Brazil’s Deforestation Detection in Real Time (DETER) system has recorded 8,147km² of new deforestation in the year from August 2007.
This equates to a 69% increase in the level of new deforestation recorded through DETER, run by the National Institute for Space Research (INPE), between August 2006 and July 2007 from shallow cut and progressive degradation.
However, INPE said July had seen the lowest levels of deforestation since March, with 323km². April, May and June recorded 1,124km², 1,096km² and 870km² respectively.
INPE added the deforestation statistics from DETER do not correspond to the annual rate of deforestation, which is measured through the PRODES system.
PRODES is a more complex system that is capable of measuring areas as small as 6.25ha and concentrating on shallow cut deforestation, while DETER is designed to offer monthly alert maps for areas larger than 25ha looking at deforestation as a process.
