This analysis provides important data on funding for conservation and sustainable development in the Amazon, especially given its focus on the period in which the COVID-19 pandemic occurred.

This information can be used to inform and promote dialogue leading to enhanced donor coordination efforts. Key recommendations include updating data regularly, enhancing the analysis with impact evaluations, using the data to establish synergies among donors and recipients, and increasing funding that goes directly to Indigenous and local communities. The study makes the updated funding data available in an interactive open access data visualization dashboard, created by the World Bank.

Our Annual Conference is the ASL’s most attended and important meeting where representatives from institutions involved with the national projects and regional initiatives meet to exchange information, strengthen capacities, and plan joint actions for regional cooperation. The Sixth Annual ASL Conference was held November 13–17, 2023, in Tarapoto, Peru. The event was attended by 112 participants (51% women), including guests from partner organizations.

One of the key roles of park rangers in the Amazon region is conserving forests and their biodiversity, as well as community outreach in protected areas. The ASL recognizes the courageous and committed work of female and male rangers and are delighted to share positive news from Peru.

This month, the Peruvian Congress enacted the Law of the Rangers Corps, recognizing and professionalizing the crucial work of over 800 rangers safeguarding 76 protected natural areas across the country, which constitute 25% of the country’s territory. This law introduces improved labor conditions, including enhanced salaries, compensation for additional work, and acknowledgment of efforts in frontier and remote regions, among other benefits. It also prioritizes capacity building, equal opportunities, and non-discrimination, alongside better health and security provisions. The law specifically addresses the unique challenges faced by park rangers, including long shifts that are common in their line of duty.

The state of Pará is promoting an initiative to restore 5.4 million hectares of land by 2030 through Planveg, an instrument of the State Program for the Recovery of Native Vegetation (PRNV-PA). Its objective is to coordinate, integrate, and promote projects and actions aimed at recovering forests and other types of native vegetation, contributing to the reduction of net emissions through sequestering greenhouse gases. It’s being prepared and supervised by the State Secretariat for the Environment and Sustainability (SEMAS) of Pará, one of the key local stakeholders involved in executing the Brazilian ASL project. This initiative is expected to not only have positive impacts for restoration in Pará but could motivate other states to promote similar initiatives and set strategic targets for restoration.

The PRNV-PA received inputs from various stakeholders, including the private sector, research institutions, and organizations representing Indigenous Peoples and quilombolas as well as traditional peoples and communities. Its lines of action include social participation, bioeconomy and local socio-biodiversity, institutional and regulatory arrangements, technical assistance and rural extension, monitoring, research, development and innovation, and rural credit.

The Tarapoto Lakes comprise a network of 22 interconnected bodies of water, designated a Ramsar Site for their exceptional biodiversity value. Nestled within Colombia’s Amazonas department, this expansive area spans 45,463 hectares and serves as a vital resource for 22 Indigenous communities. The lakes are home to over 76 species of migratory birds, including seasonal visitors, alongside river dolphins and other iconic Colombian Amazon species. The Tarapoto Lakes is one of the areas of intervention of the ASL Heart of the Colombian Amazon project, which has supported its management plan emphasizing community-led efforts towards sustainable management practices, biodiversity monitoring, improved livelihoods, and conservation.

The community leaders act as guardians navigating the waters to ensure compliance with responsible fishing agreements made with local communities. Their task is to verify adherence to agreed-upon size and weight limits and promote artisanal and culturally respectful fishing methods. These guardians operate around the clock, seven days a week, employing a rotating shift system from a floating raft stationed at the entrances of Tarapoto Largo and Tarapoto Redondo lakes. Their vigilance safeguards the integrity of the wetland’s resources, preserving them for future generations.

Presently, 20 women actively participate in the program, enhancing their roles in the community and their involvement with the fishing economies. Their contributions have proven instrumental in protecting the natural resources within their territory and bolstering food security and income generation for local communities. Engaging with the project has resulted in empowered and encouraged broader family participation in conservation efforts. Community elders, who have observed the transformations within the Tarapoto Lakes, have participated in this process, sharing their knowledge and wisdom. Photo credit: Andrés Urquina

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The trails of “La Cueva de las Lechuzas” (Owls Cave)—one of the main tourist destinations of the Tingo Maria National Park, a natural protected area in Peru—have been revitalized thanks to the leadership of the National Service of Natural Protected Areas of Peru (SERNANP) and the support of the ASL’s Securing the Future of Peru’s Natural Protected Areas project. The trails were renovated to increase their resilience, improve visitors’ experience, and expand tourism capacity—a benefit to the local economy. In addition, trail maintenance costs will be reduced, freeing up resources for other conservation initiatives. This is a significant milestone for the national park and serves as a positive example of sustainable tourism. The renovated trail reopened to the public on March 15, 2024.

After GEF Council approval, Guyana is set to join the third phase of the ASL with the project "Advancing Guyana's Development through Improved Forest Management," led by Guyana's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and in partnership with the Protected Areas Commission, Geology & Miners Commission, and Forestry Commission as executing partners. The FAO will provide technical assistance and supervision for the project. Currently under preparation, the project will build on activities currently developed by further strengthening management across the national protected areas by establishing a biodiversity credit mechanism to contribute to funding participatory management of Indigenous communities. The project will support the development of sustainable value chains and build on lessons learned from community-based monitoring and sustainable forest management.

Photo credit: Shutterstock

On March 4th, the ASL Suriname project team visited Kwamalasemutu, home of Granman (“Chief”) Jimmy Toeroemang, the traditional authority and head of the Coeroeni/Paroe landscape. The visit was planned to inform the community about the project’s activities, aligning with Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) principles, and regain permission to commence activities, as Granman Jimmy assumed leadership after the project’s inception. With Coeroeni/Paroe accessible solely by air, meticulous planning is indispensable to optimize resources and impact. Amidst the formalities of a Krutu (traditional community meeting), the project was presented, sparking constructive dialogue between Granman Jimmy and the team. Following deliberation, permission was granted, underscoring the imperative for active community engagement to tailor initiatives to their unique needs and preferences. This visit marks the start of the ASL project in the Coeroeni/Paroe landscape, aimed at empowering the Indigenous communities of South Suriname, with a focus on collaboration and mutual respect.

Despite the Amazon biome’s significance, it faces grave threats from deforestation and human activities, pushing it towards a tipping point with global repercussions. Recognizing this urgency and on the occasion of the International Day of Forests this article highlights the ASL program established by the GEF in 2015. As stated by the GEF, the ASL holds the promise of securing a resilient future for the Amazon, preserving its ecological richness for generations to come.

In 2021, under the leadership of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO), the Regional Biodiversity Program for the Amazon Basin/Region was initiated to promote biodiversity, improved management, and sustainable use in the Amazon. A key initiative within this program is the Rapid Assessment of Biological Diversity and Ecosystem Services of the Amazon Basin/Region. This assessment serves as a crucial tool offering timely and rigorous information to guide decision making processes. It bridges the gap between science, policy, and society by engaging experts and indigenous communities, integrating traditional knowledge. The Summary for Decision Makers, derived from this assessment, highlights urgent actions needed to prevent irreversible damage to the Amazon ecosystem. This collaborative effort underscores the importance of informed decision making and strategic cooperation to safeguard one of the world’s most vital ecosystems. A webinar to present its results is being planned between the ASL and ACTO.