When people hear “planted forests,” they often imagine deforestation.But in reality, many of the forests supplying renewable cellulose today are growing on land that was already deforested long ago — often degraded, exhausted, and abandoned.
And the data from Brazil shows this clearly.
What the science tells us
In Bahia, large areas of land that once held cacao plantations were devastated by disease in the 1980s and 1990s. Much of this land was then cleared for cattle or soy, leaving soils compacted, nutrient‑poor, and ecologically degraded.
A landmark case from Una, Bahia shows what responsible land conversion can achieve. Agronomist Ernst Götsch restored 500 hectares of severely degraded cattle pasture — land that had once been Atlantic Forest, then cacao, then cleared — into a productive agroforestry system. Over four decades, the land regained tree cover, biodiversity, and long‑term productivity.
Scientific reviews of eucalyptus forestry in Bahia confirm the same pattern: expansion is concentrated on land that was already deforested, often degraded by prior agricultural use. These planted forests are among the most productive in Brazil precisely because they are established on exhausted land, not native forest.
Research on cacao agroforestry systems (“cabruca”) in southern Bahia shows that reforesting degraded land with mixed‑species systems increases tree diversity, carbon stocks, and soil health. Managed forests rebuild ecological function faster than abandoned land ever could.
A 2026 study in Geoderma found that agroforestry expansion drives early accumulation of deep soil carbon — a major climate benefit that degraded land cannot deliver on its own.
Why this matters for renewable fibers
Most people still believe that planted forests = deforestation.But the evidence shows the opposite:
• Old cacao land destroyed by disease is being reforested• Former cattle and soy land is being restored
• Abandoned agricultural land is regaining tree cover
• Managed forests rebuild carbon, biodiversity, and productivity
This is the story consumers never hear.
Closing message
If we want to protect the planet and secure a renewable textile future, we must increase consumer awareness and demand for products made from sustainable forestry — including viscose and lyocell.
We don’t need more regulation.We need more education.
This is the mission of Expand the Forest: to show how responsible forestry regenerates land, restores ecosystems, and provides renewable materials that help us move away from fossil‑based fibers.
Forests can return.And managed forests are bringing them back.
