The first edition of the MapBiomas Colombia Award, coordinated by the MapBiomas network in Colombia and led by the Gaia Amazonas Foundation, aims to promote research and the use of satellite monitoring data to contribute to the identification of socio-environmental issues and the planning of solutions from academia, civil society organizations, and government entities. We invite you to review the guidelines and submit your work.

The deadline for submissions is September 1 de 2025.

[Read below for more information]

You may submit a work, either individually or in co-authorship, that uses data or products from MapBiomas Colombia in one of the following three categories:

→  Academic Category: Works for research or educational purposes.

→ Public Policy Category: Works that contribute to the formulation, implementation, or evaluation of public policies in the country.

→ Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities Category: Works carried out by members of local communities or Indigenous peoples that highlight and position their knowledge systems, territorial and environmental management practices, and/or analyze issues affecting their territories and potential solutions.

Who Can Apply? 

University students, researchers and community leaders, technicians, graduates, postgraduates, teachers, professionals from private companies, civil society organizations, public managers, among others, who are Colombian nationals or residents, are eligible to participate.

What Types of Works Can Be Submitted?

We accept works such as technical or scientific articles, academic papers, theses, posters, infographics, reports, applications (dashboards), and story maps, submitted individually or in co-authorship. 

How? 

You can submit an individual or collective work through this formulario.

Important to Note:

1. It is an essential requirement to use data or products from the MapBiomas Colombia initiative (land cover or water) and to correctly cite the source según estas especificaciones. 
2. In the submission formulario you must attach the complete work in digital format (PDF). If the work uses algorithms or programming code, these must be publicly accessible or attached to the document.
3. Applicants for the MapBiomas Award must authorize the Gaia Amazonas Foundation and the MapBiomas Colombia Network to publish and disseminate their works on the corresponding websites and public dissemination platforms if selected as winners. To this end, applicants must attach el anexo 1 (in PDF format), duly signed, to the submission form. 
4. Applicants must also grant authorization to the Gaia Amazonas Foundation to process their personal data in accordance with the Personal Data Processing Policy: https://gaiaamazonas.org/politica-de-datos. 
5. Works submitted to the MapBiomas Colombia Award that involve traditional and/or ancestral knowledge must comply with current national and international regulations and jurisprudence regarding the protection of Indigenous Peoples’ rights. In the event that such works are selected for dissemination and publication, the collective rights of Indigenous Peoples and their knowledge systems will be safeguarded.

When? 

Before September 1, the submission deadline.

The Award

One winning work—either individual or collective—will be selected in each of the three categories. Each winning work will receive a prize of 5,000,000 Colombian pesos and a certificate issued by MapBiomas Colombia.

Why? 

This award has also been granted in other country initiatives such as Perú, Ecuador and Brasilestablishing itself as an ncentive to promote research and the use of satellite monitoring data over a broad temporal scale, contributing to the identification of socio-environmental issues and the development of solutions from academia, civil society organizations, and government entities.

Questions? 

Check theFrequently Asked QuestionsIf your question is not answered there, we invite you to contact us at mapbiomas.colombia@gmail.com

We also provide a videotutorial on how to use and download data from the platform.

Review the award guidelines for detailed information