The deforestation in Misiones keeps advancing unchecked and generates concern. A study by the Faculty of Agronomy of the UBA (FAUBA) reveals that in the last 30 years, approximately 130,000 hectares of native forest have been lost.
And the remaining areas have been turned into smaller, isolated, and vulnerable patches.
### Deforestation in Misiones: alarming numbers
In the last 30 years, the province lost more than [130,000 hectares of native forests](https://noticiasambientales.com/medio-ambiente/la-sequia-que-vive-brasil-en-mas-de-la-mitad-de-su-territorio-es-a-causa-de-la-deforestacion/).
It’s not just about a superficial reduction: the most worrying aspect is how these forests are turning into [disperse patches](https://noticiasambientales.com/medio-ambiente/la-sequia-que-vive-brasil-en-mas-de-la-mitad-de-su-territorio-es-a-causa-de-la-deforestacion/), distant from each other, making it difficult for countless species to survive and altering the ecological balance of the entire region.
Researchers warned that forests are not only decreasing in size but also fragmenting in a worrying way. In 1990, the average size of a forest patch was 285 hectares. Three decades later, that number dropped to 215 hectares. At the same time, the distance between these fragments [increased from 94 to 246 meters](#).
This physical separation has direct ecological consequences. Animal species lose the ability to move, plants see their seed dispersal process limited, and ecosystems become more vulnerable to the entry of [invasive species and the impact of climate change](#).
The FAUBA’s work also identified a particularly affected region by deforestation: the department of San Pedro, between the towns of Dos Hermanas and Pozo Azul. There, the researchers detected a “red flag” of fragmentation, an urgent signal to reinforce restoration and conservation policies in that strategic area of the so-called Green Corridor.
### How does the forest law operate?
Since 2007, Misiones has a [Natural Forests Territorial Zoning (OTBN)](https://noticiasambientales.com/medio-ambiente/la-sequia-que-vive-brasil-en-mas-de-la-mitad-de-su-territorio-es-a-causa-de-la-deforestacion/) that establishes red zones (strict protection), yellow zones (sustainable use), and green zones (transformable).
While this regulation allowed for a reduction in deforestation rates between 2010 and 2015, records have increased since then.
According to the report, in areas classified as “red,” fragmentation remained stable, but in the “yellow” areas, it increased significantly. In the “green” areas, the situation is even more serious, with an accelerated level of deterioration.
Specialists are clear: [protecting forests is not enough if actively restoring](#) the damaged areas is not done. They propose an integral territorial management that includes not only reforestation but also the participation of local communities, constant monitoring, and strengthening of environmental control.
In particular, they highlight the role of indigenous peoples, who have shown a remarkable capacity to [sustainably conserve natural resources](#).
