Afro-descendant Communities Reduce Amazon Deforestation by Up to 55%, Study Finds
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📰 The quick summary: New research reveals that lands managed by Afro-descendant communities across four Amazonian countries have 29-55% less deforestation and higher biodiversity than protected and unprotected areas, showcasing their effective environmental stewardship.
📈 One key stat: Afro-descendant community lands experience 29-55% less deforestation than surrounding areas, highlighting how traditional knowledge and practices effectively protect critical ecosystems.
💬 One key quote: “Our land management practices combine traditional African knowledge with the Amazon Rainforest. The areas where we have lived have become healthier and sustained entire communities,” said Hugo Jabini, a Saramaka Maroon leader and 2009 Goldman Prize Winner.
1️⃣ The big picture: A groundbreaking study has found that Afro-descendant communities play a crucial role in forest conservation across Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, and Suriname. These communities, descendants of people forcibly brought to the Americas during the slave trade, manage nearly 10 million hectares of land in the Amazon region. The research shows their territories have significantly less deforestation and higher biodiversity compared to both protected areas and unprotected lands. Despite comprising only 1% of the region studied, these lands disproportionately protect high-value conservation areas, including habitats for thousands of species and stores of irrecoverable carbon.
2️⃣ Why is this good news: Traditional knowledge systems brought from Africa and adapted to new environments have created sustainable land management practices that protect forests while supporting communities. More than half of Afro-descendant peoples’ lands fall within the top 5% of global biodiversity hotspots, providing critical habitat for over 4,000 vertebrate species. Their territories also safeguard significant stores of irrecoverable carbon, offering dual benefits for biodiversity and climate protection. Food forests developed by these communities serve as refuges for diverse plant and animal species while providing sustainable livelihoods. The study provides scientific validation for what has long been observed anecdotally: indigenous and traditional communities are often the best stewards of natural resources.
3️⃣ What’s next: Researchers hope this study will lead to greater inclusion of Afro-descendant peoples in climate talks and conservation planning. Recognition of their land rights and management practices could enhance global conservation efforts. Ensuring these communities receive support for continued stewardship will be essential for maintaining these biodiversity-rich lands.
Read the full story here: Mongabay – Study links Afro-descendant communities to less deforestation, more biodiversity
