Chico Mendes Extractive Reserve faces high deforestation in Amazon

The Chico Mendes Extractive Reserve in Acre has been identified as one of the most deforested conservation units in the Legal Amazon. According to data from the Institute of Man and Environment of the Amazon (Imazon), the reserve recorded 9 km² of deforestation in August 2026 alone, making it the second most affected unit in the region for that month, trailing only the Triunfo do Xingu Environmental Protection Area in Pará.

Looking at the cumulative data from January to August 2026, the Chico Mendes Extractive Reserve ranks as the third most deforested unit in the Legal Amazon, with a total loss of 13.8 km². Acre as a state has seen significant activity, accounting for seven of the 22 conservation units in the Amazon that recorded forest loss exceeding 1 km². In total, the units in Acre lost 31.3 km² of forest during this period, representing 16% of the total deforestation within the Legal Amazon's conservation units.

While deforestation in Acre rose by 11% in August compared to the previous year, forest degradation—caused by fires and logging—showed a significant decline. In Acre, degradation fell by 85% in August compared to August 2025.