The deforestation in the Amazon It continues to be one of the greatest environmental threats in Peru, but technology has become a decisive tool to stop it. Through the platform Geoforestshe Ministry of the Environment (Minam) achieve monitor 100% of the Amazonian humid forestsequivalent to 67.5 million hectaresthanks to the use of satellite images, geographic information systems (GIS) and specialized software capable of processing enormous volumes of data.
This technology allows us to detect in a few days any change in forest covergenerating early warnings which are distributed to authorities, communities and conservation specialists. Since its implementation in 2016, Geoforests has become a free public tool that strengthens the environmental transparency and the capacity to respond to forest loss. More than 6700 registered users They receive personalized notifications about changes in their areas of interest, which has consolidated a national surveillance network from space.
Developed by the Forests Program Minamthe platform Geoforests integrates the work of the National Forestry and Wildlife Service (Serfor) and is part of the National Environmental Information System (SINIA) and the National Wild Flora and Fauna Information System (SNIFFS), in compliance with Legislative Decree No. 1220. Its technical base is based on the Forest Cover Monitoring Module (MMCB)which analyzes and organizes all the information generated by satellites to translate it into useful data for public management and scientific research.
The MMCB is made up of four submodules main. The first, called Deforestationaccurately records the stock of forests remnants and the annual loss of forest covergenerating georeferenced maps of the detected changes. This information feeds the other submodules. The second, Early warningissues warnings in short periods of time after detecting an alteration in the vegetation, allowing entities to take immediate prevention or control actions against illegal logging or forest fires.
The third submodule, Land use and land use changeperiodically identifies how the soil is transformed in deforested areas. Thanks to this information it is possible determine the direct causes of deforestationsuch as agricultural expansion or illegal mining, and classify official sector data land use and forestry for the National Greenhouse Gas Inventories (INGEI). Finally, the submodule Reference levels compares historical deforestation and degradation data with carbon emissions data, measuring the country’s performance against its international climate commitments.
To strengthen surveillance in the field, the Forests Program has inaugurated three regional monitoring offices in Huánuco, Puno and Amazonwith an approximate investment of S/1.7 million. Each has high-tech equipment and specialized personnel who directly supervise more than 5.6 million hectares of humid Amazonian forests. From these points, joint actions are coordinated with the Regional governments to provide a quick response to alerts generated by the satellite system.
According to Daniel Castillohead of the Forest Monitoring Area of the Forests Program, so far this year 19 early warning packages have been issued at the national level, which has made it possible to detect threats of loss of forest cover in time. In addition, the opening of three new offices in LoretoJunín and Pasco before the end of 2025, in order to expand monitoring coverage and strengthen the technical capacity of regional authorities.
With this expansion, the Geoforests system consolidates a unprecedented national technological infrastructure that combines satellite observation, data analysis and citizen participation. Its operation not only allows environmental impacts to be visualized almost in real time, but also provide strategic information for the sustainable management of Amazon forests and the fight against deforestation in Peru.
