Estimates of deforestation avoided by protected areas: a case study in Brazilian tropical dry forests and Cerrado.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the creation of protected areas (PAs) to avoid deforestation using Matching methods, focusing on the north of the Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Using GIS (Geographic Information System) techniques, we randomly distributed several 3 ha plots across the study region. The deforestation rates in plots inside and outside PAs were compared using Matching analysis. Our results indicate that the PAs created in the north of Minas Gerais in the 1990s were effective in reducing deforestation, though avoided deforestation rates have been relatively low (1.62% from 1996 to 2009). Geographical location was a key factor for PAs effectiveness and plots inside PAs in flat regions or close to large cities and roads had a greater impact on avoided deforestation. The results of this study corroborate a global trend of establishment of PAs in remote areas under low deforestation pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]