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Illegal gold mining pushes deeper into protected Peruvian reserve

Shreya Dasgupta

The region’s gold mining has caused significant deforestation. Photo by Rhett A. Butler.

  • In November 2015, a report released by the Monitoring of the Andean Amazon Project (MAAP) showed that illegal gold mining operations had most likely resulted in the deforestation of around 2,518 hectares of Amazonian rainforest between 2013 and 2015, located mostly within Tambopata’s buffer area in La Pampa, and along the Malinowski river.
  • Now, a new report released by MAAP last week shows that illegal gold mining has penetrated deeper into the reserve.
  • Between December 2015 and January 2016, illegal miners appear to cleared around 20 hectares of standing forest inside the protected reserve.

Illegal gold mining is ravaging vast swaths of Peruvian Amazon.

In November 2015, a report released by the Monitoring of the Andean Amazon Project (MAAP) showed that illegal gold mining operations had entered Peru’s Tambopata National Reserve, an Important Bird Area recognized by Birdlife International, and home to various rare or threatened species like the Harpy eagle, giant anteater and the lowland Tapir. Tambopata reserve is located in the department of Madre de Dios department in southeastern Peru, where more than 30,000 miners are estimated to be operating without valid permits, according to the Amazon Conservation Association.

The report noted that around 2,518 hectares of the Amazon rainforest had been cleared between 2013 and 2015, most of it linked to illegal gold mining activities. Much of this deforestation was within Tambopata’s buffer area in La Pampa, and along the Malinowski river, which forms the northern boundary of the reserve.

Now, a new report released by MAAP last week shows that illegal gold mining has penetrated deeper into the reserve. Between December 2015 and January 2016, illegal miners appear to have moved further into Tambopata reserve, clearing around 20 hectares of standing forest.

Image 24a shows a comparison between two Landsat images (30 m resolution) indicating that the deforestation continued to increase within the Reserve between December 2015 (left panel) and January 2016 (right panel). The red circles indicate the general location of the newly deforested areas, which appear pink (soil without forest cover) and blue (wastewater pools) in contrast to the green (standing forest). The deforestation inside the Tambopata National Reserve between December 2015 and January 2016 is approximately 20 hectares (49 acres). Image courtesy of MAAP.
Image 24a shows a comparison between two Landsat images (30 m resolution) indicating that the deforestation continued to increase within the Reserve between December 2015 (left panel) and January 2016 (right panel). The red circles indicate the general location of the newly deforested areas, which appear pink (soil without forest cover) and blue (wastewater pools) in contrast to the green (standing forest). The deforestation inside the Tambopata National Reserve between December 2015 and January 2016 is approximately 20 hectares (49 acres). Image courtesy of MAAP.
Image 24b is the base map showing the area described above in a larger context. The red inset box indicates the area shown in Image 24a. Image courtesy of MAAP.
Image 24b is the base map showing the area described above in a larger context. The red inset box indicates the area shown in Image 24a. Image courtesy of MAAP.

Since 1999, gold mining in the Peruvian Amazon has exploded  by 400 percent, according to a 2013 study. This gold rush has had devastating impacts. The massive scale of gold mining has stripped off vast patches of standing trees. And mercury used to extract the gold has contaminated the soil, rivers, fishes, and affected human health.

The Peruvian government seems to be cracking down on illegal gold mining activity. In January 2016, the government launched an operation on illegal gold mining activities within Tambopata reserve.

Extensive gold mining stretches across the Amazon landscape in Madre de Dios Department, Peru. Photo by Rhett A. Butler.
The region’s gold mining has caused significant deforestation. Photo by Rhett A. Butler.

Correction: 2/09/16 8:15 pm Eastern: the original version of this story incorrectly stated that the Harpy eagle was endangered. Its IUCN Red List status in fact, is Near Threatened. We have corrected the sentence, and we regret the error.

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