Biodiversity baseline for four vital reserves in the Amazon

Bolivia | Ecuador | Guiana | Peru

As part of the Our Future Forests: Vital Reserves program, led by Conservation International and supported by the French Ministry of Economy and Finance and the French Global Environment Facility (FFEM), IDOM is conducting a study that will serve as a reference for future biodiversity conservation and monitoring strategies in the Amazon.

A biodiversity baseline study is being conducted by our team for four Vital Reserves in Ecuador, Peru, Guyana, and Bolivia. The objective of the study is to establish a solid technical baseline on the current state of biodiversity in these territories. This information will inform the design of future conservation strategies and the tracking and monitoring of long-term results with a focus on replicability.

To this end, the Natural Capital and Bioeconomy team has divided the study into four main analyses that, together, provide a comprehensive view of the territory.

• Ecosystems: characterization of the ecosystems present in each reserve, as a basis for understanding the diversity and conservation status of the various natural environments.
• Land Cover: analysis of land cover and its dynamics, drawing on robust and recognized sources such as MapBiomas Amazonía, which ensures the traceability and replicability of the results.
• Prioritized species: species distribution modeling (using the open-source software MaxEnt) for priority species—defined in collaboration with the technical team and local teams in each country—and the identification of biodiversity hotspots (areas with the highest habitat suitability) to guide where to focus conservation and monitoring efforts.
• Landscape: landscape-scale assessment (structural connectivity, integrity, and territorial configuration) that allows the results to be placed within a broader spatial context and supports conservation planning.

The study is currently in its final phase and will strengthen the scientific foundation necessary to protect some of the planet’s most biologically diverse areas. One of its main conclusions is the necessity of strengthening monitoring networks in areas that serve as reservoirs of irreplaceable carbon. Our work has enabled us to identify areas with a high capacity to detect changes in landscape structure, as well as areas more likely to host threatened species. Furthermore, we recommend carrying out these efforts in collaboration with local communities that have acted as custodians of the territory for many years, contributing to the conservation of extensive forest areas and maintaining low deforestation rates.

Environment : Natural Capital & Bioeconomy