While this has led to some positive results in the form of security and conservation work, now in 2025, the Wampís still find themselves vying for control over their land.

The chief hurdle is that the state has not recognized the autonomous nation.

For decades, they resisted the expansion of oil drilling and other extractive projects in their Amazonian territory, to little avail.

By declaring themselves autonomous, they sought to change this.

Super excited to share that my series on the Yaqui tribe and their struggle for water in Mexico has won an award at the Indigenous Media Awards. It was in the ‘Best Coverage of Indigenous Communities’ category 🥺

Residents say the contamination has killed so much livestock that one community had to open a cemetery specifically for animals.

For several months a year, due to flooding by the nearby dam, homes and pastures are inundated with contaminated water, forcing residents to migrate to higher ground.

A Mongabay estimate found that, based on a company map of the port and 2020 data of the ecosystem, it could impact 341.59 hectares (844 acres) of mangroves.

The Alcântara Port Terminal will be constructed within the Reentrâncias Maranhenses environmental protection area (APA), a Ramsar site. It is connected to four other important wetland sites nearby, which together form one of the largest continuous area of mangroves in the world.

As the operation to evict miners from the Munduruku Indigenous Territory enters phase two, I asked researchers and federal officials to share plans and strategies to prevent illegal miners from returning.

Munduruku organizations told Mongabay the operation has not been completely effective, as there are still some invaders and machinery in certain areas of the territory.

A large concern among the local communities is that the miners will return once security forces withdraw.

Experts said current mine closure regulations in Latin America are insufficient and the planning and development of responsible closure plans should focus on managing both social and environmental impacts.

⚠️ The mine’s tailings dam is at a very serious & imminent risk of failure due to poor monitoring and internal erosion.

Indigenous communities nearby have reported contamination in their waters, leading to the disappearance of key species, the destruction of wetlands & health issues among residents.

According to Mexican law, the environment ministry has one year to publish a protected area’s management plan after a decree is issued.

The three oldest protected areas without plans were decreed almost 90 years ago in 1936.

An independent analysis by @mongabay.bsky.social has found that almost half of Mexico's 232 federally protected areas (46.5%) do not have management plans.

Among those without plans are protected areas that were decreed more than 50 years ago.

See 🧵:

As sea levels rise, a handful of communities are being relocated further inland, to safer areas. But what happens when a community that depends on fishing is relocated and can no longer easily access the sea?

Latest for @mongabay.bsky.social: news.mongabay.com/2025/02/mexi...

🌴 The port will be constructed inside an environmental protection area, impacting a vast area of mangroves which are home to 50% of the country’s coastal bird population, including the Hudsonian godwit and the whimbrel, as well as lush forests and babassu palm groves.

Plans to construct a sprawling port and railway line in Brazil’s northeastern state of Maranhão are sparking concerns among some residents and civil society groups worried about its potential impact on the environment and lands used by marginalized communities.