AMAZON - PERU, vicinity Satipo. Deforestation. Slash and burn migrant farmer cleaning land The whole valley once forested have been cleared and only the steep slopes remain. Few settlers have the experience or knowledge to farm the poor soil on slopes recently under forest cover. Few bother with terracing. The land rarely remains productive for more than a couple of years and they are forced to move on. Slash and burn agriculture is now the biggest cause of forest destruction.