Indigenous groups report deforestation in Argentina and threats to biosphere reserve in El Salvador

In Argentina, Wichí communities and Greenpeace have reported the destruction of over 3,300 hectares of native forest in Salta since August. The deforestation is allegedly linked to specific farms, including Tonono, Alcoba, and Caraguatá. Activists claim that recent reforms to the Native Forest Territorial Ordering in Salta reclassified certain areas from “yellow” to “dark yellow,” allowing for changes in land use that have facilitated these clearances.

Simultaneously, in El Salvador, indigenous organizations and social movements have issued an urgent call to authorities and UNESCO to protect the Apaneca-Ilamatepec Biosphere Reserve. Covering approximately 59,056 hectares across the departments of Sonsonate, Santa Ana, and Ahuachapán, the reserve is a critical zone for biodiversity. Local groups, including MILPA and MESUTSO, emphasize that the reserve is not merely a natural space but a territory inhabited by indigenous populations who require guaranteed participation in its conservation and management.