In Brazil

In two states, Mato Grosso and Para, where about 70 percent of Brazil's deforestation has taken place in recent times, the area converted to farmland in the first quarter of this year spiked to 214 square kilometres from 77 years ago.

Although it was the rainy season, the early time of year when the chainsaws are usually less active, an area equivalent in size to 21,400 football pitches was cleared of trees between January and March, the Brazilian environmental authorities say.

The world food crisis has actually weakened the hand of environmentalists in Brazilian politics who are trying to conserve the untouched forests as a biodiversity treasure trove.

Mato Grosso's governor, Blairo Maggi, responded to the figures by defending deforestation as necessary to feed the world.

"You can't grow more food unless you put more land into production by chopping down trees," declared Maggi, who is nicknamed the "soya king" in Brazil.

This I think is an excuse so he can keep on chopping trees.He might give some land to the Farmers but the most reason why Forest's get chopped of because they wanna built buildings.