The Araguaia River traverses the Amazon and the Cerrado, the two most threatened biomes in Brazil. The continued deforestation of these biomes has many consequences both on a local and global scale. Increased forest fires, longer dry seasons, and lower water quality are just some among many of the recognized impacts of deforestation. Our work consolidates the current knowledge on the effects of deforestation to provide a comprehensive assessment of the impact of land-use changes of the Araguaia River and its associated ecosystem services. Gaining a better understanding of the value of ecosystem services and the full effects of deforestation is essential for advocacy and environmental policy focused on conservation. Our research helps inform the remarkable work of the Black Jaguar Foundation, an organization dedicated to reforesting the Araguaia River Corridor by planting more than 1 billion trees. I took this picture during a field visit of the Araguaia River in November 2019. It shows how the forest was cleared and burned to be converted for other purposes, most likely for soy production or pasture.
