Forest protection in Portel, Brazil
land for small farmers instead of soya plantations
preservation of the rainforest for endangered animal species and the people living in the Amazon region
Forests are important in the fight against climate change. The forest protection project in Portel is based on this idea.Conserving the rainforest and giving the “Ribeirinhos”, the inhabitants of the Amazon area, the official land rights. Thus, the area is no longer considered unused and farms cannot legally occupy it and log it down.
PROJECT FACTS
LOCATION:
Portel, Brazil
PROJECT START:
2009
PROJECT DEVELOPER:
RMDLT Property Group Ltd. /www.rosewoodconservation.org
EXTERNAL AUDITORS:
Det Norske Veritas Climate Change Services AS (DNV)
EPIC Sustainability Services Private Limited
QUALITY STANDARDS:
Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), CCBS Gold Level
SIZE OF THE PROTECTED FOREST:
140.791 hectares
ANNUAL CO22-REDUCTION:
approx. 550.000 t CO2
PROTECTED ANIMAL SPECIES:
Capuchin monkey, black beard saki, oncilla (small leopard), giant otter
LINK TO THE PROJECT DOCUMENTS:
https://registry.verra.org/app/projectDetail/VCS/977
Project benefits:
The forest protection project in Portel is helpingto protect the Earth's most important carbon storage prior to deforestation.
- Less poverty: better living conditions in one of Brazil's poorest regions
- No hunger: honey farms as an alternative source of income
- Income opportunities for the Amazonian residents, e.g. by growing pepper
- training of forest supervisors
- Long-term and officially confirmed land rights for local residents
- More security through forest protection patrols
- Preservation of habitat of endangered animal species: Capuchin monkey, Black Beard Saki, Oncilla (Small Leopard), Giant Otter
Contribution to the UN sustainability goals
Project background
The project land in the Amazon region in Portel is perfect for soy plantations. It's flat and easily accessible, there are several harbors nearby, the soil is fertile. Brazilian land law allows unused land to be appropriated, cut down and cultivated. Nature conservation projects are also considered unused land. It is surprising that under such circumstances rainforest is still preserved and is home to dying animal species such as capuchin monkeys or black beard sakis.
The basic idea of this project is to keep rainforest and to provide the Amazonian residents with the corresponding land rights. Since the beginning of the project, the area is no longer considered to be unused and agricultural holdings can no longer legally occupy and depart. At the same time, it secures the income of the residents, who are among the poorest in Brazil. Otherwise, each year approx. 3,000 hectares have been cut down and replaced by soya or other farms.
How does climate protection work with forest protection?
Forests are among the most important CO2-sinks2on the planet, they are home to an enormous biodiversity and they are the basis of life for many people. However, the global forest areas have declined sharply in the last few decades due to increasing settlement, agricultural use, illegal deforestation and increased extraction of raw materials.
Forest protection projects like the one in Portel ensure that forests are preserved in the long term and that the protection of the forest is more valuable than its deforestation. To this end, forest protection projects create alternative sources of income and educational opportunities.
Depending on the project region, forests store different amounts of CO22 per hectare. Especially a lot of carbon is stored in the vegetation and soil of tropical swamp forests, primary rainforests or mangroves.
Project quality standards
VCS-Verified Carbon Standard
The Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) is the global leading standard for the certification of emission reductions from forest protection projects. These emission reductions must be real, measurable, permanent, additional, audited by independent third parties and calculated conservatively.
Climate, Community and Biodiversity Standards
The Climate, Community and Biodiversity Standards (CCBS) review theimpacts of climate protection projects on climate, biodiversity, and on human rights. The CCBS do not have their own methodology for calculating emission reductions, since they are only used in combination with the VCS.
