2023-08-31 19:44:00
In 1985, MS had 49% of native vegetation, but it dropped to 38%, while pastures increased from 29% to 36%
Fire in the middle of a pasture on a rural property in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso do Sul (Photo: Divulgation/WWF Brasil)
Mato Grosso do Sul, a state blessed with a rich diversity of biomes, among them, is home to two natural treasures of inestimable importance: the Cerrado and the Pantanal. However, the balance of these ecosystems is under threat due to several factors ranging from deforestation for agricultural production to climate change. These biomes, which represent the environmental soul of the state, face urgent challenges, which were pointed out in a report released this Thursday (31) by MapBiomas.
The Cerrado, considered the richest savannah in the world in terms of biodiversity, covers almost half of the territory of Mato Grosso do Sul. However, this vast expanse of native vegetation is rapidly disappearing. According to data from the institute, the loss of native vegetation in the Cerrado of Mato Grosso do Sul between 1985 and 2022 reached an alarming 25%, which represents 32.1 million hectares.
What was once a diverse ecosystem is now under increasing pressure due to expanding agriculture and livestock, as well as urbanization. The frequency of forest fires has also increased, threatening not only flora and fauna, but also compromising air quality and human health.
The Pantanal, one of the largest wetlands in the world in terms of area and one of the natural jewels of Mato Grosso do Sul, also faces enormous challenges. With its rich wetlands and diverse wildlife, the Pantanal is a priceless asset. However, threats to their survival are growing.
Between 1985 and 2022, the Pantanal of Mato Grosso do Sul lost 10% of its native vegetation, which is equivalent to 1.5 million hectares, as shown by MapBiomas data. The advance of agriculture, which includes the conversion of wetlands to pastures and crops, is compromising the natural hydrology of the Pantanal and having a profound impact on its biodiversity.
“We are moving away from, instead of approaching, the goal of protecting Brazilian native vegetation set out in the Forest Code and the commitment to zero deforestation by the end of this decade”, warns Tasso Azevedo, general coordinator of MapBiomas.
In the period from 1985 to 2022, there was a loss of 96 million hectares of native vegetation in Brazil, equivalent to 2.5 times that of Germany. The proportion of native vegetation in the territory dropped from 75% to 64%.
During the period from 1985 to 2022, there was a notable advance in agriculture in all Brazilian biomes, except in the Atlantic Forest. In the Pantanal, this increase went from 5% to 15%. In the Cerrado, expansion has been significant, now occupying half of the biome (50%) compared to just over a third (34%) in 1985.
It is worth mentioning that the area occupied by agricultural activities throughout Brazil increased from about one fifth (22%) to one third (33%) of the total territory. Pastures advanced by 61.4 million hectares and agriculture by 41.9 million hectares between 1985 and 2022.
One of the most alarming data in the study is the growth of the soybean crop, which has expanded across all biomes. Over the period from 1985 to 2022, the area cultivated with soybeans increased from 4.5 million hectares to 39.4 million hectares, equivalent to twice the territory of Paraná.
Soy advanced 18 million hectares in the Cerrado. In the case of the Pantanal, soy is changing the economic profile of the biome, which historically has always had livestock on native fields as the main rural activity.
“The Pantanal and the Pampa are examples of biomes naturally suitable for livestock, as their fields are like natural pastures. In both cases, the advance of soy represents a degradation of the biome”, warns Marcos Rosa, technical coordinator of MapBiomas.
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