Management Plan for the Vitória de Souzel Reserve Advances with Community Participation
The actions are part of the preparatory stage of the process, directly involving the traditional communities that inhabit the reserve and its surroundings.
Between May, June, and early July, the Pará Institute of Forest Development and Biodiversity (Ideflor-Bio) advanced in the participatory construction of the Management Plan for the Sustainable Development Reserve (RDS) Vitória de Souzel, in the municipality of Senador José Porfírio, in the Xingu Integration Region, western Pará. The actions are part of the preparatory stage of the process and directly involve the traditional communities that inhabit the Reserve and its surroundings.
The work was conducted by the Management Plan Commission (Coplam), with the support of the Administrative Management of the Xingu Region (GRX), and includes meetings with the Governance Group – formed by advisors and residents of the Reserve – field visits, and the application of questionnaires to resident families, in addition to the holding of five community workshops. The actions took place in the communities of Croari, Vila Nova, Nossa Senhora de Aparecida, São Marcos, and Tanequara, located within the RDS.
The preparatory stage aims to collect data that will support the content of the future Management Plan, a fundamental instrument for territorial planning, environmental conservation, and sociocultural appreciation of the Reserve. “The participation of the traditional communities of the RDS Vitória de Souzel in the preparatory stage workshops is of fundamental importance, as they are people who live in the territory and know their realities and needs deeply,” emphasized agronomist Kelly Nunes, a technician from GRX and a member of Coplam.
Expectation - During the activities, many reports emphasized the expectation for effective public policies. Fisherman and advisor of the RDS, Raimundo Martins, retired from Colony Z-12, had to leave the profession also due to the scarcity of fish. He spoke about the changes in the traditional way of life and the need for sustainable alternatives to ensure families' permanence in the territory.
Resident and advisor Donizethe Machado da Silva, from the Nossa Senhora de Aparecida Community, on the Tamanduá River, said he hopes “that Ideflor-Bio commits to executing public policies directed at the RDS, which bring better living conditions for the people who live here. We live here, we build families here, and we voted for the creation of the RDS. Now, we want to see things happening.”
Listening - The director of Management and Monitoring of Conservation Units at Ideflor-Bio, Ellivelton Carvalho, highlighted the agency's commitment to ensuring active listening to the communities. “More than a technical document, the Management Plan for the RDS Vitória de Souzel needs to reflect the realities and desires of the people who live and care for this territory. Our role is to articulate local knowledge with legal guidelines to consolidate a feasible, participatory, and effective plan,” he informed.
The action carried out in May, in the communities of Croari and Vila Nova, was strategic to initiate community listening and map the first challenges to be faced. Based on these meetings, the teams advanced in the collection of socioeconomic and environmental data, intensifying the mobilization process for the following workshops. In all activities, the invitation for residents to actively participate in the construction of the Plan was reinforced.
Progress - Still in the preparatory stage, the work will continue in August, with new visits to the RDS communities and the start of workshops in Tabuleiro do Embaubal, and sectoral workshops with public and private entities. The proposal is to ensure a broad process that respects the particularities of the territory and strengthens the shared management of the Reserve.
The communities served recognize that the Plan represents an opportunity for concrete change. “We are donating our time now to reap the fruits in the future. We hope that this RDS is not just a title on paper, but that it truly brings dignity to those who live here,” added Donizethe Machado da Silva.
With completion expected later this year, the Management Plan will be the official instrument that will guide the sustainable use of natural resources, the protection of biodiversity, and the promotion of economic alternatives for the traditional peoples of the RDS Vitória de Souzel, consolidating a conservation model based on the protagonism of the communities.
