Steps taken by Panama in the past year include enacting a province-wide illegal logging moratorium in Darien to stop anarchic cutting and clearing of tropical rainforests until a new permitting system is deployed, while hiring, equipping, and training 240 new national park rangers with the trucks, boats, and equipment they need—with an additional 50 rangers on the way.

The National Border Service of Panama (SENAFRONT), the Public Ministry, and the Ministry of Environment (MiAMBIENTE) dismantled an illegal mining network in the Mangle River, in Alto Tuira, within Darién National Park, near the border between Panama and Colombia.

On May 14th, nearly one hundred philanthropists and environmentalists gathered at The Olympic Club in San Francisco to support Global Conservation and participate in a distinguished panel discussion featuring global leaders in park and wildlife protection, including ABC News’ Bob Woodruff, Martina Sasso, founder of Por El Mar, Secretary Wade Crowfoot of California, and Minister Juan Carlos Navarro of Panama.

Global Conservation (GC) has signed a multi-year agreement with the Ministry of Environment (MiaAmbiente) of Panama to strengthen conservation and stop illegal activities, such as logging and mining, within the country’s largest national parks.

Darien National Park is the largest protected area in Central America and the Caribbean. This biosphere reserve is considered the most important natural lung in the world after the Amazon rainforest. These forests provide habitat for the endangered brown-headed spider monkey, the endangered Baird’s tapir, harpy eagles, and many more.