"Toda ação de conservação precisa ser aceita pela sociedade" : manejo participativo em reserva de desenvolvimento sustentável

Abstract

This work describes the main elements of participatory management of natural resources carried out in the Mamirauá and Amanã Sustainable Development Reserves in the state of Amazonas, Brazil. It showed the role played by the catholic church at organizing and mobilizing local communities in the middle Solimões region, enabling them to create a preservation movement that was the main catalyst for the creation of many protected areas in the region. Chapter three showed how the association between traditional and scientific knowledge was crucial to pirarucu (Arapaima gigas) management through its recognition by the executive government and its insertion into legislation and policy. Chapter four reviewed how economic incentives were fundamental to participatory management and the difficulties to its market integration. Chapter five describes how social groups resolve collection action problems and cooperate to protect their environments. In economic terms participatory management was a significant source of income enough to serve as incentive to preserve the area by internal and external users, who prior to that were not in favor of conservation. Better living conditions – also resulted from income transfer programs – had effects on patterns of occupation of the protected area attracting new users. One conclusion of this study is that social groups need institutional support in order to manage resources, without it participatory management would not be consolidated. Finally, the study showed that the possibility of inclusion of non-residents into the management of protected areas serve as a means to strengthen its protection.