Cristalino State Park, located in Mato Grosso State in southern Amazonia, is in jeopardy of being invaded by members of the MST, Brazilian Landless Rural Workers Movement, which is fighting for agrarian reform in Brazil. So far, there are two encampments, with approximately 120 families, about 500 meters from the park boundaries. There was speculation that the encroachment into the park would have taken place in late June. However, according to the Mato Grosso State Director of the Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Natural Resources (IBAMA), the group decided not to invade the park at that time because they were waiting to receive an official statement from the National Institute of Colonization and Land Reform (INCRA) on their situation. Military police and IBAMA carried out a conflict prevention operation within the encampments during which they confiscated five firearms.
Cristalino State Park was originally created in 2000 and was enlarged in 2001. It encompasses two adjoining areas for a total area of 184,900 hectares. Studies performed during the elaboration of the park\’s management plan reveled that the park contains some of the highest levels of biological diversity in Amazonia. The study documented 515 species of birds (50 of them endemic), 43 species of reptiles, 29 amphibian, 36 mammals, and 16 species of fish within park boundaries. The vast number of ecosystems found within the park, such as dry and moist forests, semi-deciduous forests, swamps and rocky outcrops, contributes to the high level of biodiversity.
The park is considered to be an area \”essential-to-conservation\” according to Projeto Avaliação e Identificação de Ações Prioritárias para Conservação,Utilização Sustentável e Repartição dos Benefícios da Biodiversidade na Amazônia Brasileira (a project that aims to prioritize areas for conservation and advocates fair distribution of the benefits of sustainable activities in Brazilian Amazon). The project also ranked the region in which the park is found as extremely unstable, recommending that other Conservation Units be created to help protect Cristalino State Park.
However, despite its status as being \”essential-to-conservation,\” Cristalino State Park, and the general region where the park is located, are under strong anthropogenic pressure. The possible human encroachment by the MST group is only one of many threats to the region.
Another threat is illegal timber extraction. In an operation carried out by IBAMA on June 14, three trucks loaded with logs cut from within the park were apprehended. During the same operation, IBAMA confiscated chain saws, bulldozers used to drag the logs, and mobile sawmills.
Another threat, which has the conservation community especially worried, is a legislative bill that was approved by the Legislative Assembly of Mato Grosso State in October/2002. The bill proposes reducing the park\’s area by 46%, reducing it from 184,900 hectares to 84,500 hectares. This bill came about because of complaints from landowners, who felt that the park\’s enlargement in 2001 violated their property rights. Yet, there are doubts concerning the authenticity of their ownership deeds, since the region is subjected to illegal squatting. Having already been approved by the Legislative Assembly, only a decision by the governor can stop this bill from becoming law. Only this decision by the governor will prevent turning Cristalino\’s incredible Amazonian biodiversity into pasture.
ParksWatch – Brazil: July 2003