RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – On Friday, July 3rd, the federal government, through the Ministry of the Environment, created the Floresta+ (Forest+) Program to value those preserving and caring for the country’s native forest.
The pilot project will start by allocating R$500 (US$94) million for the conservation of the Legal Amazon area. The program relies on the contribution of the private sector and resources from international agreements.
“This is currently the largest worldwide environmental services payment program. The R$500 million received from the ‘Fundo Verde do Clima’ (Green Climate Fund) will reward those involved in conservation. We will pay for good practices and reward those who adequately care for the environment,” said Ricardo Salles, the Minister of the Environment, during a virtual meeting.
Individuals or companies, public or private, family or community groups that directly or through third parties, provide environmental services in maintained areas with native vegetation coverage or subject to their recovery are eligible to join the program.
The conference introduced the Floresta+ program to federal government representatives of the Legal Amazon states, as well as public institutions, universities, foundations, innovation centers, donors to the ‘Fundo Verde do Clima’, and indigenous peoples.
National Registry
Brazil boasts 560 million hectares of native forest on Brazilian territory. The government’s next step is to create the National Registry of Environmental Services and to regulate payment for environmental services, provided for in the Forest Code.
Among the environmental services considered essential are monitoring, surveillance, fire fighting, research, tree planting, environmental inventory, and agroforestry systems for the conservation and protection of native vegetation.
Biodiversity conservation, soil and water protection, and climate regulation will be among the benefits.
Source: Agência Brasil