Provision of technical assistance for the carrying out of sustainable forest management plans (SFMPs) in 17 agrarian reform settlements in the State of Pernambuco.

Proper forestry management of the Caatinga biome has been under way in agrarian reform settlements in the State of Pernambuco since 2007. Through this new programme, it is proposed to provide technical assistance for the introduction and development of sustainable forest management plans in 17 settlements located in the semi-arid interior of the State.

The project is focussed on settlements of the National Institute for Colonisation and Agrarian Reform (INCRA) and the National Land Credit Programme (PNCF). Altogether, 330 families are involved, in the municipalities of Serra Talhada, Betânia, São José do Belmonte, Floresta, Ingazeira, Belém do São Francisco, Orocó and Serrita. The action covers an area of 11,545 .01 hectares of which 2,899 .77 hectares are under forest management.

 

Actions include:

• provision of technical assistance for the initiation and long-term development of sustainable forest management plans incorporated in the land settlement projects;

• training of settlers and of technicians (who will serve as project multipliers) from both governmental and non-governmental organisations;

• organisation of field outings for the dissemination of community forest management practices in the Caatinga biome and of mutual exchange visits between the land settlement projects involved; 

• visits to praiseworthy examples of techniques of coping with the semi-arid environment.

 

Several notable benefits arise from the technical assistance work:

• recognition by the community of the potential for harvesting non-timber forest products (support for animal grazing and bee-keeping, fruit and fibre production and so on); 

• the opportunity provided for monitoring of conservation activities and/or appropriate interventions in the areas set aside as “Legal Reserves” and those which are legally classified as “Permanent Preservation Areas” (APPs);

• support for the rational production of charcoal and other timber and non-timber products extracted from the forest;

• the emergence of socioeconomic structures and mobilisation of the community  necessary for the production and marketing of these forest products. 

 

Another required activity is the preparation of business plans for each Settlement.  These plans are intended to guide the administrative work and the marketing of products arising from the management plan, encouraging the settlements to be more self-reliant in the process of integrated forest management and in the analysis of impacts of the SFMP.

The project has been under way since January 2013 and will continue until December 2016. The initiative is funded by the Brazilian Forest Service through the Environment Ministry and is coordinated by Frans Pareyn.

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