Clearing (geography)

The clearing of woods and forests is the process by which native vegetation, such as trees and shrubs, together with their roots are permanently removed. The main aim of this process is to clear areas of forest, woodland or scrub in order to develop the area for another purpose, such as pasture, arable farming, human settlement or the construction of roads or railways.

Many of the world's most prominent forests have suffered significant levels of clearing in recent years, including the Amazon. Between 2018 and 2019, 2 years following the presidential election of Jair Bolsonaro, clearing in eastern Brazil increased by 27%.

Between 2015 and 2025, South America recorded the highest annual rate of net forest loss globally, losing 410,110 square kilometres (41.01 million hectares) of forest.