The Evolution of Reforestation in Brazil

background

This article describes the history of incentives for reforestation in Brazil from the 1970s through 2001.

Conclusions & Takeaways

Recognizing a scarcity of roundwood due to deforestation, the Brazilian government created a program with financial incentives for reforestation in the 1960s. Additional federal policies were created to stimulate reforestation efforts by granting monetary resources and agricultural inputs to groups reforesting in Brazil. During this time, the annual reforested area increased from 34,760 hectares in 1967 to 409,015 hectares in 1986, with 1976 having the highest annual reforestation of 449,249 hectares. From 1989 to 2001, the Brazilian government ended federal money directed toward reforestation. Without those incentives, some state governments implemented programs to promote reforestation. During this time, however, demand for roundwood increased while production stagnated. In 2002, the Brazilian government began a program to offer low interest rate loans for reforestation, but have not been very effective at improving reforestation. The author suggests that a new federal policy be instated to promote reforestation on small and medium sized farms.