Brazil loses much of its greenery along rivers in the Cerrado
Between 1985 and 2025, 13.9 million hectares of native vegetation along rivers and other waterways disappeared, according to MapBiomas.
In Brazil’s Cerrado, 13.9 million hectares of native vegetation along waterways disappeared over 40 years. The figures come from the latest MapBiomas maps and are relevant to water quality, agriculture and climate resilience.
MapBiomas examined vegetation within a zone extending up to 500 metres along rivers and other waterways in the Cerrado. Between 1985 and 2025, 13.9 million hectares were lost there, representing 26.9 per cent of the vegetation that was converted to other uses during that period.
The largest losses were measured in the Alto Tocantins and Araguaia river basins. There, 2.9 million and 2.7 million hectares of riparian vegetation disappeared respectively. Together, these two areas accounted for 41 per cent of the measured decline along waterways.
Riparian vegetation slows erosion, holds soil in place and limits the amount of sediment entering rivers. According to researcher Bárbara Costa of IPAM, the loss could also affect the availability and quality of water and make landscapes more vulnerable to drought and heavy rainfall.
The trend is part of the wider transformation of the Cerrado. Overall, the savannah region lost a net 51.7 million hectares of native vegetation between 1985 and 2025, a decline of about 34 per cent. Agriculture and livestock farming increased sharply over the same period.
The figures come from MapBiomas’ eleventh collection, a network that maps land use in Brazil every year. It is an analysis of satellite and land-use data, not a measurement of water quality in each individual river. The effects on water and erosion are ecological risks, not a uniform prediction for every area.
Most of the vegetation loss occurred on private land. In protected or collectively managed areas, the loss was much smaller according to the analysis. That difference suggests that protection and enforcement have an effect, but it does not mean that protected areas face no risks.
The government has designated areas where restoring water recharge is to be given priority. For Dutch readers, the development matters because the Cerrado plays a major role in Brazil’s agriculture, water management and global supply chains. The debate is therefore not only about nature, but also about food production and the cost of restoration.
MapBiomas describes a long-term trend, not a new incident. The figures do show, however, that river buffers and other protective measures are under pressure. How quickly restoration is possible depends on land use, monitoring, local cooperation and enforcement of Brazilian environmental rules.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- MapBiomas recorded the loss of 13.9 million hectares of native vegetation along waterways in the Cerrado between 1985 and 2025.
- Agriculture and livestock farming increased sharply in the area.
- Protected and collectively managed areas experienced less loss than private land.
Left
Arguments The figures show that nature protection and stricter enforcement are needed, especially along waterways. Economic growth that destroys water buffers shifts costs on to communities, farmers and future generations.
Values Environmental justice, protection of public goods and the rights of local communities.
Consequences More restrictions on deforestation and restoration obligations could affect farmland and business models, but could also limit drought damage and water shortages.
Centre
Arguments Agriculture and nature management should be incorporated into the same spatial planning framework. Protecting river buffers, restoration payments and better monitoring can coexist with productive agriculture if rules are predictable.
Values Practical feasibility, water security and cooperation between government, farmers and communities.
Consequences An area-based approach could reduce conflicts, but requires long-term public funding and reliable enforcement.
Right
Arguments Agriculture is economically important and should not be brought to a standstill by broad bans. The emphasis should be on property rights, targeted rules around waterways and technological productivity gains.
Values Economic freedom, food production and proportionate regulation.
Consequences A more limited approach could protect investment, but without sufficient monitoring the risk remains that river vegetation will continue to disappear.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The main figures and geographical distribution were checked against the MapBiomas report as presented by Agência Brasil and IPAM. Consequences for water are phrased as risks rather than established local effects.
- confirmed In the Cerrado, 13.9 million hectares of vegetation along waterways disappeared between 1985 and 2025. — Agência Brasil cites the new MapBiomas analysis. source
- confirmed Alto Tocantins lost 2.9 million hectares and Araguaia 2.7 million hectares. — This breakdown appears in Agência Brasil’s summary of MapBiomas. source
- confirmed The Cerrado lost a total of 51.7 million hectares of native vegetation between 1985 and 2025. — This figure is also published by IPAM. source
- confirmed Brazil’s ministry designated areas for water recharge as a priority. — This is stated in the publication of Brazil’s Ministry of the Environment. source
Editor's note
The area figures come from MapBiomas and have been described by Agência Brasil and IPAM. The text distinguishes between measured vegetation loss and possible consequences for water and the climate.Sources
- Cerrado brasileiro perdeu 13,9 milhões de hectares de margens de rios — Agência Brasil
- Cerrado perdeu uma área equivalente a um Goiás e meio em 41 anos — IPAM Amazônia
- Áreas prioritárias para recarga hídrica en regels voor betalingen voor ecosysteemdiensten — Braziliaans ministerie van Milieu