Why does the piece of land where my geocoordinate is located look like it's been cleared of trees?

In fact, this tract of land is no longer classic “primary forest,” but rather what is known as “secondary forest.” This means that smaller areas within this forest have already been used by humans at some point. However, it is part of a larger, contiguous tract of land that consists primarily of completely intact primary forest.

Despite the pre-existing damage to the land, we decided to purchase and protect this plot because the Rapid Assessment identified it as particularly in need of protection: Not only is it severely threatened, but it also serves as a vital corridor connecting intact forest areas. The young forest now has the chance to regenerate naturally thanks to the early prevention of further human interference. We have therefore made a conscious decision to protect the entire parcel, including the secondary forest, and to fund this effort through donations like yours, so that we can protect large areas and their immediate surroundings at an early stage. 

Meanwhile, the reality in the immediate vicinity of our protected areas in the “Secret Forest” along the Tambopata River is that there are more and more of these small-scale cleared patches in the midst of the intact rainforest. For this reason, protecting the intact forest areas alone is no longer sufficient to restore the space nature needs to maintain its ecosystem functions. To pursue holistic environmental protection in the region, we therefore need not only traditional area protection but also restoration projects for precisely these previously damaged forest areas. With our agroforestry project , we are already moving in this direction. 

Part of such a holistic approach is also preserving corridors between intact forests and regenerating the associated areas—which may have been previously damaged.