The Brazilian Amazon is a major source of tropical hardwoods, gross sales of which generate an estimated $1 billion a year. However, most timber extraction occurs in an unplanned and often illegal fashion, damaging the remaining trees, opening gaps in the canopy, and leaving large amounts of debris which make rain forests susceptible to burning. 

The Forest Resources Management Project ($22.6 million) aims to alleviate this situation by supporting the development and adoption of sustainable forest management systems in the Amazon region.

The five-year project began in January 1999 and supports the following activities:

• effective participatory management and conservation of the Tapajós National Forest Reserve, involving local communities;
   
• promising initiatives by community groups, NGOs, and private firms designed to test new approaches to sustainable forest management;
   
• testing of alternative approaches to surveillance and enforcement of forest policies; and
   
• strategic analysis and recommendations for policy reforms and incentives for the forestry sector in the Amazon.

So far, the Forest Resources Management Project has supported 78 community driven initiatives involving 10,000 local villagers and has trained 5,000 people in forestry management. Through these strategies, the project is helping to promote sound practices and policies, pointing the way to sustainable timber production in the region.