Getting Brazil's Network of Ecological Stations on the Ground

Transcription

1 Getting Brazil's Network of Ecological Stations on the Ground by Paulo Nogueira-Neto In a race against deforestation, inflation-wracked Brazil has launched a network of "ecological stations" to preserve irreplaceable ecosystems and genes. Budget squeezes have made this an uphill battle for Brazil's 10-year-old national environmental agency, SEMA. But while program funds remain short, taking the "long view" may pay off in this biologically rich country. When I was nominated to head up the newly established environmental agency, SEMA, in January 1974, I had already concluded that pollution control (like that EPA oversees in the United States) should be only one part of a broader responsibility. Numerous important environmental problems all related to the optimal use of land require at least as much attention as pollution. Once this is accepted, it's obvious that ecological studies and research are necessary to provide planners with the diverse information they need. Among others, desertification, slash-andburn agriculture, pasture management, and the protection of river fisheries are matters that cannot be properly handled unless the results of ecological research are taken into account. Yet, these concerns are vital to the development of such tropical countries as Brazil. With these thoughts and the advice of other conservationists in mind, I decided to propose to the Ministry of Interior, which houses SEMA, that it create a network of ecological stations. My plan was to establish stations in areas represen- 27

2 28 tative of Brazil's chief ecosystems. Each station would have the facilities necessary to host university researchers laboratory facilities, radio stations, air fields for small planes, guesthouses, boats, administrative headquarters, quarters for rangers, etc. These facilities were to be modest, but sturdy, clean, and efficient. At least 90 percent of the natural areas surrounding the stations was to be left undisturbed and up to 10 percent of it dedicated to research on burning, ecological succession, and other forms of human interference in natural systems. In 1981, the 90 percent and 10 percent requirements were established by law. When in first began proposing these plans to Rangel Reis, then the Interior Minister, and to other authorities, the proposition was greeted sympathetically. The words "ecology" and "research" had such strong appeal that we received the Minister's approval and, equally important, financial support from the research and development agencies. We were even able to buy precious tracts of land a tactic currently out of the question given strict measures in force in Brazil to fight inflation and reduce public deficits. From 1979 to 1985, Minister of Interior Mario David Andreazza and his staff helped us carry out the plan in the face of these great difficulties, giving the Brazilian Federal Environmental Agency (SEMA) virtual autonomy. From the very beginning, we knew that we were racing against time. Forest destruction is proceeding rapidly in Brazil. In the South and Southeast, only about 4 or 5 percent of the native forests remain. In Amazonia, forests are disappearing at the rate of about 2 percent per year. (If that seems inconsequential, consider that at this rate 50 percent will be gone in the next 25 years and that 25 years is nothing in the life of a country.) In the face of such quick destruction, we simply had to accord top priority to establishing "genetic banks" in the form of natural reserves. Today, some unique samples of ecosystems are being lost for lack of a mere US $30,000. Such is the case with a 300-hectare grove of carnauba (Copernicia cerifera) palm trees that we can't purchase for lack of funds. The price of a single airplane jet fighter that is obsolete in five to ten years is around U.S. $10 million. With this money, we could save much of the most important primitive natural areas remaining in Brazil. Without funds, they will be lost forever in a few more years. Practically speaking, asking for the monetary equivalent of a single fighter plane amounts to wishful thinking, a wild dream that we Brazilian conservationists do not expect to realize soon. Indeed, the whole program of Ecological Stations in Brazil until now has cost around U.S. $5 million. Meantime, we have to do what we can with the scraps of bread that fall from the table of the public budgeteers. Tight budgets did force an early decision on SEMA: should it spend all available money protecting the lives of people badly affected by heavy pollution or should it instead expend its funds primarily on genetic banks for the benefit of untold future

3 generations? This was a tough decision, but we opted for the Ecological Station Program, leaving most of the burdens of pollution control to the state agencies and to the industries that caused the problems. (In the end, this worked out reasonably well: the states now have around 5,000 people working on pollution problems, and their work is well integrated with ours.) In the Ecological Station Program, we soon had to contend with other problems. Once the first station facilities were ready for scientific work, we realized that we would soon exhaust the funds needed to start new stations if we bore all the costs of research. Fortunately, however, Brazilian scientific research agencies, i.e. the Federal Financing Agency for Research Projects (FINEP), the National Council of Research (CNPg) and the Ministry of Education through the Federal Agency for University Studies (CAPES) came to our aid. As of 1984, we had signed agreements with twelve Brazilian Universities to conduct research work in our stations. Also, the research agencies mentioned above are providing some 120 grants for post-graduate students and are underwriting most of the work that universities carry out in our stations. Regional developing agencies, particularly the Federal Agency for the Development of the Northeast (SUDENE), the Federal Agency for the Development of Amazonia (SUDAM), and the Federal Agency for the Development of the South (SUDESUL) also help us. And, to give praise where it's due, this program would not have gone forward but for the efforts, dedication, and idealism of the people who work in SEMA, which now has a Secretariat of Ecosystems headed by Ma. leda S. C. da Paixao. The Ecological Stations (on land belonging to the federal government) and Ecological Reserves (mostly on land being transferred by the states to the federal government) were established throughout Brazil, from the Atlantic to the Western borders, and from near the Venezuelan border in the north almost to Uruguay in the south. All in all, they now cover 2,103,000 hectares. In the coming months, when they will probably be expanded to around 3 million hectares, Brazil will have set aside land for this program equal to three times the size of Lebanon. We expect that the Ecological Stations will be important research centers that will enable Brazil to increase the knowl- Toucans in Brazil's forest. 29

4 Sketches of the Ecological Stations and Reserves Maraca. Located in Roraima Territory, near Venezuela, this 100,000-hectare parcel incorporates the Uriracoera River islands. It encompasses Amazonian rain forest and the edge of Roraima's savannahs. Its guest house accommodates twenty researchers. Caracarai-Niquia. Located in Roraima Territory, this 240,000-hectare area of marshy wetlands and shrubby vegetation includes several groves of Mauritia palms. Amazonian rain forest is behind the banks of Rio Branco. No guest house has yet been built. Anavilhanas. Located near Manaus, in the state of Amazonas, this 350,000-hectare area of lowland forest is seasonally flooded. It encompasses hundreds of river (Rio Negro) islands, many lakes, Amazonian rain forest, and marshy forests with many palms. Its guest house accommodates eight people. Jutai-Solimoes. Located in the western part of the state of Amazonas, this 288,000 hectare parcel has an impressive Mauritia palm marshy forest. It is an ecological reserve, covered mostly by Amazonian rain forest, with some areas of shrubby vegetation. No guest house has yet been built. Juami-Jupura. Located near Colombia, this 265,000-hectare parcel will soon be increased to 833,000 hectares. It comprises the whole Juami River basin (a black river). Its Amazonian rain and lowland forests are seasonally flooded. No guest house has yet been built. Rio Acre. Located on the Peru border, this 100,000-hectare area comprises Amazonian rain forest and "bambu jungle." No guest house has yet been built, but boat facilities were built with the help of the World Bank. Maraca-Jipioca. Located in the Amapa Territory, this parcel consists of three islands in the Atlantic, between the mouth of the Amazon and French Guyana. It has 50,000 hectares of Mangroves and wetlands. Fauna include feral water buffalo, jaguars, nesting flamingos. The boat facilities accommodate four researchers. Aiuaba. This 13,000-hectare parcel of semi-arid dry forest (now rare in Brazil) is situated on a mountain range in the state of Ceara in northeastern Brazil. The guest house sleeps twelve. Serido. Located in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, this 1,200-hectare parcel in northeastern Brazil encompasses semi-arid dry forest on flat lands and on a hill. A guest house is being built for six researchers.

5 Urucuia-Una. Located in the state of Piaui, this 130,000-hectare area comprises vast savanahs and huge red sandstone cliffs. The guest house accommodates twenty researchers. Peba. Located in the state of Alagoas in northeastern Brazil, this parcel includes 12 km of wide beach on the Atlantic at the mouth of the Sao Francisco River. Now only 220 hectares in area, it will be enlarged to around 3,000 hectares. It is the egglaying site for Atlantic ocean turtles. No guest house has yet been built, but there are excellent hotels 200 kms away at Aracaju. Itabaiana. Located in the state of Sergipe in northeastern Brazil, this 230-hectare area of semi-arid savannahs and relic Podocarpus forest must be enlarged to around 2,000 hectares. No guest house has yet been built. 60 kms of well-paved road connects the area to Aracaju and good hotels. Raso de Catarina. Located in the state of Bahia in northeastern Brazil, this 100,000- hectare area of dry land savannahs is a large part of the habitat of the endangered blue Leary macaw (Anadornjnchus lean/). Only 200 of the species remain. The guest house accommodates eight researchers. Ilha Redonda. Located off shore of Ipanema Beach in Rio, this 20-hectare rocky (granite-gneiss) island with an elevation of 240 meters is covered by a small tropical forest. Thousands of sea birds congregate there and access is extremely difficult.

6 Tamoios. Located in the state of Rio de Janeiro, these 90 hectares comprise several islands (mostly in Angra dos Reis and Paraty bays) and a tract of mainland with second-growth forest. No guest house has yet been built. Rio de Janeiro is 120 km away by paved road. Pirai. Located in the state of Rio de Janeiro, this 4,000-hectare area consists of second-growth semi-deciduous forest. There is no guest house, but hotels in Barra Mansa are only 30 km away. Jureia. Located in the state of Sao Paulo, this 2,000-hectare parcel includes a mountain 890 m high, a small river, and a beach on the Atlantic seashore, as well as shrubby vegetation and rain forest. The guest house accommodates eight researchers. Guaraquecaba. Located in the state of Parana, this 13,000-hectare area comprises mangroves and small coastal forests. It is the main stronghold of the endangered parot Amazona brasiliensis. A guest house for researchers is being built with help from WWF-U.S. Taim. Located in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, near the border of Uruguay, this parcel, now 18,000 hectares, will encompass 32,000 hectares when completed. It consists mostly of marshlands and fresh water lakes, as well as 8 km of Atlantic Ocean beach and a small Ficus and Erethryna forest. This is the main refuge for the black neck swan (Cygnus melanocoriphus) and other water birds from Patagonia that winter in Brazil. The guest house accommodates twenty-five researchers. Aracuri. Located in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, this 270-hectare highland region is mainly a grove of Araucaria angustifolia trees surrounded by native prairie. Thousands of parrots (Amazona petrel) roost here from May to July. The purchase of this grove probably saved them from extinction. The guest house accommodates six researchers. Ilha dos Lobos. Located in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, this 2-hectare rocky island is the habitat of the only Brazilian colonies of sea lion and seal. Good hotels are nearby. Parapitinga. Located in the state of Minas Gerais, this 1,200-hectare island near the Tres Marias hydroelectric dam, between Belo Horizonte and Brasilia, encompasses cerrados (savannahs) of several types. A guest house is being built. Cocos-Javaes. Located in the state of Goias, this 40,000-hectare parcel on the Cocos, Javaes, and Araguaia rivers comprises mostly seasonally flooded tropical forest. No guest house has yet been built.

7 Taiama. Located in the state of Mato Grosso, near Bolivia, this 16,000-hectare area comprises 2 islands in the Paraguay River, small forests, many lakes and the marshlands of the famous Pantanal de Mato Grosso. It has one of the main concentrations of the endangered South American marsh deer (Edoceros dichotomus) and many other Pantanal animals. The guest house, which accommodates ten researchers, is being enlarged with the help of the World Bank. Ique. Located in the northwestern part of Mato Grosso, this 240,000-hectare area encompasses transition stages between cermdos, semi-deciduous forest, and the Amazonian rain forest. Unfortunately, these good station facilities are presently difficult to use because of danger of attack by a neighboring Indian tribe, even though the Indians have a large reservation of their own. The guest house accommodates twenty researchers. Cunian. Located in the state of Rondonia, this 100,000-hectare parcel encompasses several lakes, abundant in fish and fresh-water dolphins, as well as seasonally flooded lowland forest and Amazonian rain forest. It lies some 60 kms from the capital city of Porto Velho, down the Madeira River. A guest house is being built with the help of the World Bank.

8 edge of its own natural resources. They will also have a significant role in training researchers in field work. Most important, these stations will be genetic banks. Ecological Stations afford an excellent opportunity to maintain biological diversity for the benefit of generations to come, while making it possible to study biological resources within their own ecosystems. Until recently, the network of Ecological Stations received no help from outside Brazil. But now, through its Polo Noroeste Program, the World Bank is providing funds for establishing stations. The World Wildlife Fund-U.S. is also lending support. This much-appreciated assistance first came at a time when Brazilian government funds were scarce indeed, and they have made a critical difference. As for future prospects, hopes for international cooperation are running high. Scientists from any country are welcome provided that they are willing to work with Brazil's universities and other scientific institutions. Quite simply, our goal is to share these new facilities with all the world's people. Brazil's ecosystems are wonderfully diverse and unique, and Brazilians are eager to exchange ideas and scientific knowledge. With so much to offer and so much to learn, we relish working together in a world that must grow more cooperative as it grows smaller. PAULO NOGUEIRA-NETO is Secretary of the Environment in Brazil and a professor in the Department of Ecology at the University of Sao Paulo. 34