How Darién Gap Reversed Deforestation Through Modernised Enforcement and Technology
The Darién Gap, a remote tropical forest spanning approximately 575,000 hectares with high biodiversity, has faced significant environmental threats over the last two decades, losing about 15% of its forest cover to logging, mining, and cattle ranching.
In 2022, Panama took decisive action by modernising its park ranger force and initiating a crackdown on deforestation. The ranger workforce dramatically increased from six officials to over 40 by adding 30 new recruits and 11 forestry officers. Alongside this, a partnership with Global Conservation provided critical funding and equipment.
Technological tools became central to enforcement efforts. Trail cameras, satellites, the EarthRanger cloud system, and Global Forest Watch fire alerts enabled real-time communication and rapid ranger deployment. These efforts contributed to no recorded fires in 2024 or 2025.
In July 2024, President José Raúl Mulino further strengthened forest protection by purging corrupt officials within the environment ministry and imposing a strict moratorium on indigenous logging permits.
Ranger patrols expanded significantly, from almost no patrols in 2022 to 55 in 2024, with plans for more than 150 in 2025. Groups of five rangers operate together to maximize safety and effectiveness. Infrastructure improvements such as repairing five rusted boat engines and securing oil, fuel, and spare parts also enhanced ranger mobility.
As a result of these combined efforts, forest loss inside Darién National Park dropped by 88% between 2022 and 2025, with logging reduced to nearly zero in the park by 2025.
The programme’s co-investment model, which integrates government investment with conservation efforts, is considered faster and more scalable than traditional climate grants. It shows potential for broader impact if applied to thousands of parks globally, at an estimated cost of about $200,000 per park per year.
