Brazil can generate 1 million to 2.5 million direct jobs if it reaches the goal of restoring 12 million hectares of native vegetation by 2030. The conclusion is from a study produced by the Brazilian Society for Ecological Restoration (Sobre), Pact for the Restoration of the Atlantic Forest, Alliance for Restoration in the Amazon and Coalition Brazil, Climate, Forest and Agriculture.
The commitment to recover at least 12 million hectares of native vegetation in Brazilian territory was assumed by the Federal Government in 2017, through the National Plan for the Recovery of Native Vegetation (Planaveg).
According to research published in the British magazine People and Nature, activities involving forest restoration have the capacity to generate one job for every 2 hectares restored, which is equivalent to two football fields.
Researcher Rafael Chaves, one of the coordinators of the project and an environmental specialist at the Secretariat of Infrastructure and Environment of the State of São Paulo, highlights that, to reach this result, only the posts created from the so-called active restoration – generated by the human action.
The study covers activities such as seed collection, seedling production, planting and maintenance of the restored areas and technical services, such as consulting, project design and monitoring.
The survey results show that, today, approximately one third of the jobs are opened by companies specialized in planting/maintenance and services in general, related to restoration. The survey also shows the current generation of jobs, divided by region:
- North – 646
- Northeast – 1,041
- Midwest – 612
- Southeast – 5,026
- South – 884
Concentration of efforts
The survey also showed that, currently, 61% of restoration works are concentrated in the Southeast region, with a third in the state of São Paulo. Another data shows that most jobs linked to the sector (85%) involve the Atlantic Forest – a pioneer biome in recovery activities in the country.
According to researcher Rafael Chaves, the concentration in the Southeast happens because the states in the region have a superior economic situation.
“This disparity is more related to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the states than to the deficit of native vegetation in these places, which is the amount of area that the legislation requires to be restored. And this is important, because the biomes and regions with the greatest deficit of vegetation will need greater investment attention to reverse this situation, especially in the next decade, which is the decade of ecosystem restoration”, says the expert.
For researcher Pedro Brancalion, a professor at the University of São Paulo, who also coordinated the research, the survey points to the possibilities of transforming forest restoration into a large-scale economic activity.
“The positive results that can come from the economic activities of the restoration chain depend on long-term financing commitments, which are equitably distributed among Brazilian regions and biomes. In addition, it is worth noting that ecosystem restoration is an emerging economic activity with the potential to generate jobs and income, especially in local organizations”, says the agronomist.
The preparation of the study was supported by institutions with a restoration agenda in Brazil, such as The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Brazil and World Resources Institute (WRI) Brazil.
Forest restoration goals in the country
The government’s goal of restoring at least 12 million hectares is based on an analysis of the deficit of native vegetation related to compliance with Law 12,651, of 2012, which provides for the protection of native vegetation in the country.
The plan details the restoration goals for each biome (in hectares):
- Atlantic Forest – 4.75 million (38%)
- Amazon – 4.8 million (38%)
- Cerrado – 2.1 million (17%)
- Caatinga – 500 thousand (4%)
- Pampa – 300 thousand (2%)
- Pantanal – 50 thousand (1%)
Source: CNN Brasil

I am Sophia william, author of World Stock Market. I have a degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and I have worked as a reporter for several news websites. I have a passion for writing and informing people about the latest news and events happening in the world. I strive to be accurate and unbiased in my reporting, and I hope to provide readers with valuable information that they can use to make informed decisions.