Brazil’s illegal loggers downscale to avoid satellite detection

Brazil’s illegal loggers downscale to avoid satellite detection

Hard-to-detect small-scale clearance of Amazon rainforest makes up half of country’s deforestation rate, says study. RTCC reports

Alex Pashley for RTCC, part of the Guardian Environment Network
Friday 21 August 2015 08.11 EDT

Brazil’s drive to nip illicit tree-felling in the bud has shifted the nature of the problem, according to researchers.

Small-scale illegal logging is – proportionally speaking – on the rise, says a report by the Climate Policy Initiative and the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro.

Deforestation rates fell nearly 80% from 27,000 sq km in 2004 to 5,000 km2 in 2012, following a strict regime of regulation, monitoring and enforcement.

But over the same period, destruction of patches smaller than 25 hectares has increased from a quarter of the total to more than half.

More:
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/aug/21/brazils-illegal-loggers-downscale-to-avoid-satellite-detection

Environment & Energy:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/112790205