Sudden felling of forest next to Fortaleza Airport, in northeatern Brazil, to make way for a large logistics center met with protest from citizens and environmental groups, suspension of the project and proposals for an environmental protection zone around the airport.

On 23^rd September 2025 it was reported that 32 hectares of forest adjacent to Fortaleza Airport (also known as Pinto Martins International Airport), an area known as Airport Forest, had been felled to make way for a logistics center. The trees had been removed before the requisite documentation, submitted by project developer Aerotrópolis Empreendimentos and airport operator Fraport Brasil, had been evaluated by Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis (IBAMA), (Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources) which requested evaluation of documentation in response to allegations that the licensing process had violated Atlantic Forest Law.

Deodato Ramalho, IBAMA superintendent, said the forest around Fortaleza Airport and Cocó state park are the only city’s only remains of the Atlantic Forest, extending along a long stretch of Brazil’s Atlantic coast and important for temperature regulation and flood prevention. Ecologist and Fortaleza city councillor Gabriel Aguiar said trees had been felled with chainsaws and reforesting the area would take many years. Daniel Pagliuca, an environmental lawyer and professor at Baturité Massif University Center, said forest clearance can be permitted for projects with public utility, but a logistics center would not directly benefit the local population. Animal rights experts raised concerns that many animals’ lives were in danger as forest clearance forced them into urban settlements. Images on social media showed animals climbing walls and poles around the airport.

Following analysis and site investigation Aerotrópolis Empreendimentos’ license and authorisation were suspended due to intervention in a Preservação Permanente (APP), (Permanent Preservation Area) and wildlife management inadequacies. Aguiar said the tree felling around the airport was the largest deforestation in a decade. Before and after satellite images showed total removal of trees and partial construction of a warehouse in the project area, immediately north of the western end of the runway. Residents and environmental and civil society organizations raised concerns over the logistics center project’s environmental impacts and demanded improved transparency in the licensing process.

During the 2^nd October 2025 Encontro Nacional de Gerenciamento Costeiro (National Coastal Management Meeting) members of several social movements protested devastation of the Atlantic Forest around Fortaleza Airport. Environmental leaders from all over the country along with Ceará citizens called for revocation of Fraport’s license, accountability for the firms involved and reforestation of the deforested area. A banner read ‘Who killed the airport forest? 40 hectares of Atlantic forest devastated’ and signs stated that Atlantic Forest had been felled in the absence of a socio-environmental study or wildlife management. A total of 46-hectares had been cleared for construction of a logistics center, which has the potential to be one of the largest facilities of its kind in northeastern Brazil with seven warehouses, a truck service center, gas station and fuelling point. Residents around the impacted area were experiencing higher temperatures; preliminary research comparing surface temperatures from the same time period the previous year indicated an increase of at least 6 per cent, thought to be related to the deforestation.

After an inspection uncovered irregularities including removal of vegetation exceeding authorized limits SEMACE issued Aerotrópolis Empreendimentos with a USD37,315 fine and suspended land use permits in the affected area. At a conference considering amendments to the draft Fortaleza Master Plan a 200-hectare Zona de Preservação Ambiental (ZPA), (Environmental Protection Zone) around Fortaleza Airport, encompassing the deforested land, was approved. Professor Renato Pequero said the designation increased the possibility that the deforested area might be restored. Gabriel Aguiar welcomed the victory and called for the city’s biggest ever mobilization to ensure approval of the ZPA proposal.

The logistics center next to Fortaleze Airport is part of a larger airport city project. In July 2022, Fraport Brasil announced expansion onto land adjacent to the airport for Fortaleza Airport City, a development of over 80 hectares. Along with a logistics center planned facilities included two hotels with independent access to the airport, shopping mall and supermarket. A graphic published with the announcement shows logistics warehouses, big box retail, a hotel and commercial center.

For more information including references for all source material, photos and videos see the case study on EJAtlas, the world’s largest, most comprehensive online database of social conflict around environmental issues – Deforestation around Fortaleza Airport, Brazil