MAAP #45: Threats to El Sira Communal Reserve in central Peruvian Amazon
El Sira Communal Reserve, located in the central Peruvian Amazon (regions of Pasco, Huánuco and Ucayali), aims to protect the biological diversity of the El Sira Mountain Range in benefit of the native communities of the area (Ashaninka, Yanesha, and…
MAAP #44: Potential Recuperation of Illegal Gold Mining area in Amarakaeri Communal Reserve
In the previous MAAP #6, published in June 2015, we documented the deforestation of 11 hectares in the Amarakaeri Communal Reserve due to a recent illegal gold mining invasion. The Reserve, located in the Madre de Dios region of the…
MAAP #43: Early Warning Deforestation Alerts in the Peruvian Amazon, Part 2
In the previous MAAP #40, we emphasized the power of combining early warning forest loss GLAD alerts with analysis of high-resolution satellite imagery as part of a comprehensive near real-time deforestation monitoring system for the Peruvian Amazon. In the current…
MAAP #39: Gold Mining Deforestation Within Tambopata National Reserve Exceeds 350 Hectares
Based on analysis of satellite imagery, we have documented that the deforestation due to illegal gold mining activities within Tambopata National Reserve (Madre de Dios region) now exceeds 350 hectares (872 acres) since the initial invasion in late 2015 (see…
MAAP #36: New Gold Mining Frontier in the Northern Peruvian Amazon
In several previous MAAP articles, we have detailed gold mining deforestation in the southern Peruvian Amazon. Here, we provide evidence of the first known case of gold mining deforestation in northern Peru. A recent news article published by the Peruvian…
MAAP #33: Illegal Gold Mining Alters Course of Malinowski River (border of Tambopata National Reserve)
In MAAP #30, we described the illegal gold mining invasion of Tambopata National Reserve, an important protected area in the southern Peruvian Amazon (department of Madre de Dios). Here in MAAP #33, we show that illegal gold mining is also …
MAAP #31: Deforestation Continues Expansion in La Pampa (buffer zone of Tambopata National Reserve)
Illegal gold mining deforestation continues to expand in La Pampa, an area located in the buffer zone of Tambopata National Reserve in the Madre de Dios region. Here, we present a series of high-resolution (0.5 m) images that clearly illustrate…
MAAP #30: Gold Mining Invasion of Tambopata National Reserve Intensifies
As described previously in MAAP #21, the illegal gold mining invasion of the Tambopata National Reserve began in late 2015. Here in  MAAP #30, we confirm that this invasion continues to intensify in 2016. Image 30a shows the invasion zone,…
MAAP #25: Deforestation Hotspots in the Peruvian Amazon, 2012-2014
Deforestation continues to increase in the Peruvian Amazon. According to the latest information from the Peruvian Environment Ministry , 2014 had the highest annual forest loss on record since 2000 (177,500 hectares, or 438,600 acres per year). 2013 and 2012…
MAAP #24: Illegal Gold Mining Penetrates Deeper into Tambopata National Reserve
*Note: During the preparation of this analysis, the Peruvian government conducted an operation against the illegal gold mining activity in the area described below (see this news article in Spanish for more information). In MAAP #21, we revealed, using high-resolution…