Roadside Measurements of Deforestation in the Amazon Area of Bolivia

This study describes the deforestation impact from three settlements, 5 de Junio, El Tigre, and 30 de Agosto, near the Madidi National Park in Bolivia. First deforestation rates along the road that connects the settlements and then deforestation within each settlement are examined. Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) imagery from 1987, 1997, and 2000 were used to measure the deforestation. Face-to-face interviews were also used to collect detailed social and land-use information. Road-building and farming have been the major causes of deforestation in this region. The TM measurements indicate a high increase in the deforestation rate along the road in the area of study. The results also show a rapidly escalating deforestation rate in 5 de Junio, a potential high future deforestation rate in El Tigre, and a gradual deforestation increase in 30 de Agosto. The information provided by the settlers about clearing was compared with the imagery analysis. Generally, the settler’s estimates were lower than the deforestation as derived from the imagery.