Brazilian Government Announces the Creation of 20 Million Hectares of New Protected Areas in the Amazon Basin

The land, comprised of patches of forest scattered throughout the Brazilian Amazon, recently became available as a result of the Brazilian Agrarian Reform Institute’s (INCRA) cancellation of false and undocumented land ownership claims. In the course of a review of land documentation initiated in 1995, INCRA has identified 93 million ha of illegally claimed land. Of the 60 million ha that have been repossessed by INCRA to date, 20 million are pristine forests considered suitable for the establishment of protected areas, while 40 million remain under evaluation.

According to the Minister, some of these remaining lands may also be covered with natural forest and suitable for redesignation as protected areas, since Brazilian law prohibits settlement of forested land in certain biomes of Brazil.

In an interview with Parkswatch following the announcement, Marília Marreco Cerqueira, the Minister’s special advisor, said the Brazilian government will designate half of the 20 million ha of recovered forested land as strictly protected areas (e.g., national parks and ecological stations) and the other half for sustainable use (e.g., national forests). The protection status of all the new protected areas are not yet confirmed, but some, including 2 million-ha of national forests and extractivists reserves and the 3.8 million-ha Tumucumaque national park, have been announced. According to Ms. Cerqueira, a total of $400 million has been made available by the World Bank, the World Wildlife Fund and the Brazilian government to establish and maintain the newly protected lands.

The organization and management of Brazilian protected areas was overhauled in 2001, with the creation of SNUC, the Brazilian System of Protected Areas. At that time, only 2.6% of Brazilian territory was strictly protected for conservation. Brazil’s president, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, has since made a public commitment to extend strict protection to 10% of the Brazilian Amazon by the end of 2002. To that end, PRONABIO (National Program of Biodiversity of the Environment Ministery), held a 1999 workshop with scientists, NGOs and government technicians to identify high-priority areas for conservation in the Brazilian Amazon. Including the newly protected 20 million ha, PRONABIO aims to protect a total of 41 million ha in the Amazon by 2012.

 *Mr. Raul Jungman was president of the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Resources (IBAMA) from 1995 to 1996 and his special advisor, Ms. Marília Marreco Cerqueira, was also president of IBAMA from 1999 to 2001.