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Conservation Units Department

Conservation Units
 
Conservation Units are important for preserving biodiversity of the Brazilian forests because they are legal tools usable to define rules and management plans. Within these conservation units, wildlife is legally protected from the main anthropogenic disturbances responsible for its decline worldwide, i.e. massive deforestation and poaching.
The Conservation Unit National System (SNUC - Federal Law 9.985/00text in portuguese) divides protected zones in two main groups:

- Integral Protection, whose goal is to protect Nature allowing only an indirect use of natural resources (exceptions made by the law);

- Sustainable Use, whose goal is to match Nature preservation to the partial sustainable use of natural resources.

Within the Integral Protection group, there are different sub-categories among which are the National Parks, Biological Reserves, Natural Monuments, Ecological Stations, Wildlife Refugees.

Within the other group of Sustainable Use, many sub-categories also exist namely Environmental Protection Zones, High Ecological Value Zones, National Forests, Extraction Reserves, Wildlife Reserves, Sustainable Development and Private Reserves for the Protection of the Natural Heritage (RPPNs). Each one of these categories is ruled by restrictions regarding access, possibilities of developing research activities and natural resource use.

The creation of conservation units can be decided by the Public will. To do so, a report summarizing a series of information must be submitted to the Brazilian Public Ministry (Executive and Legislative branches). Considering the galloping environmental degradation process we have witnessed in the last 100 years, this institution is very likely to be favourable to the preservation of natural resources.

Therefore, several conservation units have  been defined by the public, mostly in the Integral Protection category compared to the Sustainable Use category, which obviously generated conflicts with locals as their survival often relies on the natural resources exploitation.

On one side, let’s consider the estate speculation, extensive monocultures and excessive commercial exploitation of natural resources, industrial development, and title deeds. On the other side, we have the tradition use of natural resources, rural communities, and all the human cultures that include a espectful relationship to Nature as it is part of life style, arts & crafts, customs and ancestral heritage.

Reserva Brasil believes that the Conservation Unit National System is efficient, though in numerous cases, the category in which lands have been put generated conflicts opposing locals and stakeholders.

To define a conservation unit’s that would content everyone is the most delicate task. What we know is that once the local population agrees on the creation of a conservation unit nearby,the more the people are considered as part of the conservation unit creation plan, the more the biodiversity is likely to be effectively preserved by this new legal zoning. However, it is not viable to create a conservation unit and let it without an initial minimum of financial support. Worse, it could even be more harmful for natural resources than no legal protection at all because of subsequent conflicts generated by disagreements among local communities.
     
                   
 Explaining Diagram
         Click on to access the Explaining Diagram of Conservation Units.
                    
               
 How to create a Conservation Unit?

1.    Justification for the unit creation: civil society, scientific community, public, etc.;
2.    Technical studies: conducted either by the public will and its related executive organisms or by contracted consultants;
2.1.    Visit of the targeted zone and expertise;
2.1.1. Planimetric and geographical data collection;
2.1.2. Biotic and abiotic description of the zone;
2.2.    Socio-economic data collection;
2.2.1. Presence of indigenous communities;
2.2.2. Diagnostic of anthropogenic soil exploitation;
2.3.    Farming soils Diagnostic;
2.3.1. Zoning Description (title deeds listing and description);
2.3.2. Public and private zoning identification;
2.3.3. Market value analysis for 1 ha of land of the same region;
2.4.   Map creation showing:
2.4.1. Political boundaries;
2.4.2. Phyto-physionomy;
2.4.3. Hydrography;
2.4.4. Soil exploitation;
2.4.5. topography;
2.4.6. Roads;
2.4.7. Protected zones of any legal status (Indigenous Lands, Conservation Units, Mining Zones or Army Forces Territories);
3.     Submission of a report (presenting all information mentioned above) to the environmental governmental institution (Ministry of Environment, secretaries of state and councilmen in charge for the environmental issues). This step is required to obtain official technical and juridical documents to go on in the procedure;
4.     Simultaneous report submission to any other institutions associated to the Executive branch that may be concerned by the creation of conservation units;
5.      A public audience should also be organized;
6.    The following documents should also be submitted to the chief of the Executive branch:
6.1.   A proof that the local population is requiring the creation of a specific conservation unit for Extraction or Sustainable Development Zones;
6.2.   Technical study justifying the need of creating a conservation unit; the proposed limits and the chosen category, including an accurate land zoning diagnostic (for public lands) and a explicative map showing the area and its surroundings;
6.3.   The technical and juridical documents provided by the environmental governmental institution (see §3);
6.4.    Documents detailing other public organisms’ interests;
6.5.    Public audience official report;
6.6.  Sketch of the decree stating the zone is of public interest and explaining why it should be given back to the governmental institution of Environment;
6.7.   Sketch of the decree of conservation unit creation, or bill which will be sent to the Legislative branch with all justifications;
7.   Publication of both signed decrees, or mailing of the bill to the Legislative branch.
Source (text in portuguese): Ministério do Meio Ambiente
   
     
   
 Private Reserve of Natural Heritage (RPPN)

The Private Reserve of Natural Heritage (RPPN) is a conservation unit category which implies that lands are privately owned. 

This category fits in the Sustainable Use group. It allows developing research and eco-tourism activities and programs.            

One might want to turn part of his property into RPPN because of a specific ecological component, a scenic view point or the presence of endangered / endemic species. This would offer a permanent legal protection status to your entire or part of your property. Besides, the RPPN is free of property tax. It is possible to receive financial support from governmental and non-governmental institutions to develop education and/or research centre. There is no size limitation for this conservation unit category.

                 
               
 What you need to create a Private Reserve of Natural Heritage (Natural Person) 

1. A requisitioning letter from the land owner or his legal representative. If there are several owners, it is necessary to have one owner representing all owners (through powers of attorney from the other owners);
2. Proof of property ownership;
3. ID card and CPF (in case the property is a joint good bought by a common-law or married couple, also provide your common-law or conjugal partner ID);
4. Proof of last property tax payment (previous year);
5. Location map showing the property within municipality;
6. Location map showing the RPPN within property.

             

 What you need to create a Private Reserve of Natural Heritage (Corporate Body)

1. A requisitioning letter signed by the corporation (or enterprise) representative;
2. ID card and CPF (of the corporation employee or his legal representative);
3. Designation act of the corporation legal representative;
4. Social contract (if it had been altered since the property purchase);
5. Proof of last property tax payment (previous year);
6. Location map showing the property within municipality;
7. Location map showing the RPPN within property.

Source (text in portuguese): IBAMA