“Richards and VanWey predict that Mato Grosso is entering a period of renewed high rates of deforestation because of several factors, including the increasing value of farmland, the growing size of the state’s cattle herd, the current dollar-real exchange rate, and the Brazilian government’s continued support of export-oriented commodity agriculture.

“Brazil’s Plan for the Control of Deforestation in the Amazon III focuses on reducing deforestation in smallholder farms, given the success the government previously had in targeting owners of larger properties. But in looking at the results of their analysis, Richards and VanWey advocate for continued focus on larger properties.”  From: www.futurity.org

GR:  The stories today support the contention that deforestation is still too high in Brazil.  Stopping deforestation will be no easier with the large landowners discussed in this article. Sure, the owners can afford to pay the fines (unlike the small landowners), but who is going to fine them?