Likely Future Prospects

Although deforestation went highly unnoticed in the Cerrado during its 50 years of agricultural expansion, various nongovernmental organizations have recently begun to address the problem and to urge the  government to do the same. Although only 5.5% of the total land area is currently protected, this number is on the rise as the government has created 25 thousand square km of national parks and other protected areas, has isolated 5.8 million hectares of indigenous territories and implemented a land use plan that balances environmental and economic needs. Cultivation of alternative products that utilize the Cerrado's natural qualities has been suggested by some and a group of environmentalists, scientists and economists are drafting a plan to produce sugarcane to create ethanol in an environmentally safe and sustainable manner. While the degradation of the ecosystem has accelerated, few steps have been taken up to today, but if already-existing government regulations are enforced and new ones are developed, which seems to be the  trend,  I believe the area will be on its way to recovery. The future prospects are encouraging as deforestation gains awareness and Brazil's state continues to grow.