Pará presents advances and supports forest restoration actions in the Xingu River Basin
The State Secretariat for the Environment, Climate and Sustainability (Semas), through the Secretary Raul Protázio Romão, participated on Tuesday (30) in the opening of the meeting "Xingu River Basin Call for Proposals", promoted by the Brazilian Fund for Biodiversity (FUNBIO), through the Living Forest Initiative. The event, held in Belém, brought together the organizations selected for the restoration of 700 hectares in the Xingu River basin, aiming to present initial results and define the next steps of the forest recovery agenda in the Amazon.
In addition to Semas, the opening table included representatives from the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES), Energisa, Vale Fund, Norte Energia, and the Institute for Forest Development and Biodiversity of Pará (Ideflor-Bio), to enhance the visibility of the supported initiatives and highlight how they connect and contribute to restoration actions on a national and regional scale, promoting dialogue between local experiences, public policies, and Brazil's strategic commitments.
During the meeting, the results of the Living Forest Public Call – Xingu River Basin, launched in September 2023, were presented, which allocates resources to projects for the restoration of degraded areas and the strengthening of productive chains associated with forest restoration in the region. In addition to financing recovery actions, investors will also contribute to the training and strengthening of the restoration productive chain.
The four selected projects focus on the ecological restoration of the Xingu River watershed. The initiatives aim at the regeneration of the Amazon ecosystem, strengthening sustainable productive chains, and promoting the socioeconomic inclusion of local communities.
Secretary Raul Protázio emphasized the importance of collective construction around the restoration agenda. “It is a pleasure to participate in this moment of connection, reinforcing our commitment to restoration in the Amazon. This work must be thought of from two perspectives: that of the territory, which considers the ecological, social, or economic function of restoration and the participation of local communities; and that of the chain, which involves seeds, nurseries, implementation, and maintenance, requiring financial arrangements that ensure sustainability,” said the secretary.
Raul added that Pará has already made progress in innovative instruments, such as restoration concessions. “An example was the auction of hectares already held, which will mobilize R$ 250 million. Other concessions are planned to generate jobs, income, and strengthen the green economy in the territory,” he concluded.
The manager of the Environment Department at BNDES, Vera Guedes, reinforced the commitment to forest restoration in the country.
“We celebrate the presence of the various institutions that support this journey, who believed and invested with us in the Xingu call. BNDES has been working for years in restoration, and with the creation of a support fund, we have been able to amplify the impact by bringing together public and private partners. This union has allowed for significant results, with the expectation of reaching up to 18 calls and R$ 460 million allocated for restoration throughout the country. I want to emphasize that we celebrate the presence of our supporters, but above all the State that is executing the projects. This meeting is essential for us to exchange experiences, understand challenges, and together, expand the results of restoration,” she said.
