GC Supports Thermal Imaging to Prevent Fires in the Guanacaste Conservation Area

Written By Joshua Asel

Response efforts to forest fires were intensified during the first quarter of 2026, which began with significant challenges due to the high number of incidents reported. Personnel carried out prevention, monitoring, and control actions to reduce the environmental impact on protected areas and surrounding communities.

The dry season saw a continuation of the prioritization of wildfire response and prevention efforts. Twenty forest fires were put out by authorities, who also conducted 138 preventative operations and field engineering monitoring actions to safeguard ecosystems that were at risk of fire. These endeavors highlight the significance of merging quick reaction to emergencies with plans for prevention in the long run.

As a result of Global Conservation's funding, the Guanacaste Conservation Area's operational and technical capacities have been significantly enhanced. The long-term preservation of important habitats and animals, better field operations, protection of biodiversity, prevention of wildfires, and institutional cooperation are all directly impacted by this partnership. One of the most significant protected areas on Earth cannot be effectively conserved without ongoing global assistance.

Overall, the indicators for the first quarter of 2026 show that management is actively working to maintain biodiversity, reduce environmental threats, increase legal enforcement, and secure Costa Rica's natural heritage for the future.

News
Turneff Atoll Sustainability Association's 2025 Annual Report
Turneff Atoll Sustainability Association's 2025 Annual Report

Global Conservation reports from Belize on the effectiveness of the 2025 enforcement and scientific adaptive management of Turneffe Atoll, the country’s largest Marine Protection Area (MPA).

French Polynesia Achieves Major Progress in Marine Protection; Support Arrives from GC
French Polynesia Achieves Major Progress in Marine Protection; Support Arrives from GC

While Bora Bora has been considered a prime destination for vacationing in one of the world's most beautiful island chains, decades of tourism, including sports fishing, and an explosion of non-native people moving there have left a significant number of reef systems dead or depleted. GC now collaborates with the French Polynesian government, researchers, locals, and more to save this local marine ecosystem.

On a Mission in Panama to Create Park Rangers
On a Mission in Panama to Create Park Rangers

During the month of May, Global Conservation, in collaboration with Panama’s National System of Protected Areas (SINAP), led a three-day training program for Panama National Park Rangers. More than 20 park ranger supervisors and field-level rangers from various Panamanian national parks attended. The training was designed to equip these supervisors and rangers with knowledge and skills they could pass along to other park rangers.

May 2026 Highlights: From Protection to Research
May 2026 Highlights: From Protection to Research

Following the launch of the Banda Seas Project in April, patrol teams from the Fisheries and Marine Affairs Department (DKP) of Maluku, local NGOs, the Navy, and the Marine Police conducted three patrol missions across Banda Neira, West Seram, and the Kei Archipelago, covering approximately 360 km of marine waters.

Darién National Park Rangers Strengthen Their Capabilities with the Support of Global Conservation
Darién National Park Rangers Strengthen Their Capabilities with the Support of Global Conservation

As part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the protection and conservation of the country's natural resources, the Ministry of Environment, with the support of Global Conservation, continues to promote the training and professional development of the rangers of Darién National Park.

GC Supports Thermal Imaging to Prevent Fires in the Guanacaste Conservation Area
GC Supports Thermal Imaging to Prevent Fires in the Guanacaste Conservation Area

The Guanacaste Conservation Area showcased its operational prowess and dedication to environmental preservation in the first three months of 2026 by implementing a comprehensive strategy that prioritized monitoring, preserving biodiversity, preventing wildfires, and coordinating among institutions.

Expansion of the Marine Monitor (M2) Radar Systems and Command Centers at the Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve
Expansion of the Marine Monitor (M2) Radar Systems and Command Centers at the Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve

The Turneffe Atoll Sustainability Association (TASA) has expanded its maritime surveillance within the Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve (TAMR). Building upon the initial 2021 deployment of the Marine Monitor at the Caye Bokel Conservation Outpost in the south of the atoll, TASA has now integrated a second M2 system at the Maugre Caye Conservation Outpost in the north.

GC Announces New Protection of Amboró National Park, Bolivia
GC Announces New Protection of Amboró National Park, Bolivia

GC now aims to battle illegal activities in Amboró, which has been losing forest cover to illicit activities such as the cultivation of coca crops for the production of cocaine and illegal land clearing by surrounding populations and outsiders

Peruvian Airforce and GC Sign Cooperation Agreement to Protect Peru’s National Parks and Indigenous Territories
Peruvian Airforce and GC Sign Cooperation Agreement to Protect Peru’s National Parks and Indigenous Territories

Margoth Quispy, the GC Director for South America, is spearheading a vital initiative in Peru's capital, Lima. A Memorandum of Understanding was inked with the Peruvian Air Force General to oversee the preservation of four national parks and nine Indigenous Communities. Over 1.2 million acres combined are now protected by Global Park Defense and Community Protection.

Exploration and Field Testing of Banda Sea Monitoring Technology
Exploration and Field Testing of Banda Sea Monitoring Technology

Global Conservation signed its first MoU with the Maluku Fish and Marine Department to kick off a new joint GC Marine Protection program and EarthRanger deployment for the Maluku Islands in the Banda Sea of Indonesia. GC organized and supported the first Joint Patrols in the Banda Seas using the EarthRanger platform for marine protection.

New “War On Nature” Short Film: Big Palm Oil vs Leuser Ecosystem
New “War On Nature” Short Film: Big Palm Oil vs Leuser Ecosystem

In this episode of War on Nature, conservation photojournalist Paul Hilton travels deep into the Leuser Ecosystem in Sumatra, Indonesia, to witness the devastating impact of palm oil expansion on one of the last truly wild places on Earth.

GC’s Largest Deployment of Paul Allen’s EarthRanger Outside Africa
GC’s Largest Deployment of Paul Allen’s EarthRanger Outside Africa

Global Conservation Combined Deployments of EarthRanger in GC Projects are now the Largest Network of Park Protection Systems outside Africa—from Mexico to Panama, Peru to Indonesia.

Joshua Asel
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Expansion of the Marine Monitor (M2) Radar Systems and Command Centers at the Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve