Brazil
Brazil is home to unmatched biodiversity and some of the world’s most powerful Indigenous conservation movements. Yet more than 50.2 million hectares of “undesignated public forests” remain at risk. The urgency could not be greater: the decisions made today will shape the future of forests, rivers, and communities across the Amazon.
Building on 20+ Years of Experience
For over two decades, we have worked across the Putumayo–Içá corridor in Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador, supporting the creation of conservation areas and Indigenous territories.
In 2025, the Andes–Amazon Program carried out its first Rapid Inventory in Brazil, in the Alto Rio Içá region of western Amazonas. This historic expedition, led alongside Indigenous experts and Brazilian scientists, marks the beginning of a new chapter for our work in the country. It is the first of many research and engagement initiatives we will pursue to strengthen conservation and Indigenous territorial rights.
At the Keller Science Action Center, we are bringing this experience to new opportunities in western Amazonas State—beginning in Alto Rio Içá and expanding to priority landscapes such as Alto Rio Japurá/Puruê, Alto and Baixo Jatapu, and Cuniuá–Tapauá.
Supporting Indigenous Science and Storytelling
We are committed to elevating Indigenous science, voices, and storytelling—both within recognized Indigenous lands and across other protected areas. These partnerships ensure that conservation strategies respect cultural knowledge, strengthen self-determination, and highlight frontline perspectives.
From Knowledge to Action
Our goal is clear: to bring recommendations for conservation and territorial management to decision makers at every level, privileging the knowledge, know-how, and goals of Indigenous peoples and local communities. By working together, we can protect Brazil’s forests and secure a future where biodiversity and cultural diversity thrive.
Partnership at the Core
Our efforts depend on deep collaboration. Together with our institutional partners, we are advancing an intercultural, transdisciplinary approach that combines cutting-edge biodiversity science with Indigenous knowledge systems. We are proud to work in Brazil with the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA), Wildlife Conservation Society – Brasil (WCS-Brasil), Coordenação das Organizações Indígenas da Amazônia Brasileira (COIAB), Instituto de Pesquisa Ambiental da Amazônia (IPAM), Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá (IDSM), Universidade Federal do Amazonas (UFAM), Universidade do Estado do Amazonas (UEA), and the Instituto de Pesquisa e Formação Indígena (IEPE).