In a significant move for environmental protection, the Amazon Environmental Research Institute (IPAM) and the Movimento Amazônia de Pé launched the Observatory of Public Forests this Friday, June 6. This innovative tool aims to monitor the allocation of public forest areas, covering an area equivalent to the state of Bahia, totaling 56.5 million hectares.
The Public Forest Observatory's main objective is to promote transparency and adequate management of these forests, considered one of Brazil's greatest natural heritage. Through a counter that displays data on deforestation and areas still pending allocation, citizens can navigate through an interactive map and monitor the status of these forests.
Paulo Moutinho, senior researcher at IPAM, emphasizes the importance of protecting this public heritage. “These forests are ours and are under constant threat from deforestation, land grabbing and illegal exploitation. The appropriate allocation of these areas, together with the elimination of invasions in conservation units and indigenous lands, would bring immediate benefits for the conservation of environmental services in the Amazon”, explains Moutinho.
Recent studies by IPAM reveal that half of deforestation in the Amazon, between 2019 and 2021, occurred on public lands, with around 30% of this total in Non-Destined Public Forests (FPND). Furthermore, between 2016 and 2020, 32% of the area of these forests was the target of land grabbing, highlighting the urgency of concrete measures to protect them.
The allocation of FPND to the care of indigenous peoples, quilombolas and small extractive producers is seen as an effective solution. These groups have historically maintained low rates of deforestation on their lands. For example, data from the MapBiomas network from 2022 indicates that deforestation in indigenous territories was just 1% over 30 years.
In September 2023, a Technical Chamber was created to discuss the allocation of federal public lands. Recently, the group announced studies for the allocation of 6.18 million hectares of public forests, marking a significant step towards environmental protection.
Kaianaku Kamaiurá, advocacy coordinator at Amazônia de Pé, highlights the importance of the Observatory for civil society. “The people of the forest are on the front line of this fight, but they cannot do it alone. The Observatory will be a crucial tool for society to monitor and demand effective government action to protect these forests”, says Kamaiurá.
With the launch of the Public Forest Observatory, it is expected that more people will become involved in protecting these areas, increasing the political pressure necessary to guarantee their preservation. This initiative represents a milestone in the fight against deforestation and environmental degradation in the Amazon.
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