Urgency to Conserve the Sepahua Headwaters: The Key Role of Community Surveillance

UAC, SERNANP, and community patrollers at the start of the patrol on the Sepahua River.

The headwaters of the Sepahua River, a vital source of water and biodiversity in the Peruvian Amazon, are facing increasing threats from deforestation, shifts in oil-related land use, and uncontrolled agricultural expansion. Without continuous monitoring and protective measures, these threats could severely impact local ecosystems and jeopardize the rights of the Indigenous communities that call this region home.

Recognizing the urgency of the situation, the Sepahua Community Vigilance Committee (CVC) conducted a patrol of the region from February 15th to 19th. During this initiative, 30 community patrollers received training in the use of the SMART technological tool, in collaboration with Peru’s Parks Service (SERNANP) and Upper Amazon Conservancy (UAC).

Deforestation documented during the community patrol on the Sepahua River, 2025.

The Need for Financing an Updated Environmental Assessment

Since 2019, UAC has documented an alarming increase in deforestation and pressure on the Sepahua ecosystem (Mongabay Latam). A 2022 monitoring effort further revealed widespread, unregulated land-use changes, with agricultural expansion emerging as a major driver of ecosystem degradation. Despite ongoing conservation efforts, deforestation has now reached the buffer zone of Alto Purús National Park, Peru’s largest park and home to the Mashco-Piro isolated tribe.

Aerial image of deforested areas in Sepahua, 2025.

The rapid expansion of farming—particularly cacao cultivation—continues to impact water resources and biodiversity. However, weak environmental enforcement and a lack of formal complaints have allowed these activities to persist unchecked. Currently, there is no recent data available to assess the full extent of the environmental impact or to design effective mitigation strategies.

Addressing these challenges requires an updated environmental assessment of the region. This requires financing for technical studies, equipment, and training, as well as strengthening local vigilance committees to enhance their autonomy and operational efficiency.

Indigenous Leadership and Technology for the Protection of the Territory

Training by UAC and SERNANP on SMART mobile for CVC 02 de Mayo, CVC ARDISEP, and CVC Santa Isabel.

Community surveillance efforts have been led by three vigilance committees—the communities of 2 de Mayo and Santa Isabel, and the agricultural association ARDISEP—supported by SERNANP park guards and UAC staff. During the February patrol, CVC members identified alarming signs of environmental degradation, including a decline in wildlife populations and alterations to the riverbed caused by illegal land invasions and unregulated land-use changes.

A crucial tool in strengthening local vigilance has been the use of SMART technology. “The SMART mobile tool helps capture real and reliable data on-site. It allows us to understand the true state of our flora and fauna, as well as the human activities impacting our forests,” explains Maricela Vargas, a member of the ARDISEP CVC.

The SMART training sessions enabled 30 community patrollers to enhance their ability to document environmental threats with greater accuracy and generate technical reports to support future conservation efforts.

“This tool provides us with concrete evidence to demand the protection of our rivers and forests. We cannot allow this destruction to continue unchecked,” emphasizes Adolfo Ramírez, another member of the ARDISEP CVC.

Pascual Miqueas Urquía, from the neighboring 2 de Mayo CVC, highlights the need to further strengthen these initiatives: “We were unfamiliar with SMART technology before, so I am very grateful for this training. I hope this is just the beginning and that more training sessions will follow.”

Toward Effective Protection of Sepahua: The Need for Institutional Support

Beyond monitoring patrols and training, local communities are seeking official recognition of their territories and advocating for the designation of the Sepahua headwaters as a protected area, a critical initiative that UAC is actively supporting.

The presence of Indigenous Peoples in Isolation and Initial Contact (PIACI) in the region—such as the Mashco-Piro, Peru’s largest isolated tribe—further underscores the urgency of ensuring effective protection. For monitoring efforts to be truly effective, the full implementation of SMART technology is essential—including cell phones, internet access, and portable chargers. These tools would enhance SERNANP’s and UAC’s support for the CVCs, allowing them to respond more effectively to threats.

The communities and their allies are calling on authorities, organizations, and donors to join forces in safeguarding Sepahua. This effort is not only about protecting biodiversity and tribes living in isolation, but also about securing access to water and preserving the livelihoods of native communities who have lived there for generations and depend on healthy ecosystems for survival.