A satellite study covering 2001–2018 estimated an annual decline of 38 liters per cubic meter and found that 65% of negative trends overlapped avocado plantations. Nearly half the region fell within highly vulnerable areas.
The trinational initiative covers 33 municipalities, 11 protected areas and six biological corridors. Backed by €11 million from Germany's KfW development bank and contributions from the three countries, it links conservation, water security, restoration and sustainable rural production.
New mapping identifies Brazilian forests that are crucial for recycling moisture toward Peru and Bolivia. The proposal targets conservation where atmospheric flows converge and where deforestation, roads and gaps in legal protection threaten the regional water cycle.