FSC Stories from around the world
FSC Brings New Prosperity to Legendary Community
In the Brazilian municipality of Xapuri, Acre, community forest management to Forest Stewardship Council standards shines as a model for communities that seek to preserve their traditional forest-dependent livelihoods.
For decades, the community has relied upon the surrounding forest for extractives, such as latex and Brazil nuts. But according to Nilson Mendes, coordinator of Assoc. Moradores e Productores do Projeto Agroestrativista Chico Mendes (The Agro-Extractives Project of the Chico Mendes Association), this production no longer could support the growing community. "There also was demand from the outside to buy wood from our forest" Mendes said, "so we decided to develop our own management plan that would integrate our traditional activities with tuber with the production of wood."
The Chico Mendes Association obtained FSC certification in March 2002, and was the first community forest operation in Brazil to do so. The community's FSC certified forest management operation is based on the ethno-eco-logical knowledge of the rubber workers. Workers consult with forest technicians to develop a harvest plan that will satisfy production needs while maintaining responsible practices. "We take extreme care to ensure that we leave standing a 'child' two 'grandchildren' of each tree we harvest. In this way we ensure the health and genetic strength of the forest for future generations", notes Nilson Mendes.
Nine families in Acre currently participate in the FSC-certified community project, and are responsible for the management of 900 hectares of tropical forest. The FSC-certified wood is sold to the FSC-certified Etel furniture factory in the heart of the forest, a facility that provides revenue and jobs to the community.
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