Peru takes new approach to protecting Amazon: Using military

An illegal gold mining camp is seen from the air during a military operation to destroy illegal machinery and equipment used by wildcat miners in Madre de Dios, Peru, March 5, 2019. Officials inaugurated the first of four military bases Tuesday where soldiers will use drones and satellite images to protect the Amazon. The unprecedented move comes two weeks after authorities evicted thousands of illegal gold miners blamed with contaminating Amazon lands and rivers with mercury. (Guadalupe Pardo/Pool Photo via AP)

Peruvian soldiers walk in an illegal gold mining camp during a military operation to destroy illegal machinery and equipment used by wildcat miners in Madre de Dios, Peru, March 5, 2019. Officials inaugurated the first of four military bases Tuesday where soldiers will use drones and satellite images to protect the Amazon. The unprecedented move comes two weeks after authorities evicted thousands of illegal gold miners blamed with contaminating Amazon lands and rivers with mercury. (Guadalupe Pardo/Pool Photo via AP)

A Peruvian soldier plants a tree at an illegal gold mining camp during a military operation to destroy illegal machinery and equipment used by wildcat miners in Madre de Dios, Peru, March 5, 2019. Officials inaugurated the first of four military bases Tuesday where soldiers will use drones and satellite images to protect the Amazon. The unprecedented move comes two weeks after authorities evicted thousands of illegal gold miners blamed with contaminating Amazon lands and rivers with mercury. (Guadalupe Pardo/Pool Photo via AP)

Peruvian jungle devastated by wild cat gold miners is seen from the air in Madre de Dios, Peru, March 5, 2019. Peruvian officials inaugurated the first of four military bases Tuesday where soldiers will use drones and satellite images to protect the Amazon. The unprecedented move comes two weeks after authorities evicted thousands of illegal gold miners blamed with contaminating Amazon lands and rivers with mercury. (Guadalupe Pardo/Pool Photo via AP)