GFWBlog" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vista Hermosa</a>, where, when shown the satellite images of their clandestine operations, the culprits decided to abandon the clearing. In other cases, communities have compiled reports to provide to the <a href="https://rainforestfoundation.org/video-indigenous-peruvians-are-using-satellites-and-drones-to-fight-deforestation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">environmental authorities in Peru</a>, who have then taken actions against the perpetrators.</p>



<p>Regardless of what a community decided to do with the information, having designated monitors reduced decision-making delays that could otherwise stall the response to encroachment. A comparison of the 36 participating communities to 37 control groups that maintained their typical monitoring practices found that monitoring activity intensified in communities where authority was invested in monitors. The average rate of territorial patrols and corresponding deforestation reports doubled in the first year.</p>



<h3>Community Monitoring Methods Can be Replicated Elsewhere</h3>



<p>What the results of this study show is that investing in forest communities improves their capacity to protect their own territories, and this results in averted deforestation.</p>



<p>Bewick says that the model demonstrated by the project in Loreto could be adapted and expanded across the Amazon. According to the study, adopting similar local governance strategies in Peru could save 134,000 of 500,000 hectares of forests likely to be lost over the next decade. In Brazil, 300,000 of 2.2 million hectares of deforestation could be averted in the same time scale.</p>



<p>“Loreto represents everywhere,” Bewick said. “There’s a solution here, it’s cost effective, and it works. This would be a good investment for the future, not only for Peru but for our planet.”</p>



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<p>Loreto, Perú — Una monitora forestal de la comunidad indígena de Vista Hermosa revisa su teléfono inteligente. Aparece un mapa satelital que muestra el bosque a su alrededor. El territorio de su comunidad aparece resaltado y se observan los píxeles rosados (alertas de deforestación) dentro de los límites. Ella y sus compañeros monitores del bosque reaccionan rápidamente, patrullando la zona de alerta para confirmar la deforestación. Al encontrar los tocones y el área despejados, toman algunas fotos, registran sus observaciones, y regresan a su comunidad para transmitir la información y decidir qué hacer a continuación.</p>



<p>Vista Hermosa, junto con otras 75 comunidades en la región noreste de Perú, participan en un ensayo de control aleatorio de dos años, realizado por investigadores de Johns Hopkins University y New York University, en asociación con <a href="https://rainforestfoundation.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rainforest Foundation US (RFUS)</a>, <a href="http://www.orpio.org.pe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ORPIO</a> y Global Forest Watch, para determinar si equipar a las comunidades indígenas con datos satelitales podría ayudar a reducir las tasas de deforestación.</p>



<p>Los resultados, publicados hoy en <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/118/29/e2015171118" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences</a>, encontraron que las comunidades que implementaron el monitoreo forestal basado en tecnología vieron una reducción del 52% en el primer año y del 21% en el segundo año, en comparación con territorios similares que no cambiaron sus prácticas de seguimiento. Las reducciones más significativas se produjeron en las comunidades que enfrentan las amenazas más inmediatas a sus bosques. Estos hallazgos tienen implicancias para las estrategias de prevención de la deforestación en la Amazonía como <a href="https://www-newsweek-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.newsweek.com/proven-hidden-climate-solution-opinion-1585765?amp=1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">estrategia de alto rendimiento</a> para combatir el cambio climático.</p>



<h3>No se puede prevenir la deforestación si no se la ve</h3>



<p>La premisa del estudio fue simple — para actuar eficazmente contra la deforestación dentro de sus territorios, las comunidades indígenas primero deben poder detectarla rápidamente. Los satélites ofrecieron una solución. Orbitando y tomando imágenes de la Tierra constantemente, pueden mostrar cambios en la cobertura forestal entre imágenes a escalas diminutas. Estas imágenes se utilizan para generar alertas GLAD, que se actualizan semanalmente en la plataforma GFW para mostrar posibles casos de deforestación, así como las alertas semanales producidas por el Ministerio de Medio Ambiente de Perú.</p>



<div class="imageright"><img class=" wp-image-3569 alignright" style="padding-bottom: 10px;" alt="Un monitor comunitario en Remanso del Amazonas identifica señales tempranas de alerta de deforestación" src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/p_paisa_20150105_113737-scaled.jpg" width="100%">Un monitor comunitario en Remanso del Amazonas identifica alertas tempranas de deforestación. Foto de Beder Olortegui.</div>



<p>Pero el uso de estos sistemas depende del acceso a la tecnología para su uso. A menudo, los lugares donde el uso de alertas podría tener el mayor impacto se encuentran en plena selva tropical, sin acceso a Internet ni al servicio celular.</p>



<p>"¿De qué sirve la información si solo la ven un grupo de académicos y personas en edificios de vidrio?" dijo Tom Bewick, director de país para Perú de Rainforest Foundation US, uno de los principales arquitectos del programa de monitoreo del estudio. "El objetivo es ponerla en acción."</p>



<p>Entonces, para poner los datos en acción, RFUS facilitó teléfonos inteligentes a cada comunidad participante y capacitación sobre el uso de teléfonos, alertas y drones. Además, una vez al mes, un mensajero entregaría personalmente los últimos datos de alerta junto con mapas y coordenadas GPS a cada comunidad, en una memoria USB. Los monitores comunitarios podrían luego transferir los datos a sus teléfonos y acceder a ellos fuera de línea para realizar patrullas. La esperanza era que el seguimiento oportuno de las alertas permitiera a las comunidades detener la deforestación en seco.</p>



<h3>Los monitores electos representan a sus comunidades</h3>



<p>ORPIO y los investigadores identificaron 76 comunidades factibles de participar en el estudio. A través de un sorteo aleatorio, se seleccionaron 39 comunidades para participar en el programa de monitoreo activo y se designaron 37 comunidades para servir como controles. Posteriormente, tres de las 39 comunidades seleccionadas decidieron retirarse.</p>



<p>Las comunidades que participaron en el estudio seleccionaron a tres miembros para que actuaran como monitores forestales, quienes serían responsables de investigar las alertas de deforestación en sus territorios. Los monitores forestales recibieron un estipendio diario de $8 (USD) mientras patrullaban.</p>



<p>Cuando se verificó que una alerta era un despeje no autorizado, los monitores documentaron y llevaron su evidencia a la comunidad para tomar decisiones colectivas sobre los pasos a seguir. A menudo, los árboles son cortados por forasteros, ya sea para recolectar troncos ilegalmente, talarlos para la agricultura o cultivar coca para la producción de cocaína.</p>



<p>A veces, las comunidades deciden enfrentar a los invasores. Este fue el caso en <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/blog/people/smart-phones-and-satellite-imagery-the-indigenous-monitors-of-vista-hermosa-take-action/?utm_campaign=LAUNCH:+EGAP+Study&amp;utm_medium=bitly&amp;utm_source=GFWBlog" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vista Hermosa</a>, donde, al mostrarles las imágenes satelitales, evidencia de sus operaciones clandestinas, los culpables decidieron abandonar el claro. En otros casos, las comunidades han compilado informes para proporcionárselos a las <a href="https://rainforestfoundation.org/video-indigenous-peruvians-are-using-satellites-and-drones-to-fight-deforestation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">autoridades ambientales en Perú</a>, quienes luego han tomado acciones contra los perpetradores.</p>



<p>Independientemente de lo que una comunidad decidió hacer con la información, tener monitores designados redujo las demoras en la toma de decisiones que, de otro modo, podrían retrasar la pronta respuesta ante la intrusión. Una comparación de las 36 comunidades participantes con 37 grupos de control que mantuvieron sus prácticas de monitoreo típicas encontró que la actividad de monitoreo se intensificó en las comunidades donde se dio autoridad a los monitores. La tasa promedio de patrullas territoriales y los correspondientes informes de deforestación se duplicaron en el primer año.</p>



<h3>Los métodos de monitoreo comunitario se pueden replicar en otros lugares</h3>



<p>Lo que muestran los resultados de este estudio es que invertir en las comunidades forestales mejora su capacidad para proteger sus propios territorios, y esto resulta en una deforestación que se evita.</p>



<p>Bewick dice que el modelo demostrado por el proyecto en Loreto podría adaptarse y expandirse a lo largo de la Amazonía. Según el estudio, adoptando estrategias de gobernanza local similares, en Perú podrían salvarse 134.000 de las 500.000 hectáreas de bosques que, de seguir como hasta ahora, probablemente se perderían durante el transcurso de la próxima década. En Brasil, 300.000 de 2,2 millones de hectáreas de deforestación podrían evitarse en el mismo período.</p>



<p>“Loreto es una muestra de lo que podríamos lograr en todas partes”, dijo Bewick. “Aquí hay una solución, es rentable y funciona. Esta sería una buena inversión para el futuro, no solo para Perú sino para nuestro planeta.”</p>



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Provistos de tecnología, los monitores forestales indígenas frenan la deforestación

A recent study shows that indigenous forest monitors equipped with satellite data saw a 52% reduction in deforestation in the first year.

Indigenous Forest Monitors Curb Deforestation | GFW Blog