Amazon deforestation rates drop as indigenous lands show high preservation

New data from the Institute of Man and Environment of the Amazon (Imazon) indicates that indigenous lands accounted for only 1.7% of deforestation in the Amazon over the last 12 months, despite covering approximately 23% of the region. Between August 2025 and July 2026, total deforestation in the Amazon was 2,702 km², a 23% reduction compared to the previous period. Nearly 60% of indigenous territories recorded no deforestation at all.

In a separate study by the Federal University of Acre (Ufac), the Chico Mendes Extractive Reserve (Resex) was found to have maintained over 89% of its forest cover. Researchers noted a distinction in deforestation patterns: inside the reserve, clearing is characterized by small, scattered openings linked to low-impact extractive activities, whereas deforestation outside the reserve tends to be more concentrated and continuous, particularly along roads and highways.