Desafios e Oportunidades

  • Climate Change

    Deforestation is the second major cause - after the burning of fossil fuels - of the carbon dioxide emissions that are provoking global warming. The forests capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and convert it into biomass, in the form of roots, trunks, branches and leaves. Whenever the forests are burned or cut, the carbon stored within them is released into the atmosphere. The measures needed to put an end to deforestation and reduce the impact of climate change must be on a large scale and require liaison between the political, economic and scientific spheres. The conservation and restoration of the Atlantic Forest is reducing the effects of climate change and benefiting the human, as well as plant and animal communities.

  • Water Shortages and Pollution

    Healthy forests act like giant sponges, absorbing rain water and gradually releasing it into the streams and rivers. They also protect the water courses and maintain their quality level, by reducing sediment and filtering out pollutants. The loss of the forest leads to erosion, the diminished quality of the water and changes in water flows. Presently, water shortages affect over 40% of the world's population (United Nations Environment Program, 2001 Report). The millions of Brazilians who live in metropolises such as São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are dependent on the health of regional drainage basins to guarantee their water supplies. Committees for the major drainage basins in the Atlantic Forest have begun charging a fee for water use, and channel part of these funds into the conservation and restoration of their respective basins.

  • Protection of Public Areas

    Less than 2% of the original area of the Atlantic Forest is safeguarded in fully protected conservation units, such as national parks, biological reserves and ecological stations. This area is not sufficient to ensure the ecological viability of many species. Urgent action is needed to prevent the extinction of these species. It is important to work with all levels of government to encourage the creation of new Conservation Units and to implement management strategies that will ensure the long term conservation and sustainability of these areas.

  • Protection of Private Reserves

    Most of the Atlantic Forest domain is privately owned. Consequently, it is essential to develop and implement financial incentives for landowners and conservationist organizations to establish Private Natural Heritage Reserves (RPPNs). Landowners can voluntarily and legally protect their forest areas in perpetuity and obtain tax exemptions in return for this.

  • Sustainable Development

    Traditional rural communities have an important role to play in the conservation and restoration of the forests. The use of sustainable production methods around the conservation units provides sustainable income alternatives for the local population and long term protection for the forests. The production of handicrafts, seeds, medicinal plants, Paraguay and other types of teas, and other non-wood forest products is rapidly growing.