Colombia's National Parks Face 146% Deforestation Surge and Illegal Mining Crisis

Minister of Environment Fabio Arjona announced that deforestation inside Colombia's National Parks jumped 146.5% between 2023 and 2024, rising from 4,682 to 11,544 hectares. The transition team reported that 48,125 hectares were transformed in the park system from 2022 to 2025, with the Amazon region bearing the brunt. The most affected parks are Tinigua, Sierra de La Macarena, Paramillo, Puinawai and Río Puré.

Satellite analysis also shows illegal gold mining has cleared about 506 hectares in the Río Puré National Park, threatening the biodiversity of the area and the voluntary‑isolated Yurí and Passé indigenous communities near the Brazil border. The mining expansion, first noted in mid‑2024, accelerated in 2025 and 2026, adding roughly 177 hectares of forest loss between January and May 2026.

In response, the incoming government pledged an urgent review of Colombia's conservation policy, to strengthen state presence in protected areas and protect critical sites such as the UNESCO World Heritage Serranía de Chiribiquete. The measures aim to curb illegal activities, reinforce protection of indigenous territories, and halt the rapid loss of forest cover.