These reserves are based on the premise that traditional communities that gather forest products, such as rubber and Brazil nuts, can also be good stewards of natural resources and help avoid the environmental impact of more intensive types of land use, such as cattle ranching.

Since 1995, the Extractive Reserves Project ($17 million) has provided support to the first and largest extractive reserves established in Brazil. These four reserves cover 2.1 million hectares – an area half the size of Switzerland [see map]. 

The idea of extractive reserves was originally proposed by the Amazonian rubber tappers in the state of Acre in the 1970s. The rubber tappers movement gained worldwide visibility when its leader, Chico Mendes, was assassinated in 1988.

The Extractive Reserves Project is helping to transform Chico Mendes’ dream into reality by strengthening the local reserve associations and supporting the development of new agroforestry crops and forest products and sustainable production techniques.

Project results include progress on:

• completing the legalization of the reserves,
   
• strengthening local community organizations,
   
• installing needed infrastructure, and
   
• improving subsistence and commercial production.

New products and techniques that the project is helping to introduce include:

• use of medicinal plants,
   
• development of eco-tourism,
   
• cultivation and use of natural vines,
   
• production of handicrafts, and
   
• use of fallen timber for small-scale wood processing.

 

 

 

  

The Extractive Reserves Project is strengethining the local reserve associations.