Clearing (geography)

The clearing of woods and forests is the process by which vegetation, such as trees and bushes, 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 use the soil for another purpose, such as pasture land, 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.

In the 2 years following the presidential election of Jair Bolsonaro, clearing in eastern Brazil increased by 27%.

In the 25 years from 1990 to 2015, forested areas in Europe increased by 90,000 square kilometres (9 million hectares).