Dear ASL Friends,
In this edition of our newsletter, we’re thrilled to highlight key events resulting from collaborations with our partner organizations. To start, attending the United Nation’s Biodiversity Conference (COP16) in Cali, Colombia, offered invaluable opportunities to connect with partners, colleagues, and friends while hosting and participating in side events focused on conserving the Amazon's rich biodiversity.
In late November, we celebrated World Jaguar Day with a feature story spotlighting these majestic felines and their critical role in the ecosystem and the ongoing national ASL efforts to ensure their protection. In this newsletter, you’ll also discover inspiring stories from our national projects and we’re also happy to share a repository of over 300 publications about the Amazon that you can access and help update.
Our featured section, Echoes of the Amazon, introduces Samuda Jabini, a Saamaka human rights defender from Suriname. Her work empowers youth and women, champions Indigenous knowledge in conservation, and safeguards her people's land, rights, and the rainforest. We invite you to learn more about her remarkable journey and look forward to sharing more inspiring stories in future editions.
As we prepare for 2025, which marks the 10th anniversary of the ASL, we extend our heartfelt gratitude for your continued support. We wish you and your loved ones a happy and fulfilling new year. As always, we welcome your insights and contributions to enrich our community—feel free to reach out via email or through our website.
Warm regards,
The ASL Regional Team
| |
Stories from the ASL regional program | |
Feature Story: Protecting jaguars' role in ecosystem balance in the Amazon | |
The jaguar, the largest cat in the Americas, plays a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance of the Amazon rainforest. Home to around 90% of the world’s jaguar population, the Amazon relies on these apex predators to regulate prey species. By controlling populations of herbivores like capybaras and smaller predators, jaguars help preserve the rainforest’s rich biodiversity. Beyond their ecological importance, jaguars hold profound cultural significance, revered as sacred symbols and protectors of the forest by Indigenous communities.
| |
The ASL’s new Data Portal offers access to interactive repositories focused on the Amazon region. The portal includes over 300 resources that users can explore by source, format, country, year, language, or keyword. Your feedback is greatly appreciated and we welcome contributions or suggestions.
| |
GEF endorsement to the regional ASL3 | |
We’re pleased to confirm that the GEF CEO has endorsed the third phase of the ASL regional project. This project will support national ASL projects with technical assistance and promoting the exchange of best practices. It will also support regional efforts toward integrated conservation and sustainable development in the Amazon. Endorsements for country-specific ASL3 projects are also happening, making this third phase a reality.
| |
ASL at the 2024 UN Biodiversity Conference – COP16 | |
In October, the ASL Program’s regional and country teams journeyed to Cali, Colombia, for COP16. Through side events, the ASL engaged with multiple stakeholders to explore future opportunities for advancing the Amazon’s sustainable development and enhancing biodiversity conservation efforts across the region.
The ASL’s national- and regional-level efforts and accomplishments in biodiversity conservation and sustainable development were jointly celebrated at the October 24th side event: “Amazon Sustainable Landscapes Program: Results and Lessons after 10 Years.” Organized by the GEF and the World Bank, the event brought together country project representatives and recognized the continued partnership with various agencies and stakeholders working to sustain their efforts.
| |
In line with the ASL’s spirit, COP16 highlighted the transformative power of partnerships in addressing global crises in biodiversity, climate, and pollution. This was captured by a recent blog, Building Partnerships to Foster a Greater Future for the Amazonia, co-authored by the World Bank’s manager and ASL Coordinator. | |
Stories from our active national projects | |
ASL-Br was highlighted at COP16 – Amazon Sustainable Landscapes Brazil (ASL-Br) | |
The ASL-Br project was highlighted during COP16 for its contributions to biodiversity conservation, sustainable forest management, and integrated landscape management. Aligning with 12 of the 23 Kumming Montreal Biodiversity Targets presented at the panel "Biodiversity Conservation, Sustainable Use, and Forest Management," representatives emphasized the project’s role in enhancing community governance, generating income, and fostering regional collaboration. Key speakers included leaders from Brazil's Ministry of Environment, the GEF Secretariat, and Re:wild, who praised the project’s innovative, partnership-driven approach. Photo: Catalina Olayaa/MMA
| |
250 researchers from Guaviare implemented the guide “Our Forests: Our Future” – Heart of the Amazon Project – Colombia | |
The "Our Forests: Our Future" guide, a key contribution to Colombia’s ONDAS program, empowers children and youth to engage in Amazon conservation through research. Developed by institutions like Colombia’s Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, the Sinchi Institute, and the regional environmental authority, CDA, the guide promotes a gender-inclusive approach and addresses critical issues such as deforestation, recovery of ancestral knowledge, water protection, and pollution. At the “ONDAS–Heart of the Amazon” Forum, 250 researchers gathered to discuss the guide and assess its potential impact including being part of the ONDAS’s catalog so it can be scaled up across the region. | |
As part of an ongoing regional effort to capture stories from each of the national projects (more to come)—watch the Heart of the Amazon Project’s new video.
| |
|
Birds and ecological connectivity: Connecting people and nature – Amazon Connectivity Corridors Project, Ecuador | |
A diverse group of Indigenous community members, students, biologists, and bird enthusiasts gathered for birdwatching during the October Global Big Day. The event, organized by the group Pastaza Birdwatcher with support from the ASL Ecuadorian project, focused on ecological connectivity and citizen science. Participants documented 102 bird species in the Shuar community of "El Consuelo" using eBird and other tools. The activity highlighted the role of birds in ecosystem connectivity, seed dispersal, and conservation. The initiative fostered collaboration and cultural exchange, promoting ecotourism and scientific awareness while engaging local communities in biodiversity monitoring and future conservation efforts.
| |
Partnerships that promote good environmental practices in cocoa production – Sustainable Productive Landscapes in the Peruvian Amazon (PPS) | |
In Peru, over 120,000 cacao producers from 16 regions are working to enhance the sector's competitiveness through responsible natural resource management. To support this, La Ibérica chocolate company and the Rainforest Alliance have signed an agreement promoting markets and incentives for sustainable cacao production with positive environmental and social practices. This partnership is supported by Peru’s Ministry of Environment and the ASL’s PPS project, aiming to improve sustainability in cacao production in the region. Photo: Rainforest Alliance
| |
Suriname takes action for jaguar conservation – Strengthening Management of Protected and Productive Landscapes in the Surinamese Amazon | |
Inspired by World Jaguar Day, Suriname reaffirmed its dedication to conserve the great felines. Supported by the ASL project, the nation is launching efforts to bolster institutional capacity, enhance inter-agency coordination, and combat illegal jaguar trafficking. Educational outreach plays a key role, with events held at the Paramaribo Zoo and local schools. At the zoo, 45 students observed a jaguar up close and learned about its importance. School-based sessions focused on these felines' behavior, especially relevant as their community lies near jaguar habitats. | |
Replay previous ASL webinars | |
The ASL organizes webinars on topics relevant to the Amazon such as sustainable forest and protected area management, restoration, wetland conservation, and biodiversity management. If you would like to be part of our distribution list and receive invitations to join the ASL webinars, please email asl-info@worldbank.org.
Find recordings of previous ASL webinars here.
| |
ASL-recommended publications & resources | |
* ASL partners and teams: Please share with us your publications to showcase in future newsletters. | |
Colombia: National park and communities unveil book on Tikuna people's ancient wisdom | |
In Colombia, the Amacayacu National Natural Park launched 7 Baskets of Tikuna Ancestral Wisdom, a book compiling traditional knowledge of the Tikuna people. Developed over a decade with elders from San Martín de Amacayacu in Leticia, Amazonas, the project that is the basis for the publication engaged youth to document and translate traditions into Spanish, including basketry, ceramics, music, dance, origin stories, agricultural practices, and traditional medicine. Supported by Colombia’s National Natural Parks, the Ministry of Culture, and partners, the book contributes to biodiversity conservation and cultural heritage preservation.
| |
Scholarship opportunities for journalists in the Amazon | |
The Earth Journalism Network, in partnership with USAID and WCS, is offering scholarships for journalists in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru to produce in-depth reports on the Amazon region. The initiative aims to support investigations into environmental crimes, highlighting their threats and impacts on biodiversity and sustainable livelihoods. Proposals are also welcomed for solution-focused stories showcasing actions by policymakers, civil society, Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and businesses to address and mitigate conservation-related crimes in the Amazon.
–> Learn more and apply by January 9th to participate in this opportunity <–
| |
Latest MAAP report documents 799 mining concessions in the Peruvian Amazon | |
The latest report from the Monitoring of the Andean Amazon Project (MAAP) highlights a rise in mining concessions within protected areas and Indigenous reserves of the Peruvian Amazon.
Among 799 documented concessions, 43 overlap with water bodies, spanning over 4,000 hectares, while 39 infringe on protected areas, and five affect Indigenous reserves. This increased number is notable in the regions of Amazonas, Loreto, Ucayali, and Madre de Dios, among others.
| |
Complete the Global Wildlife Program survey: Insights on site-level anti-poaching efforts | |
The Global Wildlife Program (GWP) seeks to gather insights on site-level anti-poaching initiatives. This effort aims to share successes, impacts, and lessons from GEF projects and partners, while identifying challenges and practitioner recommendations for effective anti-poaching strategies.
You can take part by filling out and sharing the survey link below with colleagues involved in designing, implementing, or monitoring site-based anti-poaching efforts.
| |
Your help is needed: Recognize an outstanding Amazon ranger | |
Do you know a ranger who demonstrates exceptional dedication to conservation? The IUCN WCPA International Ranger Award celebrates outstanding contributions to protecting nature and wildlife. Nominations are open until January 31st.
You can honor a ranger's commitment by submitting a nomination
using this link.
| |
Featuring Samuda Jabini – Suriname | |
"The fight for our forest is a fight for our future" | |
Samunda Jabini, a Saamaka Human Rights Defender from Suriname, is steadfast in her mission to protect her people’s land, rights, and the Amazon rainforest.
The Saamaka, descendants of enslaved Africans who established thriving communities in Suriname’s forests, have a deep cultural and spiritual connection to their 1.4 million hectares of land. This connection has shaped their identity and guided their sustainable way of life for centuries. Samunda’s family has long been at the forefront of the Saamaka land rights movement.
| |
Inspired by her family’s legacy, Samunda has focused on empowering Saamaka youth and women to safeguard their land and traditions amid mounting threats. She works through the Association of Saamaka Communities to train the next generation in rights advocacy and conservation, ensuring their voices are integral to decision making.
“Living in harmony with Mother Nature” is central to Saamaka tradition, and Samunda emphasizes the need to decolonize conservation efforts by prioritizing Indigenous knowledge. Her campaigns highlight the vital role of Saamaka women in forest conservation and sustainable practices, particularly in producing non-timber forest products.
| |
She believes that conservation must be community-driven, led by those who know the land best. As Samunda advocates for her people and the Amazon, she reminds the world that environmental protection and Indigenous rights are inseparable.
Within the ASL project, she aims to amplify and ensure Saamaka voices are heard, their rights upheld, and their forest home preserved for generations to come.
| |
Join the ASL's Community of Practice to access publications, resources, and engage in collaborative discussions with fellow members.
BECOME A MEMBER
* Upon completing this form, you will receive an email invitation with instructions.
| |
The Amazon Sustainable Landscapes Program (ASL), funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and led by the World Bank, adopts an integrated regional approach across Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. Its primary objective is to enhance integrated landscape management and ecosystem conservation in priority areas of the Amazon. | |
| | | |