In 2023, 5.7 million hectares of secondary vegetation at least six years old were mapped in the Amazon biome, of which 4 million hectares are in areas with low agricultural potential—that is, they do not compete with grain cultivation. This figure reveals a major opportunity for conservation and environmental restoration in the region, according to the Amazônia 2030 project study The Potential for Forest Restoration in the Amazon Based on Secondary Vegetation.

Forest restoration emerges as an essential strategy to mitigate climate change by removing large amounts of CO₂ from the atmosphere, recovering biodiversity, and strengthening ecological functions such as climate regulation and erosion control. In the Amazon biome, secondary vegetation plays a central role in this process, representing a large-scale, low-cost opportunity for environmental recovery.

The states with the largest areas of secondary vegetation on lands with low agricultural suitability are Pará (1.88 million hectares), Amazonas (612 thousand hectares), and Mato Grosso (606 thousand hectares). Secondary vegetation in regions with high agricultural potential is most prevalent in Pará (676 thousand hectares) and Mato Grosso (481 thousand hectares).

The study also highlights that secondary vegetation in areas with low agricultural suitability is concentrated mainly on private properties registered in the Land Management System (29%), undesignated public lands (16%), areas in the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) (15%), and rural settlements (15%). These data reinforce the need for public policies that protect and encourage the restoration of these areas.

Forest restoration and sustainable development

The research indicates that ensuring the conservation of these areas requires a coordinated effort among public policies, economic incentives, and territorial governance strategies. Key recommendations include:

• Creating a continuous monitoring system for secondary vegetation;
• Prioritizing secondary vegetation in areas that do not compete with agricultural production for environmental regularization;
• Broadly disseminating the economic and legal benefits of forest restoration;
• Designating undesignated public lands for conservation and sustainable uses;
• Implementing incentives for rural landowners who convert arable lands into forest areas;
• Strengthening forest concessions as a strategy for the recovery of degraded lands.

With a total of 29.7 million hectares of deforested areas with low suitability for grain production, there is enormous potential for forest restoration in the Amazon, especially through natural regeneration. This study underscores the need for concrete actions to ensure that secondary vegetation is protected and becomes a pillar of the national strategy to tackle climate change and promote sustainable development.