Our Araribóia Indigenous Land Agents Team
The Araribóia Indigenous Land is a crucial territory for the conservation of the Amazon rainforest in the state of Maranhão, inhabited by approximately 10,000 people from the Guajajara and Awá-Guajá peoples, including Awá groups living in voluntary isolation. The preservation of this territory is fundamental to guaranteeing the survival and well-being of these communities, as well as protecting the rich local biodiversity. In this scenario, the work of indigenous environmental agents has been indispensable in confronting the threats of invasions and illegal activities.
AmazoniAlerta, in partnership with COAPIMA (Coordination of Organizations and Articulations of the Indigenous Peoples of Maranhão), strengthens the work of a team of indigenous environmental agents, made up mostly of women, and led by one of them. This team has been carrying out regular territorial monitoring expeditions for over six years, contributing directly to the protection of areas inhabited by the isolated Awá and to the conservation of biodiversity.
Monitoring expeditions are planned and carried out in response to recurring threats, such as invasions, poaching and deforestation. Equipped with the technical and logistical support provided by AmazoniAlerta, the environmental agents collect evidence of environmental crimes and face the challenges posed by loggers, hunters and other invaders. In recent expeditions, they have found traps, animal remains and signs of invasions, putting the local fauna and the food security of indigenous communities at risk, especially groups in voluntary isolation.
In addition, the team monitors the environmental impact caused by fires and the severe drought affecting the Araribóia Indigenous Land. The fires, often caused by invaders, have exacerbated the drought conditions, making the monitoring and protection work even more crucial.
The team of environmental agents in the Araribóia Indigenous Land works closely with our legal department, which reports environmental crimes and pressures the competent authorities to take action. The work of these agents not only protects the territory, but also strengthens the link between the indigenous communities and the authorities responsible for inspection.
As well as working to protect and monitor the territory, the team of environmental agents plays a central role in reforesting their territory, leading initiatives to grow native seedlings. This work is fundamental to recovering areas affected by fires and degradation, re-establishing local biodiversity. With the support of AmazoniAlerta, the agents promote environmental regeneration, ensuring that future generations can continue to enjoy a healthy and sustainable territory.
About Araribóia Indigenous Land
Arariboia is an Indigenous Land with 413 thousand hectares, known for its rich biodiversity and located in the State of Maranhão in the north east of the Amazon. The territory is amongst the most invaded and vigorously defended indigenous lands in the Amazon. Overall Maranhão has lost a quarter of its primary rainforest since 2002. 10,318 people, belonging to the Indigenous peoples Guajajara, Awá-Guajá, and isolated Awá, live in Arariboia, which is divided into ten regions – with Lagoa Comprida being one of the regions of the Indigenous Land with the highest incidence of sightings of the isolated Awá.
*Brazilian indigenous people typically use the word “parente” – which means “relative” – to refer to any other indigenous people, whether they’re directly related or not.
AmazoniAlerta’s Araribóia Environmental Agents Team is generously supported by The Rainforest Fund.