PARNA Jaú and its redefinition of boundaries: a proposal for resolving property conflicts with its resident population
In construction with local leadership, the Park Board and management agency propose redefining the limits of the Park which excludes the communities of the right bank of River Unini and expanding the boundaries of the Rio Unini Extractive Reserve to incorporate these communities. These activities will be negotiated in Congress with support from representatives of the Amazon and legal advocacy.
About You
Section 1: About You
Section 2: About Your Organization
Is your initiative connected to an established organization?
Organization Name
Fundação Vitória Amazônica
Organization Website
Organization Phone
+55 92 36424559
Organization Address
Rua Estrela D'Alva, 146, Conj. Morada do Sol, Bairro Aleixo
Organization Country
Brazil, AM
How long has this organization been operating?
More than 5 years
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
Your idea
Name your project.
PARNA Jaú and its redefinition of boundaries: a proposal for resolving property conflicts with its resident population
Describe Your Idea
In construction with local leadership, the Park Board and management agency propose redefining the limits of the Park which excludes the communities of the right bank of River Unini and expanding the boundaries of the Rio Unini Extractive Reserve to incorporate these communities. These activities will be negotiated in Congress with support from representatives of the Amazon and legal advocacy.
Country your work focuses on
Brazil, AM
Innovation
What makes your idea unique?
The redefining of the boundaries for an ecological preserve (PARNA Jaú) which does not allow the presence of traditional communities within it, living and depending on its natural resources for survival, will foster the security of these families to maintain their way of creating , working and living. The goals are the recognition of their traditional rights as peoples, the development of identity as agroextractivists (gatherers) and their increased self-esteem and social welfare, as well as the possibility of changing the reality of these communities through income generation through the implementation of policies and incentives for a gatherer-based economy, which is recovering and has been strengthened with national and state public policies.
It is within this context that the proposed elements for the redefinition of the boundaries of PARNA Jaú have been developed between Park leadership and technicians from the Vitória Amazônica Foundation - FVA.
FVA, over 20 years of experience with broad programming and actions creating social and environmental public policies at local, regional and national levels and with a considerable network with other institutions and representatives from the Amazon in the National Congress, has the means to generate support for the residents of the Park to defend the redefinition of the PARNA park’s boundaries in Congress, since this process can only occur by law.
To assist with the legal issues of the project, FVA has a partnership with the Law Offices of Albuquerque & Carvalho, which specializes in Environmental Law and provides legal advice for several of FVA’s environmental cases and actions.
Do you have a patent for this idea?
No
Impact
This Entry is about (Issues)
Tell us about the social impact of your innovation. Please include both numbers and stories as evidence of this impact
In 2005, FVA developed the Geopolitics of Conservation of the lower Rio Negro (Black River) project, which included a proposal to redefine the boundaries of the Park in order to resolve the conflict over land and increase its importance for conservation. This proposal was an initial attempt to partner with the then national manager, the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources – IBAMA, which had shown interest, but the case did not move forward. In 2008, in a new Park context, the Advisory Board and head of UCs (Conservation Units) prioritized the regional consolidation of the Park under its leadership, advanced the construction of a compromise with its inhabitants and resumed the discussion of the proposed redefinition of UC boundaries. The entire process of constructing the compromise generated a new closeness and a more open and clear dialogue between the residents and the Park management agency. Under the PARNA Jaú Advisory Council, land use regulation began to be discussed in the Working Group (WG) formed in late 2008 with the purpose of discovering solutions. However, the working group has not progressed. FVA intends to propose a new formation of the Working Group to redesign the boundaries for the Park to the Advisory Council meeting in December, with the participation of residents and technicians of the FVA, the land agency and the new management agency ICMBIO - Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation, using previous discussions as a reference and the original proposal outlined within FVA’s Geopolitics of Conservation project.
Problem
This is the current situation of the residents of a National Park, which they depend on for natural resources, but which the law claims as protected areas: the conservation unit (UC) does not allow their activities, calls them illegal and leaves the residents in total uncertainty about their rights to live in these areas; lowers self-esteem by not recognizing and respecting their rights as traditional populations; discredits residents in the eyes of ICMBIO in order to resolve the conflict; and causes revolts against the situation by undermining any initiative to improve residents’ living conditions or housing, working conditions or any of the small productive activities that develop—for example, their gardens and extractive activities. The Statement of Commitment is a transitional instrument that minimizes this situation and encourages several improvements in the lives of residents in the Park, but the matter can only be solved if UC redefines the boundaries of the Park.
Actions
The project will be implemented over three years:
1. (8 months) - Preparation of the proposal to redefine the boundaries of PARNA Jaú and expand the RESEX Unini River extractive reserve: formation of a working group composed of residents from the park, land institutions, FVA and ICMBIO. The proposal is approved by the governing boards of the Park, by RESEX and by the executive director of ICMBIO.
2. (24 months): Presentation and negotiation of the proposal with representatives from the Amazon in the National Congress to turn the project into law with technical support and participation of FVA, legal aid and the management agency. Once approved, it will be published and widely disseminated as a reference for similar conflict situations in the Amazon and other regions of Brazil.
3. (4 months): FVA, in partnership with the Park management agency, will hold meetings with other RESEX communities to distribute information, discuss potential projects to generate income and how to incentivize public policies that can benefit them.
Results
The redrawing of the boundaries of PARNA Jaú, along with the expansion of the Unini River RESEX represents a real transformation in the lives of UC residents, since the current park limits include the left bank of the river and body of water. This fact legally prohibits any income generating activity, such as tourism and the outflow of agricultural production, which takes place tentatively on the river and has great potential to become stronger with the implementation of public policies supporting socio-biodiverse production chains. This strategy, which we believe will be successful due to the current context (timeframe for commitment to be implemented; a known redefinition of boundaries with ongoing discussion; good network of for negotiation and action established by FVA) has the potential to become a model, a reference and a pilot project to be replicated in other UC protected areas in Brazil which are experiencing similar conflicts.
How many people will your project serve annually?
101‐1000
What is the average monthly household income in your target community, in US Dollars?
$50 - 100
Does your project seek to have an impact on public policy?
Yes
If so, how?
FVA sees the project to redefine PARNA Jaú’s boundaries as a process to be replicated in other contexts/realities around Brazil, but this possibility requires the managing institution to adopt policies for the process, mainly in regards to the subject of the adoption of internal procedures in order to start the redefining process. In a parallel legal/juridical discussion regarding this subject, FVA believes in the compatibility between traditional populations and Conservation Units (UCs) of integral protection (e.g. PARNA Jaú), that traditional populations can use its natural resources with little environmental impact, through the usage of handling techniques of natural resources and of good practices for knowledge improvement, contributing to the conservation and preservation of the UC. This management model is used successfully in many countries, such as Peru and Costa Rica, serving as great references for Brazil to reevaluate its UC policies while respecting the realities of the country. The National System of Conservation Units (SNUC) completed 10 years in 2010 and, despite the advances that the System has brought in regards to UCs, a revision of its functions is needed. Specifically in regards to the questions that have advanced and the ones which have not, giving importance to how to take in consideration or integrate the politics of traditional populations with policies for environmental/protected areas nationally.
Sustainability
What stage is your project in?
Idea phase
Does your organization have a board of directors or an advisory board?
Yes
Does your organization have any non monetary partnerships with NGOs?
Yes
Does your organization have any non monetary partnerships with businesses?
Yes
Does your organization have any non monetary partnerships with government?
Yes
Please tell us more about how partnerships could be critical to the success of your innovation.
The proposal to redefine the boundaries of the PARNA Jaú requires a series of actions and negotiations with the participation of different actors, directly or indirectly involved with the process. In order for this idea to materialize, it is necessary to have participation from the following actors: the inhabitants of the Park, counselors of the Park and RESEX, the juridical and technical participation of the ICMBIO from Brasília, partnership/legal advisory and FVA, with its knowhow, presenting all the technical advisory and, with its contacts, networking and negotiating the proposal with members of congress in the House of Representatives (National Congress) to be approved as a law. In addition, and of fundamental importance, it will carry all the support of the Park management institution in the negotiations/networking in the House of Representatives. The support of networks created by environmental entities and social movements like FBOMS and GTA, of whom FVA is part will, too, have an important role to play in supporting the project, significantly increasing its legitimacy.
We would like to learn more about how your initiative is financially supported. Please explain your business plan/revenue model
Up until now, this initiative does not have any specific financial support for its actions. What has already been built is the proposal of redefining boundaries or pre-proposal inside the Geopolitics of Conservation Project and the presentation of the proposal to some groups/actors of interest has been made by technicians of FVA and has been included in other initiatives with similar projects to take advantage of opportunities. In 2008, FVA held the seminar ‘Land Questions in relation to the human presence in the Conservation Units: conceptual aspects, legal and methodological’ in which the Geopolitics of Conservation in the Lower Black River project was presented and where the proposal of the redefining boundaries project for the PARNA Jaú was presented for a larger group. This seminar was made with funding from the Moore Foundation, sponsor of this project. With exception of this seminar, the actions taken up until now for the redefinition of the boundaries have been isolated and do not require a high level of investment, but we believe that for the proposal to take off, in addition to networking, funding of legal advisory will be necessary and fundamental for the process, as well as resources for trips to Brasília for negotiations with the House of Representatives and resources to hold meetings with the inhabitants and counsels to make the final proposal for the redefinition of boundaries of the Park. Aside from the opportunity to fundraise, FVA is always looking for other opportunities for projects and partnerships. In this way, we will search for resources on other fronts/donors and expect success, so that we may be able to complete this fund and ensure the continuity of our actions.
The Story
What was the defining moment that led you to this innovation?
The proposed redefinition of the boundaries of PARNA Jaú and the expansion of the limits of the Unini River RESEX was born from the context of the people living within a protected reservation. Consequently, this fact has generated numerous conflicts over access to natural resources and the safeguarding of property rights for community residents. This possibility has been discussed and developed with residents and various actors of the Park and RESEX who use the natural resources of the park, with environmental analysts and heads of the UCs / ICMBIO and other civil society actors. So far the proposal has not progressed much due to the current political climate and a concern that the management agency might address this conflict through negotiation in congress, where there would be no government oversight over the process. Because of concurrent discussions and policy positions concerning some unfavorable environmental issues such as the forest code and environmental permits for large projects such as hydroelectric power plants, among others, ICMBIO considered it an inopportune time for us to begin this process, as it may open a precedent for other UCs experiencing land reduction. Beyond this context, the situation of residents of the Park and the River Unini in relation to the institution managing and securing their rights has experienced limited progress with the Statement of Commitment, and has had major setbacks in the negotiations and understanding between residents and ICMBIO. These uncertainties, due to lack of legal mechanisms and regulations of various aspects of SNUC and a reluctance on the part of ICMBIO to resolve these conflicts, make the possibility of resuming the plan for redefinition of boundaries proposed by the Park advisory board to start the negotiations and lobbying with the government with this project a central motivating factor for FVA’s participation in this competition.
Tell us about the social innovator—the person—behind this idea.
Since June 2008, I have served as Public Policy Coordinator (yara@fva.org.br) for the Vitória Amazônica Foundation (www.fva.org.br) which focuses on enacting programs and policies combining environmental conservation with an improved quality of life for traditional communities of the Amazon, and in the Black River Basin in Amazonas state. On environmental policy issues we work locally, regionally and nationally through participation in networks, discussion forums and consulting on related topics of interest. Our current work at FVA includes: protected areas, traditional peoples, agroextractivists’ (gatherers’) issues and conflicts related to these issues in relation to security of land rights, fundamental rights, and equal access to natural resources are among the subjects I dedicate myself to with more and more each day and which FVA is structuring to form a new line of action in justice / social law. I see this award as an opportunity to strengthen this line within the institution and to establish important partnerships, especially in the legal field, to support the Foundation’s high-level expertise and broaden our activities and most successful projects with our partners, particularly with traditional populations.
How did you first hear about Changemakers?
Friend or family member
If through another source, please provide the information.
(até 50 palavras)
Additional
Which (if any) of the following strategies apply to your organization or company (check as many as apply)
Policy advocacy to strengthen property rights or increase security of tenure.
Please explain how your work furthers one or many of the above strategies (if you selected “other”, please explain your strategy)
As a consequence of its work in PARNA Jaú and the Unini River basin, FVA was the principal mobilizer, supporter, networker and negotiator in partnership with AMORU, the Unini River Neighborhood Association, in the creation of the Unini River RESEX in 2006, guaranteeing inhabitants the right to remain in their homelands.
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