Restoration
WildMon is able to track restoration progress over space and time, to understand how such regeneration or reforestation efforts support local wildlife and facilitate their return to these areas. We use various technologies to monitor wildlife on-the-ground in restoration sites and nearby baseline areas (such as degraded and primary habitat) to show how well restoration efforts are bringing back and continuing to support biodiversity over time.
Mapping species presence and distribution across Brazilian ecological corridor
This project will develop baseline species distributions in ecological corridors in 3 biomes: Amazon rainforest, Atlantic Forest, and the Cerrado. Baselines will be used to track the impacts of restoration on wildlife as the corridors continue to regenerate over time.
Passive acoustic monitoring and environmental DNA are being used to detect species throughout the corridor and develop a baseline. We will develop AI-based acoustic classification models for each biome that will facilitate ongoing analysis over time.
Application
Timeline
Scope
Location
Partner
2024 - ongoing
180 sites per biome
3 biomes: Amazon (Pará and Maranhão), Cerrado (Mato Grosso do Sul), Altantic Forest (Bahia and Espírito Santo)
Contributions
Sustainable development
goals
Hardware (acoustics recorders)
Analysis of recordings for species detection
Ecological modeling
Acoustic species classification AI model
Our on-the-ground partners are establishing new biological corridors in the Amazon, Atlantic forest and Cerrado in Brazil. These corridors will be restored and regenerated to connect existing fragments and expand wildlife habitat in each region.
Passive acoustic monitoring and environmental DNA (eDNA) are combined to comprehensively sample biodiversity across restoration sites in the Amazon, Atlantic Forest, and Cerrado in Brazil. Combining these two technologies makes it possible to holistically understand different taxonomic groups, from birds and mammals to insects and fungi.
Sampling sites within each area will be placed across a disturbance gradient, with some in primary habitat, some in the new restoration areas, and some in agricultural or pasture lands.
About the project
This will allow us to compare species richness and composition in the restoration areas compared to baselines to assess how well the new corridors are doing in supporting local biodiversity.
WildMon will develop AI-based acoustic species classification models for each biome that are trained to automatically detect species from raw soundscape recordings. We will combine species detection data with advanced ecological analyses like occupancy models and species distribution maps to understand wildlife dynamics in the corridors. Baseline information from year 1 of the project will set a reference point that we will compare to future years of sampling to understand changes in species trends over time, as the corridor restoration areas mature.
Impact goals
Establishing ecological corridors in these unique Brazilian ecosystems is vital for preserving biodiversity, ensuring the survival of endangered species, and maintaining ecological integrity and function. These corridors connect fragmented habitats, allowing wildlife to move freely, find mates, access resources, and better adapt to environmental changes. All of this is essential for healthy gene flow and long-term stability of populations. These 3 biomes support large numbers of species that are not found anywhere else in the world, highlighting the importance of conserving these unique ecosystems.
Monitoring wildlife across restoration areas in these corridors is essential; this information helps our partners assess the effectiveness of restoration efforts, identify areas needing further intervention, and ensure that the restored corridors function as intended. By establishing an initial baseline as restoration begins, we will be able to see how long it takes for corridor areas to support local wildlife and successfully connect habitat fragments together.
