Study reports rising forest pressure along Brazil’s BR-319

What you need to know

• Within 40 kilometres of BR-319, the study reports that the deforestation trend shifted from a decline of 565 hectares a year before 2015 to an increase of 2,965 hectares a year after 2015. 12
• The authors also report a significant divergence from two comparison areas not connected to the road. This comparison supports their finding of a distinct trend around the corridor, but does not by itself establish what caused it. 1
• The researchers combined satellite land-use monitoring with cattle supply-chain records, field validation, documentary evidence and network analysis. They report links involving deforestation, illegal roads, land grabbing, mining, drug trafficking and cattle laundering. 12
• The authors interpret their evidence as showing criminal networks exerting territorial or institutional capture. The reporting does not establish this as a court finding or an official determination. 12
• Brazil’s Law No. 15,190, dated 8 August 2025, establishes general rules for environmental licensing. The study argues that its provisions change the regulatory context for further works on BR-319, but the law is not evidence for the study’s findings about forest loss or criminal activity. 41

Why this matters

The reported forest loss and illicit activity make governance and enforcement central concerns for the BR-319 corridor. The findings are relevant to decisions about forest protection as road works advance, but the study’s limits mean they should not be treated as proof that road improvements caused the reported changes. 12

What happens next

The sources describe proposed checkpoints and wildlife crossings, but do not establish whether these measures will be delivered or effective. Further monitoring and independent verification could help assess the reported trends and whether safeguards reduce forest loss, crime or wildlife impacts. 21

What we know

• The paper is listed by its research centre among its publications, corroborating its title, authors and journal attribution. 3
• A separate 2025 academic study describes competing views of BR-319: as a route to economic development, a driver of forest destruction, or potentially compatible with sustainability aims. 5
• The BR-319 study uses multiple types of evidence, including satellite data, supply-chain records, field validation and documentary material. 12

What we don't know

• The available reporting does not show that road improvements caused the reported increase in deforestation or illicit activity. 12
• The sources do not provide enough detail to assess fully how the study defines and validates links between identified actors, criminal activity and cattle supply chains. 12
• It remains unclear whether proposed checkpoints and wildlife crossings will be implemented, or whether subsequent evidence will show that they reduce the reported risks. 2
• The reporting does not provide additional independent verification of the study’s reported deforestation and illegal-road trends. 12

Read the reporting

This WildNews briefing synthesises and summarises reporting from the sources below. WildNews did not produce the original reporting. Learn more about how we use AI