The Rain Forest Was Here An NPR team ventures deep into Brazil's rain forest and finds the country is battling to stop deforestation. But loggers and farmers are still cutting and burning huge swaths of land.
Special Series
The Rain Forest Was Here
Elizeu Berçacola surveys the scene after he and his fellow rubber tappers set afire one of three illegal logging camps. Kainaz Amaria/NPR hide caption
In the 1970s, the Brazilian government declared the Amazon open for settlement. Rondonia became like Oklahoma during the land rush. The poor and dispossessed of other Brazilian states were encouraged to move in. Quickly, trees gave way to farms and cattle ranches. Deforestation in this part of Brazil now happens in quick phases, where the land is cleared, burned, and readied for cattle to graze. Kainaz Amaria/NPR hide caption
A joint raid with IBAMA, ICMBIO, Rondonia Police and the Ministry of Defense went to the Jacunda National Forest to track illegal loggers and collect contraband lumber. Kainaz Amaria/NPR hide caption
The Claims Are Rosy, But Brazil's Rain Forest Is Still Disappearing
Sunset colors cut through the smoky haze in the Brazilian Amazon. Kainaz Amaria/NPR hide caption
Ivo Cassol is a prominent Brazilian senator from the western state of Rondonia in the Amazon. He made his fortune in timber and cattle ranching. Environmentalists say these activities are responsible for much of the deforestation in the rain forest. Kainaz Amaria/NPR hide caption
Francisco Carlos Fonseca is the manager of Marina Confiança, a resort located on the banks of the Cantareira reservoir system. Behind him is a boat ramp that once led to a lake that he says used to be more than 100 feet deep. Kainaz Amaria/NPR hide caption
As Brazil's Largest City Struggles With Drought, Residents Are Leaving
