Ethno-Environment Corridors in the Brazilian Amazon

This project aimed to promote and improve biodiversity conservation and sustainable natural resources management in public lands, through the development of “ethno-environmental corridors”, i.e. conservation regions comprised of a mosaic of officially recognized protected areas and indigenous lands, integrating the safeguard of cultural and environmental assets with active participation of indigenous peoples. Through capacity building activities, the project sought to transform indigenous peoples and their institutions into full participants in an integrated corridor conservation strategy as well as incorporate ethnographic information in the corridor rationale and management.

Objectives

• Ensure the integrity of indigenous lands in the Brazilian Amazon biome,
• Maintain ecologically healthy, biodiversity rich and culturally diverse forests within a framework of social equity,
• Strength indigenous organizations through capacity building activities in ethno-environmental diagnosis and management planning, and eco-tourism income generating practices
• Increase carbon sequestration by creating biological conservation corridors and integrating indigenous group in corridor rationale and management

Outcomes

• Over 1,400 indigenous people directly benefited in 470 hectares of 2 indigenous lands
• Capacity building activities indirectly benefited additional 13 indigenous peoples and traditional populations across an 8 million hectares corridor