Brazil: Indigenous Group granted largest tropical forest certification in the world by the Forest Stewardship Council - November 22nd, 2006

The Rainforest Alliance has granted Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification to 3.7 million acres of rainforest in the central Amazon owned and managed by a group of Kayapó indigenous people in Brazil. It is the largest area of tropical forest to receive FSC certification in the world.

The Kayapó of the Bau Indigenous Territory, who sell the Brazil nuts they harvest on their lands, are currently the only indigenous group in Brazil with FSC-certified forestlands. They received the certificate from the Rainforest Alliance in collaboration with the Institute for Agricultural and Forestry Management and Certification (Instituto de Manejo e Certificação Florestal e Agrícola or IMAFLORA).

This certification means that these 3.7 million acres of Amazon forestland will be sustainably managed, balancing the need for income from Brazil nut harvesting with biodiversity conservation and water and soil protection. Brazil now takes the lead as the Latin American country with the most FSC-certified forestlands, totalling about 12.4 million acres (6.7 million acres in natural forest and 5.7 million acres in plantations).

"This is not only the largest FSC tropical forest certification in the world but also the largest forest managed by indigenous people in the FSC system," said Richard Donovan, chief of forestry at the Rainforest Alliance. "It is an important global benchmark as indigenous groups in many countries are increasing their influence over the quality of forest management."

To earn FSC/Rainforest Alliance certification, the Kayapó met a rigorous set of environmental and social standards. They also received organic certification for Brazil nut production after meeting the standards of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements in a joint assessment with the Instituto Biodinâmico de Botucatu, an organic certifier in Brazil. "By seeking certification, the Kayapó indigenous community is showing that they are serious about forest conservation and management," said Patricia Cota Gomes, coordinator of certification of forestry communities at IMAFLORA.

Some 10,000 square miles of the Amazon, which is one of the Earth's most sensitive and biologically diverse ecosystems, are destroyed annually. In a region rife with land-tenure conflicts that have resulted in violence, rampant illegal logging and environmental disputes, the Kayapó have been defending their forestlands in the state of Pará for decades and were committed to finding a way to manage them sustainably.

The certification will also help control development along BR 163, a 1,094-mile controversial highway that runs through the Brazilian Amazon. The government has paved part and plans on paving all of the road to open up access to the region. Critics are concerned this will increase deforestation and make the area more vulnerable to exploitation. In the face of such developments, responsible forest management is key so the Kayapó can preserve the land and its rich biodiversity.

A team from IMAFLORA conducted the certification audits and will conduct audits annually to ensure the forest management meets FSC/Rainforest Alliance standards. The team included specialists in community forestry certification, organic production, indigenous affairs and the Kayapó language. The team members were sensitive to local customs and beliefs, social organization and the close relationship between the community and the forest’s resources.

For more information, please contact: Gretchen Ruethling, E-mail: gruethling@ra.org or visit www.rainforest-alliance.org

Source: Rainforest Alliance, 3 November 2006

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