Indigenous Peoples, Afro-descendants, and peasant farmers resist “green deserts” in Brazil

Posted on September 21, 2018 by GJEP staff

By the Global Forest Coalition

On International Day Against Monoculture Tree Plantations we bring you this photo-essay showing the devastation caused by monoculture tree plantations in Brazil, and in contrast, community efforts to restore native forests and build sustainable livelihoods.

We focus on the northeastern Brazilian states of Bahia and Espirito Santo, where eucalyptus plantations cover as much as 70% of the land area in some municipalities, having replaced the Atlantic Forest ecosystem which is endemic to the region. The plantations are run by Suzano, Fibria and Veracel, some of the most powerful players in the global pulp industry. Their eucalyptus is mostly exported internationally as pulp, to produce consumer paper products such as toilet paper.