When Indigenous communities have legal land rights, this Brazilian forest benefits

By Kelsey Simpkins
University of Colorado Boulder
January 26, 2023

Indigenous communities in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest who attain full, formal recognition of their land rights reduce deforestation and increase forest cover, finds a new CU Boulder-led study.

Published today in PNAS Nexus, the paper supports ongoing research around the world showing that legally recognizing Indigenous peoples’ land rights can help lessen land grabs and human rights violations, as well as mitigate climate change and biodiversity loss.

Read the full article here.