Study the graph showing causes of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon.

A pie chart titled Causes of Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon from 2000 to 2005. Cattle ranching is 65 to 70 percent. Logging is 2 to 3 percent. Large-scale agriculture is 5 to 10 percent. Small-scale agriculture is 20 to 25 percent. Other is 1 to 2 percent. Other refers to forest fires, mining, urbanization, road construction, and dams.

Which action would be the most effective in slowing deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon?

moving cattle ranches to other areas
placing severe restrictions on logging
stopping the expansion of urban areas
combining smaller farms into larger farms

1 answer

The most effective action in slowing deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon, based on the provided data about causes of deforestation, would be moving cattle ranches to other areas.

Cattle ranching accounts for 65 to 70 percent of deforestation in the region, which is a significant majority compared to the other causes. While placing restrictions on logging and addressing urban expansion could help, their contributions to deforestation are relatively small. Therefore, relocating cattle ranches would likely have the greatest impact on reducing overall deforestation rates in the Amazon. Combining smaller farms into larger farms could also potentially help, but it might not address the primary driver of deforestation as effectively as relocating cattle ranches would.