Tuesday, July 22, 2025

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New research: Deforestation rates on recognized Afro-descendant lands in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Suriname are as much as 55% lower than the norm

First-of-its-kind study shows Afro-descendant peoples are key environmental stewards; 56% of their lands are top 5% in global biodiversity

Conservation International

ARLINGTON, Va. (July 22, 2025) – Afro-descendant peoples in four Amazon countries show remarkable achievements in environmental stewardship, according to new research from Conservation International, published today in Nature Communications Earth and Environment. The study assessed Afro-descendant lands in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Suriname, finding significantly lower rates of deforestation and larger quantities of both biodiversity and irrecoverable carbon (the carbon that, if lost due to ecosystem conversion, could not be re-sequestered for at least 30 years).

The paper is the first peer-reviewed study to combine statistical, spatial and historical data together to quantify the critical role of Afro-descendants in protecting nature. It follows last year’s formal recognition by the Convention on Biological Diversity at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP16) of the vital role Afro-descendant peoples play in biodiversity and supporting global conservation goals – and comes as Brazil prepares to host the UN Climate Summit (COP30) later this year, bringing global attention to the Americas’ role in tackling climate change.

“Afro-descendant peoples across the Americas have long served as environmental stewards without recognition or reward—most of their territories are not even formally recognized,” said Martha Cecilia Rosero Peña, Ph.D., Social Inclusion Director at Conservation International. “The evidence, however, is indisputable; the world has much to learn from their land management practices.”

Key Findings

The study focused specifically on recognized Afro-descendant lands in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Suriname. Afro-descendant peoples in these countries hold management rights on 9.9 million ha of land (1% of the total 1 billion ha land area for the four study countries).

Afro-descendant lands significantly exceeded the norm for these countries in three prominent indicators of conservation value:

Deforestation rates for Afro-descendant lands were…
- 29% lower when the lands were within Protected Areas
- 36% lower when the lands were outside Protected Areas
- 55% lower when the lands sat at the edge of a Protected Area
More than half (56%) of Afro-descendant lands are among the top 5% globally in biodiversity, including 99% of all Afro-descendant lands in Ecuador
These lands contain high densities of irrecoverable carbon – over 486 million tonnes of it collectively – and its continued protection under Afro-descendant community management is essential to preventing the worst effects of climate change

The study’s findings highlight a critical gap. While nearly one in four people in Latin America identify as Afro-descendant, Afro-descendant peoples are largely underrepresented in global environmental forums, including UN climate and biodiversity summits, where policies, funding and leadership decisions are shaped.

“For centuries, Afro-descendant communities have managed landscapes in ways that sustain both people and nature, yet their contributions remain largely invisible in mainstream conservation,” said Sushma Shretha, Ph.D., director of Indigenous Science, Research, and Knowledge at Conservation International and the lead author of the paper. “This research makes clear that their environmental stewardship is not just historical. It is ongoing and it must be recognized, supported and learned from.”

Hugo Jabini, a human rights and environmental Maroon leader from Suriname’s Saamaka Afro-Descendant Tribe, said: “This study is very important to us, Saamaka people, as it highlights for the first time how, through our deep cultural and spiritual connection to the land, we have sustained vital forest areas. We hope this raises awareness, so that [political leaders] no longer see us as mere claimants of land.”

''Participation in international forums like COP30 can significantly enhance the visibility, representation and influence of Afro-descendant leadership in global environmental policy, contributing to more equitable and environmental governance,” added Jabini.

Conservation Legacy

Afro-descendant peoples – and the sustainable land management practices they use today – trace their practices to the ingenuity and experience of their ancestors who were forcibly taken from Africa through the transatlantic slave trade. Some escaped before being enslaved, while others fled slavery and established their own settlements in remote regions throughout the Americas. In dense forests, marshlands and mangroves, they found refuge and, over generations, developed "escape agriculture" – innovative practices that sustained communities while remaining hidden from colonial forces. “It is important to note that those who remained on plantations also undertook these innovative practices, providing food for settlements,” said Rosero.

Many of these practices, such as "food forests," blended traditional African knowledge to new environments and established resilient ecosystems that sustained these communities and became critical strongholds for biodiversity and carbon storage.

The study calls for action items similar to those still needed for Indigenous Peoples and local communities, whose environmental stewardship and land rights are similarly underrecognized despite a large body of scientific evidence:

Legal recognition of Afro-descendant territories to ensure their continued protection;
Increased research and funding to support Afro-descendants and their conservation work; and
Integration of sustainable land management practices used by Afro-descendant peoples into global climate and biodiversity policies.

“Afro-descendant communities protect critical ecosystems. This pioneering study quantifies their impact and shows that justice, secure land tenure, and biodiversity gains align. Global negotiations that seek real impact must place Afro-descendant leadership at the center, and the Permanent Forum stands behind them to secure that seat,” said Amb. Martin Kimani, Chair of the U.N. Permanent Forum on People of African Descent.

"Collective land titling for Afro-descendant communities is a proven effective mechanism for environmental conservation, contributing significantly to the preservation of strategic ecosystems across Latin America and the Caribbean,” said Angélica Mayolo, former minister of culture for Colombia and an MLK Scholar with MIT’s Environmental Solutions Initiative, who hails from the Afro-descendant hub of Buenaventura, Colombia.

“To build on this success, it is essential to advance the formal recognition of property rights in countries where this has not yet been achieved, such as Panamá, Costa Rica and Dominican Republic. Equally important is the development of innovative financing instruments and economic opportunities for Afro-descendant communities living in biodiverse regions under substantial socioeconomic pressure and vulnerable to climate-related risks.” said Mayolo.

From Recognition to Action: Conservation International’s Work with Afro-Descendant Communities

Conservation International is working alongside Afro-descendant peoples to elevate their leadership in conservation and climate action. Through research and data collection, community engagement initiatives such as the Afro Women Fellowship Program and advocacy efforts on the global stage, the organization is helping to secure recognition, funding and policy support for Afro-descendant land stewardship and ensure these communities have a platform to shape conservation strategies that affect their lands and livelihoods.

“Afro-descendants have been protecting biodiversity and managing ecosystems for centuries using sophisticated conservation practices that the world is only beginning to understand," added Rosero. "Their leadership is not just about preserving the past, it’s about shaping the future of climate and conservation policy. By working alongside these Afro-descendant peoples, we are strengthening nature-based solutions that benefit both people and the planet.”

About the Study

The research was conducted by Conservation International (including its field teams in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana and Suriname) and in collaboration with MIT’s Environmental Solutions Initiative, the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, the University of Florida and New York University.

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About Conservation International: Conservation International protects nature for the benefit of humanity. Through science, policy, fieldwork and finance, we spotlight and secure the most important places in nature for the climate, for biodiversity and for people. With offices in 30 countries and projects in more than 100 countries, Conservation International partners with governments, companies, civil society, Indigenous peoples and local communities to help people and nature thrive together. Visit Conservation.org for more, and follow us on Conservation News, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.

Journal

Nature Communications

DOI

10.1038/s43247-025-02339-5

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Afro-descendant lands in South America contribute to biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation

Article Publication Date

22-Jul-2025

Clearing rainforest for cattle farming is far worse for nature than previously thought, finds landmark bird survey

University of Cambridge

Cattle pasture in the western Andes — image:
Cattle farming has replaced hyperdiverse forests in the western Andes of Colombia
view more
Credit: David Edwards

Researchers have conducted the world’s biggest ever bird survey, recording 971 different species living in forests and cattle pastures across the South American country of Colombia. This represents almost 10% of the world’s birds.

They combined the results, gathered over a decade, with information on each species’ sensitivity to habitat conversion to find that the biodiversity loss caused by clearing rainforest for cattle pasture is on average 60% worse than previously thought.

Until now, understanding the biodiversity impact of land-use change has generally involved small-scale, local surveys. The researchers say that this approach does not represent the larger-scale damage caused to nature.

When forests are converted to pasture, some species win and others lose. Measuring the biodiversity loss at local scale does not capture the larger-scale effect of forest conversion, which is occurring across the ranges of many different species. While the same species usually survive on pastureland, a wide range of other species don’t, so overall biodiversity is more severely reduced at large scale.

The results are published today in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution.

Professor David Edwards in the University of Cambridge’s Department of Plant Sciences and Conservation Research Institute, senior author of the report, said: “This is a really surprising result. We found that the biodiversity loss caused by clearing rainforest for pastureland is being massively underestimated.”

He added: “When people want to understand the wider impact of deforestation on biodiversity, they tend to do a local survey and extrapolate the results. But the problem is that tree clearance is occurring at massive spatial scales, across all sorts of different habitats and elevations.

“When we looked the biodiversity impact of deforestation across thirteen different eco-regions in Colombia, we found a 62% greater biodiversity loss than local survey results would indicate.”

The study also showed that at least six different eco-regions – that is, regions containing distinct types of plants and animals - must be considered for an accurate assessment of overall biodiversity impact. This is because the species in different eco-regions have different sensitivities to habitat conversion.

Biodiversity offsetting schemes, which aim to compensate for species losses caused by developments in one place by boosting biodiversity in another, rely on accurate measures of biodiversity.

Trees are also being cleared at huge scales in Colombia and other tropical regions to create growing space for major agricultural crops including rubber, oil palm, sugar cane and coffee.

Edwards said: “The food we eat comes with a much great environmental cost than we thought. We need policy makers to think much more about the larger scale biodiversity impact of deforestation.”

Tropical birdsong recordings

The team studied Columbia’s birdlife across its diverse landscapes for over seven years, recording the song of hundreds of bird species to help them identify the species present in landscapes across the country, from pasture to mountain forest. In about 80% of cases the birds were heard but not seen, requiring the team to make identifications from the sounds alone.

With information about the birds, including their size and diet, the team could predict which other species were likely to be living in the same regions and how they too would respond to deforestation.

A highly biodiverse country

Colombia is home to some of the most beautiful and exotic animal and plant life in the world, with almost one third made up of rainforest.

Particularly biodiverse areas, including the Caqueta moist forests and the Napo moist forests, can have 500-600 different bird species within an area of ten square kilometres – but many of these species have very specific habitat requirements. The study showed that if trees are cleared across their range these species are likely to die out.

Land-use change, particularly in the highly biodiverse tropics, is one of the main causes of the global biodiversity crisis.

In the largest ever survey of rainforest birdlife, scientists have discovered that deforestation to create pastureland in Colombia is causing around 60% more damage to biodiversity than previously estimated.

Credit
Torbjorn Haugaasen

Gold-ringed tanager

This bird, which lives in Colombia, needs a very specific habitat to survive. It is threatened when trees are cut down to make space for cattle farming.

Credit
James Gilroy

Savannah hawk

This widespread species invades formerly forested areas after clearance for cattle pasture - a winner when land is converted.

Credit
David Edwards

Song of the Brown-billed Scythebill [AUDIO] |

Song of Munchique Wood-wren [AUDIO] |

Harpy Eagle call [AUDIO] |