Gold mining deforestation in Peruvian reserve surpasses 450 hectares
▻https://news.mongabay.com/2016/10/gold-mining-deforestation-in-peruvian-reserve-surpasses-450-hectares
n the past two months, another 100 hectares of tropical rainforest have been demolished in Tambopata National Reserve, where deforestation from illegal gold mining in the reserve now exceeds 450 hectares – 4.5 square kilometers. This could mean trouble for the region’s wildlife – some 600 species of birds, 1,200 species of butterflies, and 200 species of mammals inhabit Tambopata.
Monitoring of the Andean Amazon Project (MAAP) has been monitoring Tambopata since November 2015, when deforestation was first detected within its borders. According to MAAP’s recent analysis, mining continues in four regions along the Malinowski River, which forms the northern border of the reserve. MAAP researchers quantified the recent uptick in mining-driven deforestation by analyzing high-resolution satellite imagery from July and September within the reserve.
According to Matt Finer, who heads up the MAPP project, illegal mining has a clear signature recognizable through satellite imagery.
