Public hearing will discuss new state protected areas on Marajó Island
The consultation will take place on August 21, from 8 AM to 1 PM, at the Portel Convention Center. The Ideflor-Bio event is open to the public.
The Institute for Forest Development and Biodiversity of Pará (Ideflor-Bio) published, this Tuesday (22), in the Official State Gazette (DOE), the call for the public hearing that will discuss the creation of four Conservation Units (UCs) in the municipality of Portel, in the Marajó Archipelago. The consultation will take place on August 21, from 8 AM to 1 PM, at the Portel Convention Center. The event is open to the participation of public entities, non-governmental organizations, and civil society.
The initiative is part of a strategy articulated between Ideflor-Bio, the Portel City Hall, and the Brazilian Fund for Biodiversity (Funbio), aimed at strengthening environmental protection and promoting sustainable development in the Marajó territory. The proposed categories for the new UCs are: an Area of Relevant Ecological Interest (Arie), a Wildlife Refuge (Revis), a Sustainable Development Reserve (RDS), and a State Forest (Flota).
The public consultation complies with the guidelines of the new State Policy on Conservation Units, established by Law No. 10.306/2023, which mandates the active participation of local communities in the process of creating protected areas. According to the notice, the technical studies that support the proposal are available for consultation on the official Ideflor-Bio website and on the Portel City Hall's electronic addresses.
Listening - "The creation of these UCs is another concrete step to expand the conservation of strategic ecosystems in the Amazon, respecting the ways of life of traditional populations and encouraging the sustainable use of natural resources," highlighted Nilson Pinto, president of Ideflor-Bio. According to him, the municipality of Portel plays a decisive role in Pará's environmental agenda. "It is through dialogue, science, and popular participation that we will build UCs that truly represent the interests of communities and the environment. Ideflor-Bio is committed to ensuring a transparent and technical process," he reinforced.
During the public hearing, the objectives, boundaries, and importance of the proposed areas will be presented, along with an open space for expressions from the local population, especially from traditional communities and users of the region. "This is a fundamental moment to listen to the people who live in the territory daily and ensure that the future UCs reflect their needs and expectations," stated the director of Biodiversity Management at Ideflor-Bio, Crisomar Lobato. "The public consultation is a pillar of the conservation policy we are building in Pará, based on environmental justice and inclusion," he added.
Environmental Protagonism - The creation of UCs also contributes to combating climate change and the goal of expanding the State System of Conservation Units (Seuc). The proposed areas reinforce the strategic role of Marajó as a biodiversity corridor and a priority territory for environmental protection policies.
The expectation is that, after the public hearing and the technical adjustments resulting from the contributions received, the decrees for the creation of the four UCs will be published by September of this year. This measure consolidates another advance of the State in establishing an environmental policy integrated with the appreciation of traditional knowledge and the sustainable socioeconomic development of the Amazon in Pará.
