In Depth Coverage

Community Mapping Of Forest Disturbance With in The Mumuru Arapiuns Forest To Bring Greater Protection & Vigilance By Federal & State Protection Agencies

The Mumuru - Arapuins ALAP has 90% intact forest but is fast becoming a new frontline of destruction being on the edge of the BR 163. Logging and road building is attempting to open a gateway from Itaituba to Juruti and the wider forest. The location of this forest surrounded by conservation units makes its protection essential and viable. State and Federal Authorities are currently consulting on a development plan for the area. Local Ibama and Chico Mendes offices want the area to gain protective status. Currently, there is little information available to the authorities on the level of forest disturbance activities with in the area for them to make an informed decision.

ARF plans to work with forest communities and satellite imagery to compile an up to date data base on the location and extent of forest disturbance within the area. A community monitoring network supported by satellite imagery is to be set up to keep a constant vigilance over the forest.

ARF is to provide tailor made GIS imagery on deforestation to help the State and federal environmental protection agencies to increase their vigilance, and assist in their wider development decisions.

• Link With Climate Change

  Open

  The Mumuru - Arapiuns area comprises 1.1 million hectares of relatively intact forest.

  Should the expansion of deforestation and the road network go un-checked , then a significant carbon sink could be in serous risk. Once full access is gained to this area by loggers and soya growers then potentially a further 3 million hectares of adjacent protected forest would be at risk. The loss of such a large carbon sink could make a significant contribution to climate change.

• Objectives

  Open
  1. Collect local community information on the location of forest activities
  2. Set up a series of workshops to train the communities in mapping and GPS to accurately record and monitor forest disturbance.
  3. Set up a community monitoring network across the area supported by ARF GIS.
  4. Carry out community field verification of satellite analysis finding.
  5. Identify and map the critical areas of forest disturbance
  6. Prepare tailor made maps of key areas of forest destruction for the protection authorities to increase their vigilance.
  7. Train communities how to liaise with their local protection authorities.
  8. Provide detailed analysis of forest condition to State and Federal forest planning authorities.

   

• Work plan

  Open

  From previous field work, ARF has selected 2 key communities within the Mumuru - Arapiuns area that are positioned at forest entry/ exit points; The Rio Maro Indigena Area ,and the Rio Mumuru /Mariaqua Forest communities, to conduct this project.

  • Field officer to meet the community leaders present preliminary satellite and topographic maps of each area and collect local information on illegal forest disturbance (Nov 09).
  • Field officer to update forest disturbance maps with the communities. ARF GIS department to further analyze new coordinates with satellite imagery and pass on any finding to communities (Dec 09).
  • Field Officer and community leaders to select community members who are to undertake training and organize logistics and a date (Dec09)
  • Field officer and outside training expert to conduct map training/gps community workshops (Jan 2010 - June 2010)
  • ARF to compile detailed GIS maps of the forest change within key hot-spots and present them with the community monitors to Ibama and Chico Mendes (July 2010).
  • ARF to establish regular community and satellite monitoring and the transmission of finding between the 3 parties (Monitors-ARF-Ibama).

   

• Schedule

  Open

  10.11.09 to 10.01.11

• Technical and Scientific Approach & Methods Proposed

  Open

  tbd

• Results

  Open
  • Reduce the level of anthropogenic disturbance.
  • Reduce the expansion of the illegal road network.
  • Help the local communities protect their forest.
  • Improve the monitoring and protection of the forest.
  • Provide the government planning authorities with relevant information to ensure the right level of protection is selected for the area

• Deliverables

  Open

  tbd

• Use of Satellite Imagery and GIS Solutions

  Open
  • Use of high resolution imagery to identify and close examine areas of forest disturbance.
  • To use NDFI analysis for close up sub-canopy assessment of critical destruction areas.
  • To map forest disturbance in adjacent areas through time to produce predictive forest change analysis for the area over next 5-10 years.

• Local Actions

  Open
  • Field data gathering
  • Community meeting and training workshops
  • Community meeting with protection agencies
  • Continuous field monitoring
  • Increased field vigilance by protection agencies

• Miscellaneous information / interesting details on project

  Open

  ARF has been working with the Satare Mawe and the river people of the Mumuru to detect illegal forest activities since 2000 and therefore has built up a good working relationship. We also have a good communication and long-standing understanding with the local Ibama and Chico Mendes offices which has resulted in a number of successful enforcement operations. A number of key community leaders are already experienced in and have undergone training in map and gps training through ARF’s and other NGOs training programs.

  Finally, ARF also has an office and training facility in Parintins, the closest commercial centre to the area. Patrick Stephenson of ARF is travelling to the project area from 05.11.09 until 26.01.10

• Region Name

  Open
  Santarem/Aveiro district,Para, Brazil

• Partners involved in project

  Open
  Ibama (– Santarem and Itaituba)
  Chico Mendes ICMBio (Santarem & Itaituba)
  Satare Mawe of Rio Mumuru
  Satare Mawe of Vila Nova (T.I Andira Marau)
  Grupo Indigena Rio Maro
  Mumuru & Mariaqua River Communities