ecofriend.org

Latest gadgets help Amazon tribes to Fight Exploiters

070123 amazon maps big 45

The Amazon, the world’s most biologically diverse habitat is also home to numerous unidentified, isolated tribes. These people still live off the forest yet protect it by their wider wisdom. Today their land is under threat from deforestation and overexploitation.

However technology has come to their aid as they are being trained to use satellites, computers, and even Google Earth to guard against threats from logging, agriculture, drug wars, and oil operations. In the face of ruthless clearance of populace and land theft, their vigor to fight back has been supplemented.
Jen Osha is co-founder of the nonprofit group Aurora Lights states:

The process of making maps can increase community organization and empower community members in daily relationships with [government] officials, because they now have hard data they can use

The GPS data was combined with tribal knowledge of the rain forest as well as mapping data from Ecuador’s Geographic Military Institute.

Benefits from the Technology
.

The technology is being used to identify ecotourism regions,
Some communities are also using the maps to seek mineral rights from the government.
Clandestine airstrips and riverside mining operations can now be spotted and made to shut down.
Only I wish there was some way for letting the more completely isolated groups know that they have lots of means to fight for that which is actually theirs.

Via: National Geographic

Today's Top Articles:

Scroll to Top