Brazil’s Minister of Environment, Marina Silva, said Wednesday, March 30, that the Brazilian government’s law project about the management of public forests for sustained production is not only a law for wood production.
“The objective of this law is the correct management of our forests as a preservation strategy. So that forests remain forests, and public land remains public land.”
Silva affirmed that the law shall generate approximately 140,000 new jobs in the Amazon region, in the next 10 years. In addition, tax collection will be around US$ 374 million (R$ 1 billion) per year.
The project, which went to the Congress on February 17th, anticipates the concession of up to 13 million hectares of Amazon forests for sustainable use in the next 10 years.
The Minister recalled that only 4% of all the wood available in the market today are from legal sources and within quality standards. Another objective is to combat the illegal commercialization of public land, as well as its privatization.
According to Marina Silva, the project creates management of public forests for multiple uses, associates the need of preservation with the sustainable use, recognizes and values traditional populations, and distributes economic benefits.
“We are controlling and stimulating social participation, sustainable development, and the strengthening of the National Environmental System, in addition to an integrated environmental policy,” she adds.
Translation: Andréa Alves
Agência Brasil