South Professor Leads Study on Indigenous Land Protection in the Amazon
Posted on July 28, 2026
A study led by Dr. Gabriel de Oliveira, assistant professor in the Stokes School of Marine and Environmental Sciences and senior scientist I at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, warns of accelerating deforestation and escalating socio-environmental threats facing Indigenous communities in the Brazilian Amazon.
The paper, published in the journal Nature Sustainability, hopes to bring international attention to the Javari Valley, located in the western Brazilian Amazon 鈥� a region considered one of the last great ecological and cultural strongholds of the Amazon rainforest. It is home to the largest concentration of isolated Indigenous peoples on Earth and represents one of the most globally significant regions for biodiversity conservation, climate stability and Indigenous heritage.
鈥淭his study brought together 66 authors from more than 30 institutions across the United States, Brazil, Europe and the broader Amazon region,鈥� de Oliveira said. 鈥淲hat makes it especially unique is that it includes Indigenous leader Beto Marubo as a coauthor and reflects the growing recognition that Indigenous knowledge is essential. The future of the Amazon is ancestral.鈥�
The team reports increasing pressure along the borders of the Javari Valley Indigenous Territory from illegal activities including deforestation, poaching, illegal fishing, narcotrafficking and the expansion of organized crime networks. These activities are contributing to escalating violence and instability affecting both Indigenous communities and nearby populations.
鈥淚 applaud Dr. de Oliveira鈥檚 latest research,鈥� said Dr. Sean Powers, director of the Stokes School of Marine and Environmental Sciences. 鈥淭he research stresses environmental sustainability, people and solution-driven science.鈥�
The paper calls for urgent global action to protect the region and support Indigenous rights, positioning the research as a critical contribution to ongoing discussions on climate change, conservation and environmental justice.
