Deep in the Amazon, a revolutionary movement is changing the fight against deforestation: Indigenous women armed with drones, GPS, and satellite phones. These guardians, who combine modern technology with ancestral knowledge, have managed to reduce illegal logging in their territories by up to 70%, according to 2025 data.
Who Are the Guardians?
- Leaders from 35 ethnic groups (Kayapó, Waorani, Asháninka, among others).
- Aged between 18 and 70, many are mothers and grandmothers.
- Trained in forestry technology schools like the Amazon Tech Academy.
Technological Weapons Against Destruction
Drones with thermal cameras:
- Detect night loggers and illegal miners.
- Monitor 3,000 hectares/day (vs. 10 on foot).
Real-time alerts:
- They use platforms like Global Forest Watch to send evidence to prosecutors.
Digital maps in Indigenous languages:
- They geolocate sacred sites and water sources in danger.
Documented Successes
- Brazil: The Yarang Miri group expelled loggers from 12,000 hectares in the Xingu.
- Colombia: Siona women created a “digital barrier” in Putumayo.
- Peru: Shipibo guardians intercepted a shipment of 200 mahogany logs.
Challenges They Face
- Death threats: Four female leaders were killed in 2024 (according to Global Witness).
- Digital divide: Lack of internet in remote areas.
- Machismo: Some communities initially reject their leadership.
How to Support Them
- Donate to funds like Amazon Frontlines or the Indigenous Women’s Fund.
- Buy sustainable forest products from their cooperatives.
- Spread their work with the hashtag #GuardianasDeLaSelva.
“Our grandparents protected the forest with arrows. We use drones, but the fight is the same” — Txai Suruí, Brazilian activist.