A pioneer in protecting the forest, Acre has been witnessing the expansion of cattle ranching over the Amazon with the migration to the state of rural landowners looking for cheaper land.
In addition to deforestation, Acre still suffers from health problems caused by fires and a historical drought in its rivers.
As part of the Legal Amazon states, Acre has recorded a boom in deforestation during the Bolsonaro government. The average deforestation from 2010 to 2018 was around 300 km² per year, but in the last three years, it has risen to more than 700 km².
According to the Instituto de Pesquisa Ambiental da Amazônia (Amazon Environmental Research Institute), Acre has been the state that, proportionally, most deforests the Amazon in Brazil. The problem is particularly concentrated in private areas and settlements.
According to experts, deforestation in Acre is not the result of the local population. Rural producers from other states, attracted by low land values, would be the ones driving this process.
Translated by Cassy Dias