**4.2 Case study 1 – Landscape characterised by small rural properties**

The implementation of the lapSFM in a landscape characterised by a mosaic of small properties took place in the southwest of Paraná State, (Southern Brazil) in an area of approximately 1,200 ha within the Imbituvão River Basin, municipality of Fernandes Pinheiro (25°32'29.64"S, 50°33'44.58"W; Figure 3, A). The project was developed through an international cooperation initiative between the Rottenburg University of Applied Forest Sciences (Germany) and the Midwest State University in Irati (Brazil). The project was

Sustainable Forest Management in Rural Southern Brazil:

revision as results become available.

Brazil.

the land.

Exploring Participatory Forest Management Planning 109

providing landowners with a tentative list of wood and non-wood species as a basis for defining species of interest and STs to be used. The STs were also presented as suggested options to be discussed and adapted if necessary. The information obtained from landowner's expectations and the Ecosystem Analysis was used to define a LULC map. As forest inventories and permanent plots were carried out by the supporting academic institutions, it is expected such information will be incorporated in the Management Plan

Fig. 4. Photo of the Imbituvão River Basin landscape which is characteristic of Southern

The project also included a conservation component which was based on a landscape ecology approach aiming at conserving water resources and promoting biological conservation. A landscape analysis supported by the LULC map provided the basis for discussing with landowners the best areas and practices for enhancing connectivity between forested areas in order to create ecological corridors and to protect riparian ecosystems. The process of engaging landowners in those specific goals occurs through a process of negotiation and should not compromise families' income and decision-making power over

The project proposed five silvicultural treatments (STs) following the logic presented in the lapSFM system Roadmap (Figure 2; see Table 1 for a summary of proposed STs and their

correlation to original LULC). Each ST is briefly described as follows:

designed to test several alternative techniques for forest recovery and sustainable management, with the goal of producing timber and non-wood forest products (NWFP). The 40 properties that participated in the project are all considered small properties, based on State classification; however, a significant variation in size was observed as the properties range from 2.4 to 50.8 ha (average of 15.5 ha).

Fig. 3. Location of the study areas in Southern Brazil. A – Imbituvão River Basin. B – Caçador Forest Reserve.

The region was chosen as it represents typical conditions in rural Southern Brazil in terms of its economy (agriculture based), social (low Human Development Index- HDI) and land tenure (properties <50 ha) aspects. Additionally, the regional landscape is characteristic of Southern Brazil including a mosaic of forest and non-forest zones (Figure 4). Initially, properties were visited to introduce landowners to the project and, when possible, forest fragments and other land use areas were visited and described in order to conduct the Ecosystem Analysis (described above) and develop the land use and land cover (LULC) map. The process used tools such as a navigation GPS, questionnaires, cartographical maps and satellite images from Google Earth. An initial land use map was also prepared based on imagery and secondary data. The response from the local community was generally positive, with 40 small landowners engaged in the project. Interviews were carried out using structured questionnaires aimed at gathering data on property characteristics, current activities, social and economic factors, and views on natural resources issues (including expectations, difficulties, benefits, etc.).

In this project, permanent plots and on occasion forest inventories were implemented as part of the monitoring of the lapSFM and to gather information for the development of silvicultural treatments (STs). We engaged local communities in decision-making process by

designed to test several alternative techniques for forest recovery and sustainable management, with the goal of producing timber and non-wood forest products (NWFP). The 40 properties that participated in the project are all considered small properties, based on State classification; however, a significant variation in size was observed as the properties

Fig. 3. Location of the study areas in Southern Brazil. A – Imbituvão River Basin. B –

The region was chosen as it represents typical conditions in rural Southern Brazil in terms of its economy (agriculture based), social (low Human Development Index- HDI) and land tenure (properties <50 ha) aspects. Additionally, the regional landscape is characteristic of Southern Brazil including a mosaic of forest and non-forest zones (Figure 4). Initially, properties were visited to introduce landowners to the project and, when possible, forest fragments and other land use areas were visited and described in order to conduct the Ecosystem Analysis (described above) and develop the land use and land cover (LULC) map. The process used tools such as a navigation GPS, questionnaires, cartographical maps and satellite images from Google Earth. An initial land use map was also prepared based on imagery and secondary data. The response from the local community was generally positive, with 40 small landowners engaged in the project. Interviews were carried out using structured questionnaires aimed at gathering data on property characteristics, current activities, social and economic factors, and views on natural resources issues (including

In this project, permanent plots and on occasion forest inventories were implemented as part of the monitoring of the lapSFM and to gather information for the development of silvicultural treatments (STs). We engaged local communities in decision-making process by

range from 2.4 to 50.8 ha (average of 15.5 ha).

Caçador Forest Reserve.

expectations, difficulties, benefits, etc.).

providing landowners with a tentative list of wood and non-wood species as a basis for defining species of interest and STs to be used. The STs were also presented as suggested options to be discussed and adapted if necessary. The information obtained from landowner's expectations and the Ecosystem Analysis was used to define a LULC map. As forest inventories and permanent plots were carried out by the supporting academic institutions, it is expected such information will be incorporated in the Management Plan revision as results become available.

Fig. 4. Photo of the Imbituvão River Basin landscape which is characteristic of Southern Brazil.

The project also included a conservation component which was based on a landscape ecology approach aiming at conserving water resources and promoting biological conservation. A landscape analysis supported by the LULC map provided the basis for discussing with landowners the best areas and practices for enhancing connectivity between forested areas in order to create ecological corridors and to protect riparian ecosystems. The process of engaging landowners in those specific goals occurs through a process of negotiation and should not compromise families' income and decision-making power over the land.

The project proposed five silvicultural treatments (STs) following the logic presented in the lapSFM system Roadmap (Figure 2; see Table 1 for a summary of proposed STs and their correlation to original LULC). Each ST is briefly described as follows:

Sustainable Forest Management in Rural Southern Brazil:

Degraded (disturbed) forests, without

Degraded (disturbed) forests with legal

use restrictions (riparian zones)

Non-forest or early stage of native

Non-forest (land use based on agriculture and pasture)

vegetation regeneration

over the years.

legal use restrictions

Exploring Participatory Forest Management Planning 111

tree)) Well structured forest fragments Thinning trees with unwanted characteristics

Table 1. Summary of the land use and land cover (LULC) and respective silvicultural

In this case study, the "core" area chosen for implementing a lapSFM is the Caçador Forest Reserve, a 1,000-hectare Forest Reserve (not a conservation unit) which belongs to the Brazilian Corporation of Agricultural Research (Embrapa) and is located in the Araucaria Forest region (25°32'29.64"S 50°33'44.58"W; Figure 3). Although the area was selectively exploited in the past, the Reserve has received no silvicultural interventions for the last 20 years as it was treated as a protected area (Kurasz, 2005). It is recognized as one of most well conserved forest remnants of Araucaria Forest and two of the most valuable timber species in the south can be found in the Reserve: *Araucaria angustifolia* (Araucariaceae), and *Ocotea porosa* (Lauraceae). Land tenure in the surrounding region consists almost exclusively of small farms and forest companies (Figure 5). Successive three-year research projects focusing on monitoring the Forest Reserve have been in-place since 2002 by Embrapa and other research and academic institutions. A significant amount of data has been collected

Following the Roadmap outlined above, the goal of this study is to develop a management plan, following Rosot et al. (2006). The first phase of the Roadmap, which includes land use planning/zoning in collaboration with local stakeholders has been completed. Currently we are in the midst of rolling out phase 2 by developing the forest management plan and associated monitoring activities. All MUs (described above) are represented in the Forest Reserve and therefore provides an excellent case study to examine the diverse forest types currently seen in Southern Brazil. The availability of data was a determining factor for the selection of the study area, as various studies have been conducted in the property and in its surrounding regions in the last ten years. A Geographic Information System (GIS) served as a basis for the territorial planning of the Reserve (Kurasz, 2005), which used mainly legal

treatments (STs) proposed for the Imbituvão River Basin case study

**4.3 Case study 2 – A large rural property in a small farmers mosaic** 

advancement.

along internal roads)

Planting pure exotic/native or a combination; thinning trees with unwanted characteristics and planting NWFP; manage pioneer species

for timber and encourage succession

Recovering using native species and an indirect use of the area (Example: honey production or decorative plant production; removal and use of invasive tree species for lumber, such as *Hovenia dulcis* (oriental raisin

to improve timber stock; manage NWFP.

Agroforestry (Example: trees in contours, shelterbelts, windbreaks or hedgerows; trees

Enrichment planting (Example: *Mate* (tea), fruit trees, Eucalyptus, Pine); mixed or pure stands

**Current land use and/or land cover Silvicultural treatments (ST)** 


The challenges faced by the project include different social, economic and legal factors. As noted above, natural resources management is subject to restrictive legislation that constrains most technical alternatives. Therefore, landowners tend to avoid adopting any alternative that involves planting native trees due to the insecurity regarding future use. They may even feel compelled to reduce forested areas on their properties (which is in direct conflict with legislation). Additionally, the lack of a tradition of forest management tends to drive landowners to livestock or traditional agriculture which is perceived as unrestrained by the environmental legislation applied to forests. Finally, the small-scale production related to small properties usually does not find a market unless the owners are organised into co-operatives. Traditionally, rural communities are not well organized in Southern Brazil and several past experiences in the region show that in the long-term co-operatives rely on external assistance to maintain the organization.

 Exotic-native species system – this ST involves reforesting areas based on combining a eucalypt species (*E. dunnii* or *E*. *benthamii*) with approximately five native species. The main driver for this system was the need for landowners to comply with current legislation. As such, properties are required to have a minimum of 20% of their area covered with forests which also have very restrictive regulations regarding management; properties that do not comply are compelled to reforest in order to reach the required area. The need to put aside areas for forest protection usually causes dissatisfaction among landowners and reforestation systems that provide economical return are preferred. Due to the adaptation to regional climate and fast growth rates, eucalypt species have been planted in large scale commercial plantation programs in Southern Brazil and are also preferred by many landowners. Legislation permits use of exotic species if accompanied with native and different wood and non-wood species in

 Pioneer species system – the system is based on the combination of bracatinga (*Mimosa scabrella* Benth.) – a fast-growth pioneer species – with other native species (minimum 5). This species has been traditionally managed through 30-year cycles after which the trees are logged and the land is burned to promote species regeneration. The species can be introduced by sowing, planting or simply managing the natural regeneration; other species included in the system are usually planted but managing natural regeneration is also possible. It is worth mentioning that *M. scabrella* is a leguminous species that allows nitrogen fixation in the soil and

 Mix of native species – this treatment combines different native species that are planted in mosaics based on their ecological requirements in order to hasten succession. This model is used mainly for restoration purposes as management might be restricted by

 Enrichment planting – the system is based on planting native species in already forested areas in which commercial species can be planted. Usually the model is used in

 Non-wood forest management – this is an agroforestry system that integrates management of forest species with non-wood products. There are different alternatives to be employed such as apiculture (native bees and *Apis melifera*), fruit production, *Ilex paraguariensis* (tea, *mate* and other products) and medicinal, aromatic and seasoning

The challenges faced by the project include different social, economic and legal factors. As noted above, natural resources management is subject to restrictive legislation that constrains most technical alternatives. Therefore, landowners tend to avoid adopting any alternative that involves planting native trees due to the insecurity regarding future use. They may even feel compelled to reduce forested areas on their properties (which is in direct conflict with legislation). Additionally, the lack of a tradition of forest management tends to drive landowners to livestock or traditional agriculture which is perceived as unrestrained by the environmental legislation applied to forests. Finally, the small-scale production related to small properties usually does not find a market unless the owners are organised into co-operatives. Traditionally, rural communities are not well organized in Southern Brazil and several past experiences in the region show that in the long-term co-operatives

degraded forests and management is restricted by current legislation.

rely on external assistance to maintain the organization.

the system.

accelerates soil restoration.

current legislation.

plants.


Table 1. Summary of the land use and land cover (LULC) and respective silvicultural treatments (STs) proposed for the Imbituvão River Basin case study
