Brazilian Amazon Rosewood Conservation Project

This project addresses a very unique, yet widespread problem of illegal land acquisition and the systemic clearing of forests, prevalent in the Brazilian Amazon. The focus of the RMDLT is to secure land tenure, develop local business and income-generating activities. Project activities also include education, sustainable agriculture, community-based ecotourism, and sustainable management of natural resources. These activities will reduce the necessity by community members to deforest and degrade the Project Area.

In addition, the integrated management system of forests and land adopted by this project ensures sustainability and recovery of forest reserves while mitigating threats to conservation. It can also serve as a model to be replicated easily across several other municipalities.

– Sid Yadav, Director of Project Research

This project addresses a very unique, yet widespread problem of illegal land acquisition and the systemic clearing of forests, prevalent in the Brazilian Amazon. The focus of the RMDLT is to secure land tenure, develop local business and income-generating activities. Project activities also include education, sustainable agriculture, community-based ecotourism, and sustainable management of natural resources. These activities will reduce the necessity by community members to deforest and degrade the Project Area.

In addition, the integrated management system of forests and land adopted by this project ensures sustainability and recovery of forest reserves while mitigating threats to conservation. It can also serve as a model to be replicated easily across several other municipalities.

– Sid Yadav, Director of Project Research

The Project Reference Region in the south has the highest index of deforestation in all of Brazil for 2018 and 2019. This project prevents unplanned deforestation in native forests by monitoring and conserving nearly 180,000 hectares in 17 privately owned parcels or “Glebas” in the Portel micro-region of Brazil. It intends to prevent emissions of 22 million tonnes of CO2 over a 40-year period through improved forest management.

The Project is managed in the form of a “private conservation reserve” through the development and deployment of a management plan. The plan includes comprehensive monitoring and enforcement built on the existing experience of ongoing surveillance activities in the area, which began in 2008. The medium-term goal is to allow forest regeneration in order to increase the amount of carbon sequestered in the forest.

RMDLT has been very successful in creating legal documentation to demonstrate clear land title and land tenure for 700 families and has a goal to provide these rights to another 1500 families. By patrolling the area, it has also identified and reduced illegal activities such as logging, squatting, and attempts to create pastures for livestock. It provides alternative sources of income and training in sustainable farming and cattle raising.

The area is characterized by forests rich in valuable timber species, illegal logging, unclear land tenure laws, widespread land speculation, overall weak law enforcement, and severe poverty. The main way to access the reserve is by river via public and private transport 20 hours from the nearest city although new roads are being constructed all the time.

The local population is comprised mainly of settlers known as “Ribeirinhos”, who live along the rivers and along the igarapés (small streams). Economic activities in the area are subsistence timber extraction and sale, subsistence agriculture and fishing.

• Land Tenure for the Poor. There have been over 25 land conflict-related murders in the last 10 years in this region. Now with rights to the land, and security to have the land, residents can invest in more long-term cash crops such as black pepper
• Stability & health – Families living here were under the constant threat of dislocation causing frustration and depression. By no longer fearing dislocation, families can improve their life, health, and the education of their children.
• Sufficient property to provide a livelihood. The land allocated to each of 100 families 100 hectares so that 10 hectares is used for economic sustenance and 90 hectares remains as forest
• High-value crops with gender opportunities. Women and others are interested in alternative sources of income such as cultivating black pepper, a high income, high-yield, and low footprint crop compared with traditional Cassava and manioca.
• Alternative businesses including bees, rice, andiroba oil. Some members of the group are raising Jatai bees that produce the most expensive honey in the world, allowing for a low footprint but high monetary benefit

• Unstoppable deforestation. The Project Zone is under huge pressure for new agricultural land due to an expanding existing population and ongoing immigration into the area.
• Land tenure concerns that might impact the inspiration to take on new projects
• Natural events including pests, disease, flooding, or fire. These risks are addressed by maintaining the forest to ensure that the trees and ecosystem remain healthy and intact.
• Leakage including illegal logging

• Today I feel important thanks to your project (RMDLT). We do not think anyone knows we’re here in the woods. The project helps us save the forest that is the home of the river people, and helps us to have a better life, now I have my land, a document with my name, I feel happy. – Valdemir Cordeiro Da Costa – 5 family members.
• Despite this quiet here, we lived in fear because of illegal loggers. Many threatened us to cut wood here. With the project, came the patrols to stop the cutting, after that everything got much better. Nobody else disturbs or threatens us. – Aldenora Da Costa Do Carmo – 11 family members
• I am a hard worker, but the opportunities never arrived here, we live far from everything. I like everything that the project has brought to us, but especially the security of living and planting in a place that is mine, that will be my children’s. – Ana Celia De Oliveira Braga – 10 family members.