On Patrol: Voluntary local action against illegal activities

Local patrollers from Palma Real community in Peru. // CREDIT: Maia Galmés Feuer

In the Peruvian region of Madre de Dios, one of the most biodiverse areas of the Amazon, forests and rivers are under constant pressure from illegal mining, logging, and other forms of land-use change. In response, we have been working together with our local partner Conservación Amazónica (ACCA) and local Indigenous communities, and we have developed community-led patrols to monitor and protect the territories.

This work can be frightening, as miners and loggers can sometimes react violently and are armed.

– Lisbet, 25-year old volunteer patroller from Palma Real (Peru).

How a patrol works

These patrols are a joint effort involving community members, community leadership, Indigenous organizations, and environmental partners. At the local level, environmental patrollers known as veedores ambientales lead the work.

They are supported by the Native Federation of Madre de Dios (FENAMAD), which defends the rights of Indigenous peoples in the region, and by Conservación Amazónica (ACCA), who provide technical support, training, and coordination.

When illegal activity is identified and documented, information can later be shared with the competent authorities, who are responsible for removing mining rafts and other illegal operations - see an example here:

The patrollers are members of the communities themselves. They work on a voluntary basis, motivated by the direct impact that extractive activities have on their lives, health, and environment. Illegal gold mining, in particular, has polluted rivers and affected fish populations, while deforestation and land invasion threaten forests that communities depend on for food, water, and cultural survival.

Patrol routes are proposed by the local patrollers and the community president, based on local knowledge of the territory. In some cases, patrols take place with the presence of ACCA and FENAMAD. In others, the community patrols independently. ACCA later verifies and cross-checks the information collected by the patrollers using satellite images and maps to assess risks and determine where patrols are most effective.

The case of Palma Real

ACCA has worked with native communities on forming patrol groups for several years. One example is the community of Palma Real, which now has nine active local volunteer patrollers who patrol the territory regularly. Aktion Amazonas had the pleasure to accompany these patrollers this last November – check out the video.

This is what a voluntary patrol looks like in the Peruvian community of Palma Real. // PRODUCTION: Maia Galmés Feuer

Palma Real has a very large communal territory, which makes it especially vulnerable to illegal incursions that can go unnoticed for long periods of time. For this reason, regular patrols are essential. Monitoring does not only happen along the river, as patrollers must also enter the forest to verify access points, camps, and signs of illegal activity.

Lisbet, a 25-year-old community member from Palma Real, has been a patroller for two years. She became involved because she wanted to learn how to protect the forest. She explains that the work "can be frightening, as miners and loggers can sometimes react violently and are armed". At the same time, she points to the visible consequences of pollution from these illegal activities, including the disappearance of animals and fish from nearby rivers.

The role of technology

In November, together with our partners ACCA, we provided new equipment to the patrollers to strengthen their work. This included identification vests with pockets for tools, smartphones equipped with GPS and monitoring applications, and power banks. Access to electricity in Palma Real is limited and unreliable, as power is generated by gasoline generators that families must pay for themselves. These tools make it possible for patrollers to document illegal activities even under challenging conditions.

ACCA and AKAM provide new equipment to the local patrollers of Palma Real community. // CREDIT: Maia Galmés Feuer

Technology also plays a strategic role during patrols. In some situations, it is useful for miners to know they are being observed. In others, discretion is essential. Depending on the context, patrol teams may use large, noisy drones or smaller, quieter ones to avoid detection.

According to ACCA field technician Paúl Portocarrero, technology has become an important source of motivation. The use of GPS-enabled phones and monitoring applications has made patrol work more accessible and has strengthened the autonomy of the local patrollers. They are trained to use these tools and to rely on their deep knowledge of their territory, including entry and exit points, rivers, and forest paths. "The goal is for communities to be able to carry out patrols independently and confidently", Portocarrero asserts.

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When illegal activity is identified and documented, information can later be shared with the competent authorities, who are responsible for removing mining rafts and other illegal operations.

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While the most serious alerts often occur at the edges of rivers, where informal mining is expanding, patrols over the past year have shown a steady increase in illegal activity. This makes early detection and documentation increasingly important.

Aktion Amazonas, together with partners at Conservación Amazónica and Indigenous organizations in Madre de Dios, supports these community-led patrols as a key measure to defend Indigenous territories and protect the Amazon rainforest. By combining local knowledge, collective organization, and appropriate technology, communities are taking an active role in safeguarding their forests for future generations.