An arid region of open forests and grasslands spanning three countries and more than a quarter of a million square miles, this is Gran Chaco. It’s the second-largest forest in South America after the Amazon, but has long been neglected, suffering from deforestation, agricultural expansion and the effects of climate change.An arid region of open forests and grasslands spanning three countries and more than a quarter of a million square miles, this is Gran Chaco. It’s the second-largest forest in South America after the Amazon, but has long been neglected, suffering from deforestation, agricultural expansion and the effects of climate change.