Argentina’s bold move to stop Chaco deforestation

An Argentine federal judge on Monday ordered a three-month suspension of deforestation in the northern Chaco province, a rare intervention aimed at protecting one of the world’s rapidly disappearing forest ecosystems, which is currently under threat from agricultural expansion.

The announcement, made public on the Public Prosecutor’s Office website, follows an investigation into an alleged corruption scheme in which corporate entities and local officials profit from unauthorized land development. Chaco, part of the U.S. Gran Chaco—the largest forest area in South America after the Amazon—is struggling with one of the highest deforestation rates in the world.

The dry forest ecosystem is home to a variety of wildlife, including jaguars, foxes, maned wolves, ocelots, tapirs, armadillos, capybaras and pumas. Prosecutors are investigating former and current officials and major companies in the grain sector for illicit profits, abuse of power and failure to perform public duties.

“The judge has ordered the total suspension of logging in the 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 damage to the environment occurs during the investigation. We aim to dismantle this deforestation mafia.”

The Chaco province, which covers about 100,000 square kilometers, relies on forestry, soy and cattle farming, cotton production, firewood and tannin extraction. The Chaco government has not yet commented on the suspension.

According to the NGO Fundación Vida Silvestre, Argentina’s forest protection law has not prevented the Gran Chaco from losing 30% of its forests. Between 2007 and 2021, 76% of deforestation occurred illegally.