Search

The presence of livestock in riparian areas raises several questions about the conservation and sustainable use of water resources and biodiversity in Brazil. Although the Native Vegetation Protection Law (No. 12,651) focuses on riparian vegetation, protected as Permanent Preservation Areas (APPs), it does not exclude the presence of livestock in these fragile areas. Here, we provide an overview of APPs in Brazil and analyze the legal instruments that enable livestock in these areas, gathering the scientific evidence on associated environmental impacts. Currently, cattle in riparian areas represent a direct threat to biodiversity and ecosystem functioning and services, especially because these animals promote trampling, loss of vegetation, soil erosion, siltation, and pollution through urine and feces. To avoid cattle in APPs, legislation should be revised to implement more stringent restrictions; in parallel, alternatives for watering the animals must be sought, such as, for example, the installation of artificial ponds and drinking fountains. It would be appropriate to propose legislation or create incentives to fence livestock in pasture areas to preventing it from accessing APPs. Increasing cattle confinement is an alternative measure to traditional ranching in open pasture. Riparian zones represent a critical environment for biodiversity and society, so the presence of cattle and its associated negative impacts should be seriously considered by authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brazil is among the main contributors to global biodiversity, which, in turn, provides extensive ecosystem services. Agriculture is an activity that benefits greatly from these ecosystem services, but at the same time is degrading aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and eroding Brazilian biodiversity. This conflict is growing, as emerging unsustainable legislative proposals that will benefit the agricultural sector are likely to accelerate the decline of biodiversity. One such initiative (Bill 1282/2019) would change Brazil's "Forest Code" (Law 12,651/2012) to facilitate construction of irrigation dams in Permanent Preservation Areas, a category that includes strips (with or without vegetation) along the edges of watercourses. Two other similar bills are advancing through committees in the Chamber of Deputies. Here we provide details of these three bills and discuss their consequences for Brazil's biodiversity if they are approved. Expected negative impacts with changes in the legislation include: increased deforestation; siltation; habitat fragmentation; introduction of non-native species; reduction in the availability of aquatic habitats; and changes in biogeochemical process. These proposals jeopardize biodiversity and may compromise the negotiations for an agreement between Mercosur and the European Union. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Brazilian Cerrado is one of the most biodiverse hotspots in the world, the birthplace of major rivers, and plays a crucial role in climate stability. Despite ongoing efforts to conserve the native vegetation within this biome, a significant amount of land remains legally available for conversion. This situation raises concerns, as landowners are likely to continue clearing areas for agricultural production due to its legality and the substantial economic incentives involved. This poses a direct threat to the ecosystem services provided by the Cerrado. To delve into the beliefs of landowners regarding the preservation of native vegetation beyond legal requirements on their properties, we adopted a theory-based approach, specifically the Theory of Planned Behavior. These beliefs serve as the foundation for designing and implementing effective conservation initiatives. A qualitative survey was conducted with a convenience sample of 21 landowners in Mato Grosso do Sul, Cerrado, Brazil. Through content analysis, we identified a total of 30 salient behavioral, normative, and control beliefs. Behavioral beliefs underscored the environmental benefits of preserving more than legally required, while acknowledging existing economic constraints. Normative beliefs revealed the expectation for approval for preservation from groups historically in disagreement or conflict with landowners. Control beliefs highlighted economic incentives as facilitators for preservation; however, landowners fear losing rights over land, and fear being watched by the state through surveillance and monitoring systems. The implications of these findings for conservation initiatives are thoroughly discussed, recognizing the delicate balance between environmental preservation and the economic considerations that influence landowners in the Cerrado region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land degradation and forest fragmentation have been prominent issues in the Amazon since the 1970s, primarily driven by the suppression of primary forests due to land use changes. In this study, we propose an innovative approach by integrating artificial neural networks (ANN) and cellular automata Markov chain (CA‐MA) models to predict future land use and assess the associated forest fragmentation using landscape ecology metrics in the Jamari River Basin. The analysis reveals a significant increase in fragmentation between 1985 and 2018, as evidenced by a rise in the number of fragments from 7162 to 28,170. Moreover, we observed a decrease in the core area from approximately 2.5 million hectares to less than 1 million hectares, accompanied by an increase in edge density from 6 to 18 m.ha−1. Additionally, the average distance between fragments expanded from 66 to 95 m. Highlighting the urgency of addressing this issue, our study emphasizes the necessity of exploring effective strategies within the Brazilian public environmental management system. By utilizing various rural policy planning tools, we aim to tackle unsustainable development and mitigate the adverse impacts of land use changes in the region. In conclusion, this research offers an innovative approach that combines ANN and CA‐MA models to predict land use and assess forest fragmentation, shedding light on the alarming trend of land degradation and providing valuable insights for informed decision‐making and sustainable land management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This editorial discusses a number of issues raised by the new Forestry Code, a programmatic document that completes a participatory triad that has mobilised a range of specialists and stakeholders over the past five years in an unprecedented theoretical and practical approach: starting from values and principles, formulating a forestry strategy and, based on it, drafting a new Forestry Code. The article does not question the appropriateness of certain provisions or changes in the legal classification of certain forestry offences, but rather explains some of the foreseeable consequences of these changes, given that the authorities with supervisory powers, including the police, are unable to deal properly with a number of criminal cases. On the one hand, there are still a number of controversial issues regarding the reporting of forestry planning, but on the other hand, the thorny issue of the environmental assessment, which will be carried out simultaneously with the (theoretical) parcel description, has been resolved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of the construction and evolution of Brazilian forestry legislation’s allows us to retrace the way in which elites and governments historically considered the use of forests and other forms of vegetation. This article highlights the ambivalent character of this process and thus proposes an original approach to analyse the current issues at stake in Brazil, in the time of the Anthropocene.

Riparian permanent protection areas (APP) are important for the protection of water resources. However, there are controversies concerning the delimitation and uses of spaces whose boundaries have been reconfigured over time. The evolution of laws and regulations related to riparian APPs were therefore analysed as well as their impacts on the uses of the river plains of the Santa Cruz River (Sertões de Crateús, Ceará/Brazil) between 1985 to 2019. A bibliographic and cartographic survey was thus carried out, satellite images were analyzed and field work was carried out. As a result, a tendency to reduce APPs and their protection was noted; the second Florest Code created and delimited the riparian APPs in Brazil; the plains and their APPs are occupied and later deteriorate due to farming and illegal mineral extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to analyze the behavior of the rural producer regarding the Forest Code and its applicability in the worker's daily life, in addition to presenting understandings and concepts in light of the novelties proposed by Law 12.651/12. The maintenance and balance of the ecosystem generated discussions between Heads of States, in order to guarantee quality of life for the population, in addition to reconciling the economy with the conservation of the environment. It is believed that the quality of life will be improved when society obtains a keen environmental perception, as only a critical awareness of society on the subject helps the manager in decision-making. Using a survey of data collection, framed in descriptive form, with qualitative and quantitative faculty, exploring the collected results and quantifying them through the presentation of data that can be transformed into usable statistics, respectively. The results are demonstrated, proving that the indirect relations of development and education affect the perception of producers regarding the Law, confirming the State's duty to provide environmental education work in all areas, reaching levels that can be seen not only in generations future, providing better compliance with Brazilian standards, in addition to the harmonious coexistence of man with nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Diversitas Journal is the property of Diversitas Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Brazilian Cerrado is one of the most biodiverse savannas in the world, yet 46% of its original cover has been cleared to make way for crops and pastures. These extensive land‐use transitions (LUTs) are expected to influence regional climate by reducing evapotranspiration (ET), increasing land surface temperature (LST), and ultimately reducing precipitation. Here, we quantify the impacts of LUTs on ET and LST in the Cerrado by combining MODIS satellite data with annual land use and land cover maps from 2006 to 2019. We performed regression analyses to quantify the effects of six common LUTs on ET and LST across the entire gradient of Cerrado landscapes. Results indicate that clearing forests for cropland or pasture increased average LST by ~3.5°C and reduced mean annual ET by 44% and 39%, respectively. Transitions from woody savannas to cropland or pasture increased average LST by 1.9°C and reduced mean annual ET by 27% and 21%, respectively. Converting native grasslands to cropland or pasture increased average LST by 0.9 and 0.6°C, respectively. Conversely, grassland‐to‐pasture transitions increased mean annual ET by 15%. To date, land changes have caused a 10% reduction in water recycled to the atmosphere annually and a 0.9°C increase in average LST across the biome, compared to the historic baseline under native vegetation. Global climate changes from increased atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations will only exacerbate these effects. Considering potential future scenarios, we found that abandoning deforestation control policies or allowing legal deforestation to continue (at least 28.4 Mha) would further reduce yearly ET (by −9% and −3%, respectively) and increase average LST (by +0.7 and +0.3°C, respectively) by 2050. In contrast, policies encouraging zero deforestation and restoration of the 5.2 Mha of illegally deforested areas would partially offset the warming and drying impacts of land‐use change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current study investigates whether rural properties in the basin of the stream Bonsucesso in Jataí GO Brazil, have environmental deficits (permanent reservation area and forest legal reserve). Geo-reference data of the rural properties of the basin were retrieved from the Rural Environment Registration System in October 2019. Properties were classified according to the number of fiscal modules (MF): small (up to 4 MF), medium (4-10 MF) and big (>10 MF). The basin of the stream Bonsucesso has 54 rural properties, distributed in small (48.1%), medium (31.5%) and big (20.4%), with an area of 16,273.38 ha. Big farms covered 57.8% of the total basin area, whereas small ones covered 12.4% of the total area. In the basin under analysis, the biggest the property, the greater is its APP (r² = 0.83). In the case of APPs (622.99 ha), 89.7% belong to big farms, 6.5% of APPs make up medium properties and 3.8% small properties. Further, percentage of legal forest reserve revealed properties with 20% vegetation (7), area with exceeding vegetation (17) and with environmental deficit (30). Due to loss of vegetal coverage, the effectiveness of the functions of APPs on farms decreases, coupled to the environmental conservation in the reduction of RL remnants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work of Santana and Simon (2022) provides a unique database on angiosperm flora in the Cerrado?s agricultural frontier (known as MATOPIBA), revealing that its plant biodiversity remains largely unknown. However, ongoing deforestation combined with areas that can still be legally deforested, has the potential to jeopardize plant conservation in the region if measures to prevent land clearing are not adopted. Based on the databased provided by the authors, high resolution vegetation maps and land tenure data, it is demonstrated that almost 5 Mha of Cerrado vegetation has been converted from 1990 to 2020, and further 10.1 Mha can still be legally cleared, which 1.58 Mha in small, 2.25 Mha in medium and 6.27 Mha in large farms. This has practical implications for biodiversity conservation in the MATOPIBA and, thus, the clearing of "areas where populations of endemic and threatened", as well as rare, species occur should be avoided. In general, the whole region should be better sampled in order to fill the knowledge gap on its plant diversity, but certain areas could be prioritized to optimize sampling efforts and provide botanical information that inform conservation plans with the objective to avoid the extinction of endemic, threatened and unknown species. Proactive conservation measures are yet palliative because the current environmental legislation still allows the suppression of large extensions of Cerrado vegetation – likely to be converted to mechanized agriculture as soon as it becomes profitable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural ecosystems are under severe threat worldwide and environmental policies are essential to minimize present and future impacts on biodiversity, ecosystem services and climate change. The New Forest Act in Brazil is the main policy to protect native vegetation in private lands, which comprise 54% of the remaining Brazilian native vegetation. However, conflicts between environmental and agricultural concerns in its implementation demand for balanced solutions based on scientific evidence. To face the challenge of applying science in environmental policy establishment, we developed a scientific project funded by the São Paulo State Research Foundation (FAPESP) to support the implementation of the New Forest Act in São Paulo State, as part of the Biota/FAPESP Program. The project was conducted differently from a regular research project: the broad objective was to provide scientific support to the State's implementation of the New Forest Act, based on a participatory interaction among stakeholders to build specific objectives, methods, and discussion of results, within an interdisciplinary and intersectoral research team. Here, we present the lessons learned during and after the four years of the research project development to evaluate how scientific knowledge can be produced and adopted in the implementation of a specific environmental policy. We present the main outcomes and the challenges faced in trying to include scientific data in the decision-making process. We also present current and future challenges in the New Forest Act implementation that could be solved with scientific evidence. The lessons learned showed that even designing the project in order to meet the needs to support the implementation of the environmental policy, avoiding difficulties normally pointed out by similar projects, there was a great difficulty for scientific contributions to be adopted in the decision-making process. Most of the scientific information and advice, even after discussion and common understanding among a diverse stakeholder group, were ignored or over-ruled in the final decision-making phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Caravelle: Cahiers du Monde Hispanique et Luso-Bresilien is the property of Presses Universitaires du Mirail and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Desenvolvimento e Meio Ambiente is the property of Universidade Federal do Parana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Law Studies Journal / Revista Novos Estudos Juridicos is the property of Novos Estudos Juridicos and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article discusses the concept of the draft Federal Law of the Forest Code of the Russian Federation put forward by the CEPL staff. The timeliness of such a discussion by the wide professional community is recognized. Proposals are being made to change a number of provisions of the Concept. It is proposed to clarify the status of “wild forests”. The thesis about the inadmissibility of leaving the cutting areas of oak forests for natural overgrowth is emphasized, which leads to the transformation of strategically valuable oak formations of the Central Black Earth Region into significantly less valuable deciduous forests without his participation. The authors support the position on the unacceptability of the existing model of private forest management, which leads to “deterioration of the state of forests, reduction of their economic and ecological potential.” A number of proposals are being made to improve the country’s forestry. It is proposed to restore the Ministry of Forestry, transfer the use of forest resources to state forestry enterprises, staffed with personnel, equipment and machinery for the production of all types of forestry work. To add to the section on the indefinite use of forest plots, research institutions, educational institutions, in the use of which there are forest plots for long-term research. It is necessary to exclude other types of use of forest areas (for example, hunting use), where research or educational activities are carried out.

The analysis of the Concept of the draft Federal Law “Forest Code of the Russian Federation” proposed for discussion has shown that it is necessary to consider in detail the problems of organizing forest fire protection. In our opinion, the provisions of clause 3.7.7. The concepts require discussion of two important aspects of this activity. The first aspect concerns the implementation of forest fire protection in the territories provided for forestry on the basis of a license agreement and an agreement on the trust management of protective forests to legal entities and individuals. The second is the definition of the basic principles and criteria, based on which, the forests will be classified according to the methods of monitoring fire hazard and the use of fire extinguishing forces and means. The need to discuss the issue of consolidating the function of forest protection from fires for state specialized organizations of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and the federal body responsible for the general management of the forest protection system is revealed. The study showed that with the modern organization of fire detection and extinguishing, the approach to zoning and methodological support for making a decision on the advisability of carrying out fire extinguishing work in hard-to-reach forests requires a more thorough justification. At the same time, the development of a methodology should proceed from the zoning goal to reduce damage from fires. When calculating, it is important to take into account not only economic losses, but also negative consequences in the social sphere and in the environmental situation.

The description of the organization of forest exploitation in the fundamental law acts existing the last 40 years is analyzed. The role and age structure of the protective forests are briefly characterized. Need of active management for maintenance of functionality of the protective forests is formulated. The important role of forest code for development of regulatory documents and effective implementation of the concept of ecosystem services is shown.

The article provides a comment to the concept of the draft new Forest code of the Russian Federation from the scientific Council of the Russian Academy of Sciences on forest. One of the main positions of the Authors of the concept: lease relations are harmful for the forest and forestry of Russia, so it is necessary to develop a new Forest code of the Russian Federation. The author of the article (comment) notes that lease relations are not the main problem of the LC RF 2006, and the development of a new LC RF is not a solution to the real «forest problems» of Russia.

Abstract The maintenance of hydrological conditions in rural watersheds depends on the behavior of rural landowners regarding land use and vegetation cover protection. We analyzed the willingness of farmers from the Rio Doce basin to adopt voluntary forest restoration strategies and to bring their lands into compliance with Federal Law 12.651/2012. We applied a questionnaire to 30 landowners in the municipality of Governador Valadares and the surrounding region. The results indicate that 86% of the farmers acknowledge maintaining vegetation cover as highly important, highlighting benefits such as reduced erosion (86%) and increased discharge in springs (73%). Technical assistance for productivity (29.6%), donation of materials (22.2%) and economic incentives (22.2%) were identified as factors that increase the motivation of farmers to implement such practices. Agroforestry Systems were the most preferred modality (50%). The long-term presence of rural assistance organizations and the trust between them and landowners explain the dissemination of environmental notions and pro-conservation attitudes.

Abstract Command and control instruments for the conservation of nature on private property are widely considered to be costly and inefficient at achieving significant conservation. In the city of Bonito (MS), an initiative called “Projeto Formoso Vivo”, aimed at the protection of native vegetation, sought to promote rural techniques that significantly aid the protection and restoration of Permanent Preservation Areas and Legal Reserves in Brazil. The aim of this article is to analyze the reach of this project from landholders’ perspective, focusing on the adequacy of rural properties to the current legal-environmental regime for native vegetation protection. Qualitative analysis was conducted through a series of interviews to gauge respondent’s perceptions of the “Projeto Formoso Vivo” initiative. Results show that all respondents recognized the importance of the project and consider it possible to reconcile the economic value of private properties with the requirements of areas destined for conservation.

It is often said that Brazil has some of the most advanced forest laws in the world, but this strong legislation has been rarely translated into effective environmental governance. To understand the challenges of implementing environmental policies in Brazil and elsewhere, this study conceptualizes the Forest Code as a socially constructed technology, the effects of which emerge from its specific uses. We find that, in contrast to the prevailing view of this law as having no effects in practice, it produced multiple and contradictory impacts due to its appropriation by different social groups. For the technocrats, the law was a partial success as it represented progress towards science-based territorial planning. For the Rural elite the Forest Code was used as way to block access of poor settlers to fertile public areas to preserve future elite agricultural expansion. Finally, settlers viewed the Code as a way to obtain official clearing authorizations used to substantiate future titling claims. From this examination, the article argues that the prevailing economic and legalist perspectives on the effectiveness of environmental policies need to be complemented by sociological perspectives in order to account for the non-deterministic character of scientific perspectives, laws and the social dynamics behind the multiple appropriations of state apparatuses. By understanding how laws, as technologies, are interpreted and appropriated by different social actors we will be able to contribute by proposing legal apparatuses that are more appropriate for the local context in which they are supposed to function.

Since the early 2000s, the Democratic Republic of Congo has been conducting a reform of its forestry sector with the publication of The Forest Code (2002). The implementation of this law, which aims to assure the participation of all stakeholders, has been evolving slowly since then. The present research aims to evaluate the knowledge local communities and indigenous people detain over the ongoing reform, and the expectations they created when negotiations over the implementation of industrial harvesting activities in their traditional territories began. By interviewing local people, we came to understand that insufficient knowledge regarding the law gathers with a lack of concern towards ecological or environmental matters and with the need of seeing basic needs satisfied; all this in a context in which different stakeholders’ responsibilities and negotiational terms are often misunderstood.

The article notes the relevance of the Concept of the draft Federal law “Forest code of the Russian Federation”. One of the sections of this Concept (point 3.7.10) concerning reforestation issues is considered. The importance of the approach proposed in the Concept, which provides for more flexible legal regulation of technological issues of reforestation, taking into account regional, forest-growing and economic conditions, is emphasized. Questions that require clarification or more detailed disclosure are noted.

In order to clarify the historicity of economic, social and environmental contexts that influenced the institution of legal norms for forest preservation and protection, a description of the historical influences of legal norms for forest protection from Colonial Brazil to the 21st Century was carried out. It deals with the historical evolution of the political-economic situations of the country's forestry rules, emphasizing the implications for forest protection. The analysis showed that 434 years from the "discovery" for Brazil were necessary to have its first Forest Protection Law. The 1930s was the period for the implementation of the developmental model by Getulio Vargas based on the reduction of natural resources and polluting industrial systems. The 2012 Brazilian Forest Code (CFB/12) brought an immediate view that do not consider the understandings of 1934 forest laws and might put productivity in check and promote the stagnation of Brazilian agribusiness as an example of the risk that happens in China. Brazil carries with itself a heritage of a cultural descent of more than 500 years that continues to the present day where a principle of non-valorization of natural resources and indiscriminate exploitation was established for subsequent substitution by monoculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The composition and configuration of landscapes can be indicators of anthropic pressures. Therefore, this article aims to characterize the main landscapes which are protected by Brazilian Forest Code and by the Nacional System of Conservation Units, identifying what are the influences of its structure in their legal function. From the comparative analysis between the laws, it was found that from the eleven groups of protected areas, the main functions are protectionist and anthropic; the majority of them are made of little patches -- with greater influences of fragmentation -- or big patches with low restrictions of use; and connectivity among fragments is incentivized only as recommendation, not as an exigency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meeting Brazil's ambitious national commitments on both climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation depends on securing its reserves of forest carbon and biodiversity. Brazil's 'Forest Code' is a key tool to reconcile environmental preservation and agricultural production; it limits deforestation and requires forest restoration in illegally deforested areas. However, not all provisions of the law's 2012 revision have yet been implemented and some are facing new challenges. Using modelled land use change projections for the whole of the country, we show that full implementation and enforcement of the law has the potential to contribute to conserving biodiversity. Biodiversity outcomes will be especially positive if (i) deforested areas are restored in ways that support recolonization by native species and (ii) additional measures are implemented to protect native vegetation in areas like Caatinga dry forests and Cerrado savannas, which may experience added pressure displaced from other regions by Forest Code implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Pegada is the property of Pegada and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Since the early 2000s, the Democratic Republic of Congo has been conducting a reform of its forestry sector with the publication of The Forest Code (2002). The implementation of this law, which aims to assure the participation of all stakeholders, has been evolving slowly since then. The present research aims to evaluate the knowledge local communities and indigenous people detain over the ongoing reform, and the expectations they created when negotiations over the implementation of industrial harvesting activities in their traditional territories began. By interviewing local people, we came to understand that insufficient knowledge regarding the law gathers with a lack of concern towards ecological or environmental matters and with the need of seeing basic needs satisfied; all this in a context in which different stakeholders' responsibilities and negotiational terms are often misunderstood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is often said that Brazil has some of the most advanced forest laws in the world, but this strong legislation has been rarely translated into effective environmental governance. To understand the challenges of implementing environmental policies in Brazil and elsewhere, this study conceptualizes the Forest Code as a socially constructed technology, the effects of which emerge from its specific uses. We find that, in contrast to the prevailing view of this law as having no effects in practice, it produced multiple and contradictory impacts due to its appropriation by different social groups. For the technocrats, the law was a partial success as it represented progress towards science-based territorial planning. For the Rural elite the Forest Code was used as way to block access of poor settlers to fertile public areas to preserve future elite agricultural expansion. Finally, settlers viewed the Code as a way to obtain official clearing authorizations used to substantiate future titling claims. From this examination, the article argues that the prevailing economic and legalist perspectives on the effectiveness of environmental policies need to be complemented by sociological perspectives in order to account for the non-deterministic character of scientific perspectives, laws and the social dynamics behind the multiple appropriations of state apparatuses. By understanding how laws, as technologies, are interpreted and appropriated by different social actors we will be able to contribute by proposing legal apparatuses that are more appropriate for the local context in which they are supposed to function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The aim of this study is to characterize the perceptions and interests of farmers related to the adoption of agroforestry systems (AFS) for restoration of Fibria Celulose S.A.’s Legal Reserves (LRs), with the production of food and non-timber forest products. Twenty farmers were interviewed in the community of São Geraldo (São Mateus, Espírito Santo, Brazil), who participated in the social projects led by the company in the community. With this, it was possible to trace the profile of farmers and farms, their knowledge of environmental suitability, and interest in the adoption of AFS. Most farmers did not have information about AFS and the possibility of its use in LR. After being educated on the opportunities established in the Brazilian Forestry Law, 12 of the interviewed farmers expressed interest in adopting AFS to restore LR, considering the potential benefits to the diversification of income, water, soil, and biodiversity conservation. Finally, it was also possible to identify species of interest by farmers for AFS composition in LRs.

First-order streams in Brazil are protected by the Native Vegetation Protection Law of Brazil (NVPL), which regulates the land-use in rural properties and is linked with aquatic conservation. We investigated the importance of the data-set resolution to identify first-order streams (State of São Paulo, Brazil) and estimated its length compared to other water bodies. We found that first-order streams represent around 58% of the total length of the drainage system. In addition, we compared this database with that of the Environmental Rural Registry (CAR in Portuguese). Compared with the lower resolution data-set, the length of first-order streams self-declared in CAR was 80% lower. We also found a concerning number of small dams in first-order streams, which severely changes their dynamics. Therefore, we recommend the use of finer resolution data-sets in order to create tools to support legal compliance that goes beyond the limited information provided by CAR.

The development of strategies that conciliate anthropogenic activities with nature conservation is becoming increasingly urgent, particularly in regions facing rapid conversion of native vegetation to agriculture. Conceptual modelling enables assessment of how anthropogenic drivers (e.g. land use/land cover change and climate change) modify natural processes, being a useful tool to support strategic decision-making. The present work describes a conceptual model to evaluate water-related ecosystem service provision under different land use scenarios in the Matopiba region of the Brazilian Cerrado, the world's most biodiverse savanna and an agricultural frontier. Model variables were determined (direct drivers, indirect drivers, focal components and responses) and the Nature Futures Framework was consulted to incorporate socio-ecological components and feedbacks. Future scenarios were developed considering potential trajectories of drivers and governance responses that may impact land use in the region, including the possibility of full compliance with Forest Code and implementation of the Soy Moratorium in the region. The conceptual model and scenarios developed in the present study may be useful to improve understanding of the complex interactions among anthropogenic drivers, water-related ecosystem services and their potential repercussions for natural and social systems of the region. Governance decisions will be critical to maintaining the ecosystems of the region, the services it provides and the culture and tradition of the people historically embedded in the landscape. In acknowledgment of humanity's dependence on nature, the importance of inverting the way scenarios are used is highlighted. Rather than using scenarios to measure the impacts of different policy options on nature, scenarios representing the desired outcomes for biodiversity and ecosystem services can be used to inform how policies can guarantee ecosystem integrity into the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protecting riparian vegetation around streams is vital in reducing the detrimental effects of environmental change on freshwater ecosystems and in maintaining aquatic biodiversity. Thus, identifying ecological thresholds is useful for defining regulatory limits and for guiding the management of riparian zones towards the conservation of freshwater biota.Using nationwide data on fish and invertebrates occurring in small Brazilian streams, we estimated thresholds of native vegetation loss in which there are abrupt changes in the occurrence and abundance of freshwater bioindicators and tested whether there are congruent responses among different biomes, biological groups and riparian buffer sizes.Mean thresholds of native vegetation cover loss varied widely among biomes, buffer sizes and biological groups: ranging from 0.5% to 77.4% for fish, from 2.9% to 37.0% for aquatic invertebrates and from 3.8% to 43.2% for a subset of aquatic invertebrates. Confidence intervals for thresholds were wide, but the minimum values of these intervals were lower for the smaller riparian buffers (50 and 100 m) than larger ones (200 and 500 m), indicating that land use should be kept away from the streams. Also, thresholds occurred at a lower percentage of riparian vegetation loss in the smaller buffers, and were critically lower for invertebrates: reducing only 6.5% of native vegetation cover within a 50‐m riparian buffer is enough to cross thresholds for invertebrates.Synthesis and applications. The high variability in biodiversity responses to loss of native riparian vegetation suggests caution in the use of a single riparian width for conservation actions or policy definitions nationwide. The most sensitive bioindicators can be used as early warning signals of abrupt changes in freshwater biodiversity. In practice, maintaining at least 50‐m wide riparian reserves on each side of streams would be more effective to protect freshwater biodiversity in Brazil. However, incentives and conservation strategies to protect even wider riparian reserves (~100 m) and also taking into consideration the regional context will promote a greater benefit. This information should be used to set conservation goals and to create complementary mechanisms and policies to protect wider riparian reserves than those currently required by the federal law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Pegada is the property of Pegada and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Cadernos de Gestão Pública e Cidadania is the property of Fundacao Getulio Vargas, Escola Brasileira de Administracao Publica e de Empresas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Ciência Florestal (01039954) is the property of Ciencia Florestal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Anuario do Instituto de Geociencias is the property of Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Geociencias and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Quaestio Iuris (QI) is the property of Editora da Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (EdUERJ) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Sustainability in Debate / Sustentabilidade em Debate is the property of University of Brasilia, Center for Sustainable Development and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Sustainability in Debate / Sustentabilidade em Debate is the property of University of Brasilia, Center for Sustainable Development and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The use of lizards as model organisms in ecological studies is based on their success in occupying a great diversity of habitats, and some species are closely tied to the environment, which is disadvantaged by the legislation of several countries concerning land use. Our aim was to relate lizard species distribution patterns in rainforest environments to variation in environmental gradients, and provide ecologically based metrics for establishing buffer zones around streams. Lizards were sampled three times in 41 standardised transects near Manaus, Brazil, only in dry season, with Time Limited Visual Search associated with raking through leaf litter. We recorded 20 species from 10 families and used non‐metric multidimensional scaling to reduce the dimensionality of quantitative and qualitative compositions of species. Multiple linear regression models indicated that the environmental gradients distance to nearest stream, extent of canopy openness, vegetation density and slope did not significantly influence assemblage species distribution, with an indication of effect of litter depth. By means of piecewise linear regression, the use of riparian zone was estimated at ~190 m from quantitative species composition and ~211 m from qualitative species composition. Five species occurred only in the riparian zone. Our results suggest that conservation of the entire riparian lizard assemblage in Amazonian rainforest is likely to require protection of at least a 211 m buffer on either side of streams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Retratos de Assentamentos is the property of Revista Retratos de Assentamentos and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study aims to analyze the advocacy coalitions (classified as 'environment' and 'agriculture') established during the revision of the Brazilian Forest Code and the main negotiation strategies used. Interviews, analysis of documents and newspaper' reports allowed capturing how the managers of the Ministries of Environment (MMA) and Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (Mapa) led these coalitions. Coalition analysis used the Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF). Results showed both ministries used negotiation as their main strategy. The agriculture coalition invested in scientific information, while environment coalition carried out social mobilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]