The implementation of unpaved/paved road networks (and some riverways) provides
unrestricted low-cost mobility to once remote or inaccessible locations deep within
rainforests. In so doing, they decrease transportation costs of goods and people in newly
created networks, integrate rural labour markets and facilitate migration processes.
Unfortunately, it is this new mobility that has contributed to the illegal deforestation in Amazonia. Invariably, those forest management and agriculture development programs
without the appropriate monitoring and control measures have failed. Even though
governmental agencies like the Brazilian Environment Agency combat illegal activities, law
enforcement in such a large region is nothing but limited. To implement an extensive road
network without governmental regulation plus strict-efficient-effective monitoring and law
enforcement can only lead to a boost in socioeconomic impoverishment, expansion of the
agricultural frontier, and deforestation in Amazonia (MMA, 2001).
Overall, roads providing accessibility to once remote forested areas in synergy with
unrestricted mobility of goods and people can be regarded as a major driver prodeforestation.
Thus, further road implementation in Amazonas would be, at least, a
questionable transportation option in regard to the environment.
The river network of Amazonia comprises the Amazonas river basin and also part of the
Araguaia–Tocantins rivers basin. However, it represents only a marginal role in the
country’s complete transport matrix (only 0.2% market-share). In the state of Amazonas,
the Madeira–Solimo˜es–Negro–Amazonas river network (and their tributaries) is the
primary mode of transportation for the low-income population and large volumes of lowadded
value/high weight bulk goods, to include (many times illegal) timber extraction.
Since commercial traffic and economic returns from river transport are not as encouraging
to deforestation as those of road transport, this river network has been generating minor
deforestation