Argentina's Bold Move to Halt Chaco Deforestation

An Argentine federal judge has initiated a three-month stoppage on deforestation in Chaco province, aiming to safeguard one of the world’s most threatened woodland ecosystems. This decision emerges amidst an inquiry into corruption involving illegal land clearance by businesses and local officials. The region is experiencing alarming deforestation rates.

An Argentine federal judge on Monday mandated a three-month suspension of deforestation in northern Chaco province. This rare intervention aims to protect one of the world's rapidly disappearing woodland ecosystems, currently under threat from farmland expansion.

The announcement, made public via the prosecutor's office website, follows an investigation into an alleged corruption scheme involving business entities and local officials profiting from unauthorized land clearance. Chaco, part of the American Gran Chaco—the largest forested area in South America after the Amazon—suffers from some of the highest deforestation rates globally.

The dry forest ecosystem hosts diverse wildlife, such as jaguars, foxes, maned wolves, ocelots, tapirs, armadillos, capybaras, and pumas. Prosecutors are scrutinizing former and current officials and major companies in the grains sector for illegal profits, abuse of authority, and failure to fulfill public duties.

"The judge ordered the total suspension of clearing in Chaco province," said Enrique Viale, president of the Argentine Association of Environmental Lawyers (AAdeAA), which filed the initial complaint. "This will ensure that no further environmental damage occurs during the investigation. We aim to dismantle this deforestation mafia."

Chaco province, covering around 100,000 square kilometers, relies on forestry, soy and cattle farming, cotton production, firewood, and tannin extraction. The Chaco government has yet to comment on the suspension.

As per the NGO Fundación Vida Silvestre, Argentina's Forest Protection Law has not prevented the Gran Chaco from losing 30% of its forests, with 76% of the deforestation occurring illegally between 2007 and 2021.

(With inputs from agencies.)