Brazilian ranchers, aiming to avoid satellite detection, have turned to chemicals to clear forests, devastating large stretches of protected land, including areas in the Pantanal wetlands.
Jack Nicas and Flávia Milhorance report for The New York Times.
In short:
- Brazilian rancher Claudecy Oliveira Lemes is accused of chemically deforesting 300 square miles of the Pantanal wetlands to expand cattle ranching.
- Herbicides, used to kill trees gradually, evade satellite detection systems and contaminate soil and water, posing long-term environmental and health risks.
- Meat from cattle raised on deforested lands linked to Lemes’s operations was traced to JBS slaughterhouses, supplying grocery chains like Carrefour.
Key quote:
“It’s more difficult to detect, it looks like a fire and you can deforest thousands of hectares in a short time.”
— Ana Luiza Peterlini, lead prosecutor in the case
Why this matters:
Chemical deforestation is emerging as a stealthy tool to bypass enforcement, allowing ranchers to exploit protected lands while sidestepping traditional detection methods. This technique not only undermines Brazil's conservation efforts but also introduces toxins into ecosystems, threatening biodiversity, human health and global food chains.
Learn more: Ranchers secretly use chemical defoliants to clear Brazilian forests for beef production
