MANAGEMENT EFFECTIVENESS AND DEFORESTATION IN PROTECTED AREAS OF THE BRAZILIAN AMAZON

Abstract

The establishment and management of protected areas are critical strategies for biodiversity conservation and preventing tropical forest loss. We analysed 2020 management effectiveness data from Brazil’s SAMGe evaluation platform in 133 areas of the Brazilian Amazon under varying deforestation pressures. We did not find any significant correlation between overall management effectiveness and deforestation, whereas distance to roads was negatively correlated. There is a higher occurrence of prohibited uses and fewer encouraged uses within highly deforested protected areas. Moreover, most of these areas also presented higher equipment expenditure scores, suggesting that resources are allocated towards protection actions. Most deforestation is likely driven by opportunity, as highly perturbed locations are generally much less isolated than those with very low deforestation scores. To avoid forest loss, complementary strategies that reduce the external forces leading to deforestation must urgently be implemented.