Since 2022, BAM, together with 119 concessionaires located in the districts of Inambari, Laberinto and Tambopata, adjacent to the mining corridor in Madre de Dios, protects more than 51,500 hectares of forest highly threatened by illegal mining and other unsustainable activities in the Amazon. To this end, with BAM’s help, the Federation of Forest Concession Holders of Madre de Dios (FECOMAD) was consolidated, as well as a team that provides permanent technical and legal assistance so that the concessions are better protected, together with a monitoring, control and surveillance system with satellite information and field actions to address deforestation threats in a timely manner.
Organizational Strengthening
One of the first and main actions to strengthen the governance and management of the partner concessions is to provide legal and administrative support to consolidate an organization that can group, represent and assist the concessionaires of the project. This led to the creation of FECOMAD, led by renowned environmental defenders Demetrio Pacheco and Victor Zambrano, which in turn is made up of 6 other associations that also received the necessary support to formally register and represent concessionaires from different sectors.
“Since the signing of the contracts, the concessionaires part of the project, already feel more secure and supported because they now have someone to turn to, especially for their complaints to deal with illegal activities such as illegal mining that affect our forests. This is the struggle we are facing.” – Demetrio Pacheco, president of FECOMAD.
Technical and legal assistance
The project has a permanent team that provides technical and legal assistance for the efficient management and protection of the concessions. During 2022 and 2023, more than 100 assistances were provided in relation to compliance with concession documentation and requirements, satellite monitoring, boundaries, management of their forests and the preparation of complaints about threats to concessions, among other issues.
Monitoring, control and surveillance
Complementing the technical and legal assistance, the project has an integrated monitoring, control and surveillance system that processes satellite information (GIS) and reports hot spots and deforestation to curb threats in a timely manner. The concessionaires also inform the project team of any situation that could put the forests at risk, which is analyzed together with the GIS information and then used to carry out field interventions with the authorities, if necessary. In line with this, between 2022 and 2023, more than 56 field interventions were carried out to curb deforestation threats in the partner concessions.
Permanent trainings and workshops
A través de más de 10 talleres desarrollados en las oficinas del proyecto y en diversos centros poblados, el proyecto viene capacitando a los concesionarios en temas vinculados a la deforestación, cambio climático, el mecanismo REDD+, los objetivos del proyecto y las principales actividades planteadas, como, por ejemplo, el sistema de monitoreo, control y vigilancia. Asimismo, se brinda espacios para recoger las preocupaciones de los concesionarios y sus principales necesidades. En dichos talleres se ha tenido una participación acumulada de 354 personas, de las cuales el 36% fueron mujeres.
Through more than 10 workshops held at the project offices and in various population centers, the project has been training concessionaires on issues related to deforestation, climate change, the REDD+ mechanism, project objectives and the main activities planned, such as the monitoring, control and surveillance system. It also provides opportunities to gather the concerns of the concessionaires and their main needs. A total of 354 people participated in these workshops, 36% of whom were women.
In addition, 10 representatives of the concessionaires participated in an internship at BAM’s reforestation project in Ucayali to learn about the recovery of degraded areas with native Amazonian species.
Other BAM’s projects in Madre de Dios
Durante +14 años, BAM y las familias concesionarias de Madre de Dios vienen trabajando en conjunto para proteger los bosques y su biodiversidad de las crecientes amenazas de deforestación que afectan la región. ¿Cómo? A través del proyecto REDD+ Castañeros, promoviendo el desarrollo económico sostenible en armonía con el medio ambiente y brindando mejores oportunidades de vida para la comunidad local. Asimismo, implementando diversas estrategias de monitoreo y control de bosques y de protección de la biodiversidad amazónica.
For +14 years, BAM and the concessionaire families of Madre de Dios have been working together to protect the forests and their biodiversity from the growing threats of deforestation affecting the region. How? Through the REDD+ Brazil Nut Concessions project, promoting sustainable economic development in harmony with the environment and providing better life opportunities for the local community. Also, by implementing various strategies to monitor and control forests and protect Amazonian biodiversity.
To date, REDD+ Brazil Nut Concessions protects +600,000 hectares of forests unique in the world: Brazil nut forests, along with +800 concessionaire families. Thanks to the impact, commitment and interest of our Brazil nut partners, other concessionaires sought us out to develop new REDD+ projects in Madre De Dios, such as REDD+ Amazon Guardians and REDD+ Forest Alliance (under design).
