Environmental organizations in Brazil have expressed their concern about the use of the chain. It is a **destructive technique** that, through metal chains dragged by large tractors, devastates entire ecosystems for **agricultural expansion**.
This method, **legal but highly harmful**, is used in **Mato Grosso**, the Brazilian state with the largest extension of **soybean crops and extensive livestock**.
## How the chain works and its environmental impact
The system consists of **tying a gigantic chain** between two **agricultural vehicles**, which as they move parallel, **drag millennia-old trees from their roots** and eliminate **native vegetation**.
### The effects on ecosystems are devastating:
– Extinction of species, including endangered animals.
– [Loss of biodiversity](https://noticiasambientales.com/innovacion/tecnologia-de-vanguardia-con-el-adn-ambiental-frente-a-la-sexta-extincion-masiva-de-especies-y-perdida-de-biodiversidad/), with the destruction of unique habitats.
– Soil contamination, due to the intensive use of chemicals after deforestation.
It is estimated that this technique **can destroy the equivalent of 10 soccer fields per day**, contributing to the **accelerated reduction of the Cerrado**, the savanna with the greatest biodiversity on the planet.
## Legality and lack of environmental regulation
Despite its **alarming impact**, the use of the chain is **allowed by the Brazilian Forest Code**. This regulation only requires **preserving 35% of native vegetation** on private properties within the Cerrado.
Local laws, instead of **regulating how deforestation is carried out**, focus on **granting authorizations**, without limiting techniques such as the use of **heavy chains**.
In 2016, a regulation that **prohibited the use of the chain** in Mato Grosso was **revoked** after pressure from the **agribusiness sector**. They argued that the restriction **affected productive expansion** and that criminalizing the technique required specific legislation.
## Devastating consequences for biodiversity and ecosystems
According to biologist Isabel Figueiredo, from the Institute Sociedade, População e Natureza, 90% of **deforestation permits** are granted **without meeting adequate environmental criteria**, accelerating the **destruction of the Cerrado**.
“We have already lost more than half of this savanna, and the chain is a fast and cheap technique that leaves no escape opportunity for animals,” she warned.
A study by **WWF-Brazil** revealed that **almost all of the 486 species** analyzed in the Cerrado and the Amazon have lost part of their habitat. The chain is one of the main culprits.
## Soil contamination and alteration
After deforestation, soils are **chemically conditioned** for the production of **soybeans and livestock**, through the use of **gypsum and limestone in large quantities**, up to **10 tons per hectare per year**.
This process **compacts the soil and prevents water absorption**, increasing **erosion and river contamination**, affecting eight of the **12 main hydrographic basins in Brazil**.
## An urgent environmental challenge
The advance of the chain **threatens the biodiversity of the Cerrado**, one of the richest regions in fauna and flora in the world.
Environmental organizations urge the **Government of Brazil** to reconsider the **regulation of this practice**, establishing **stricter limits** to protect ecosystems and ensure **sustainable development**.
