Protected areas in the north of Minas Gerais, Brazil, were created in the 1990s to prevent deforestation. A study found that these protected areas were successful in reducing deforestation rates, with only 1.62% of deforestation occurring from 1996 to 2009. The effectiveness of the protected areas was influenced by their location, with areas near cities and roads showing the greatest impact on preventing deforestation. This study supports the global trend of establishing protected areas in remote regions with low deforestation pressure.