El oro, la contaminación y los seres del agua. Visiones locales de los impactos ambientales de la minería en el mundo acuático de la Amazonia colombiana

Drawing upon testimonies of indigenous men and women who have personally experienced transformations brought about by recent gold mining rushes in the Colombian Amazon, the present report documents local dynamics associated with these illegal mining activities and their environmental impacts. Oral histories compiled in the report reflect the reality of towns like Araracuara and Puerto Santander, along with the surrounding areas of Cahuinarí National Park and Amacayacu National Park in the department of Amazonas over the past 15 years.  Semimechanized extraction of alluvial gold deposits has severely affected local rivers and streams, as well as the forest and its inhabitants. Paying special attention to the local cultural meanings of gold and the water-world, the report documents in detail the impacts of gold mining on aquatics ecosystems, fisheries, food security, forests, and wildlife.