Deforestation rates in the Brazilian Amazon down 80% in the last decade

Read the full article by Conserve if possible – this is just the introduction.

What do you think of when you hear the words “Amazon rainforest”?

Do you think about parrots and poison dart frogs, about marmosets and massive trees, and how tropical rainforests are home to roughly 50% of the species on Earth? Do you think about the vast scale of the Amazon, an immense ecosystem that covers 40% of South America and produces 20% of the world’s oxygen?

Or do you think of deforestation, clear cutting, and environmental disaster?

Such thinking is certainly warranted. Since 1970, an area of the Amazon larger than the size of Texas has been cleared. Apart from the irreplaceable loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services, deforestation emits substantial greenhouse gasses, accounting for nearly 20% of global emissions. In short, deforestation of the Amazon is bad news.

But now, more than ever, there is hope for the Amazon on the horizon.

Full story: 6 Ways Brazil is Saving the Amazon | Conserve