FAO / GEF - Strengthening National Policy and Knowledge Framework in Support of Sustainable Management of Brazil´s Forest Resources

The project, launched in 2011, aims at supporting decision making by stakeholders through the provision of credible, timely and relevant information and policy analysis about:

• the state and dynamics of Brazil’s forests;
• natural resources management, with emphasis on forest resources (including tree biodiversity), land cover, use, and changes;
• opportunities for mainstreaming biodiversity conservation in sector policies and investments;
• role of and factors affecting forest and forest land contributions to poverty reduction and livelihoods improvement;
• biodiversity conservation in protected areas as well as in land use decision making;
• forest carbon stocks and flows and potentials for reduction of emissions through better use of forest resources and lands; and
• land degradation in forest landscape and potentials for reduction.

The information is collected and analyzed through the establishment of a National Forest Monitoring and Assessment System (NFM&AS) as a programmatic activity in the Brazilian Forest Service continuing after the end of the project. By providing different analysis of the collected data, including a baseline and periodically monitored forest resource indicators, the project will enhance the capacity of the Government of Brazil (GoB) to recognize and reduce environmental threats by adjusting policies, strategies, and interventions and demonstrate their effectiveness. Private sector and other nongovernmental decision makers will also be able to take more informed decisions which, given the appropriate policy incentives, can increase the attractiveness of forest land use, mainstreaming biodiversity conservation in production activities, and increasing and conserving carbon stocks in the forest biomass.

The five year project is co-funded by GEF, FAO and the Government of Brazil. The Brazilian Forest Service, within the Ministry of Environment, is the primary executive partner. The project has been structured into four components:

1. national framework for forest resource monitoring, assessment and strategic decision making;
2. capacity building for the management of the NFM&AS;
3. baseline and monitoring and information system establishment; and
4. policies to enhance the contribution of SFM to national sustainable development and global environmental benefits.

For more information visit the web site of the Serviço Florestal Brasileiro (SFB)