Among the criticised elements of the law are a partial amnesty granted on illegal deforestation that occurred before 2008, the broadening of possibilities for offsite compensation of damage to ecosystems and the transfer of legislative autonomy to the state level (Leitao, 2014). The changes in the definition of hilltop preservation areas (part of APPs), for example, reduced their total area by 87%. About 90% of rural properties (covering less than 30% of rural areas) qualify as “small” properties according to the new law,* and benefit from the amnesty on illegal deforestation in RL and APP areas before 2008. Under the previous Forest Code, landowners would have been required to restore the illegally deforested areas at their own expense.