Deforestation of the Pantanal

Mike sent me this article about the destruction of the Pantanal wetlands due to increased farming and logging. Unfortunately, this is something that is happening due to the extreme poverty of the people and due to greed. I can understand the poor cutting down some trees to make a small homestead for himself. This however is not the real problem. Rich farmers and cattlemen have invaded the wetlands and are daily increasing the size of their ranches at will because the sheer size of the Pantanal makes policing it almost impossible. The Pantanal region is so large that it doesn't affect our fishing now but could in the future.

http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/34461/story.htm