CONTEXTUALIZATION

The Rondônia territory was converted into a state in 1982 via Federal Complementary Act Nº 41. The then 13 municipalities were joined by a further 39, totaling 52 today. Occupation of the territory was carried out in a disorderly fashion along the main highways, favoring the development of economic activities that stimulated deforestation. These included farming and cattle-raising, as well as the commercialization of lumber. These activities have even moved towards the conservation units.

The state of Rondônia covers an area of 237,590 km², of which 35% is classified as protected areas. The State Secretariat of Environmental Development (SEDAM) was created in 2000, with headquarters in the city of Porto Velho, and currently has 14 regional offices.

THE PROJECT

Project efforts seek to help combat deforestation and forest degradation in the state of Rondônia via monitoring and control, land-use planning, as well as support to develop sustainable production activities.

Within monitoring and control, and land-use planning, efforts that stand apart include those aimed at protecting state conservation units, consolidating the rural environmental registration (CAR), and strengthening municipal environmental management.

The project is focusing on critical areas suffering from deforestation and conflict, especially in the surrounding areas of the conservation units and the five (5) municipalities that have been listed by the Ministry of the Environment (MMA) as priority municipalities for preventing, monitoring and controlling deforestation.

Efforts in the project will also add a perspective for sustainable economic development to the socio-environmental goals. Highlights include the diagnosis of the planted forests in the state of Rondônia, and the implementation of a state policy to place forests with sustainable productivity up for concession.

INTERVENTION LOGIC

The project falls within the "Sustainable Production" (1), "Monitoring and Control" (2) and "Land Use Planning" (3) components of the Amazon Fund's Logical Framework.

Click on the following image to view its objectives tree, that is, how the project's outputs are linked to the expected outcomes and impacts.

ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED

The following activities were developed:

• The planted forest diagnosis for the state of Rondônia;
• The socioeconomic and administrative diagnosis of the 52 municipalities in the state as a contribution to the update of the Socioeconomic and Ecological Zoning (ZSEE), currently under review and approval by the State Zoning Commission;
• The Management Plan for the Serra dos Reis State Park.

To support the implementation of the CAR (Rural Environmental Registry) in rural properties up to four fiscal modules, 15 vehicles, 10 motorcycles, 50 desktop computers, 75 notebooks, 15 GPS data collection devices, and informational materials (flyers, folders, and banners) were acquired for campaigns aimed at raising awareness and encouraging rural producers to join the CAR.

Training in QGIS was provided to 70 technicians from Sedam, along with the acquisition of 4 notebooks and 10 desktops to strengthen the state’s deforestation monitoring system. The renovation and expansion of the remote sensing laboratory at the secretariat were completed.

Structural actions for 20 municipal environmental departments (SMMAs) were promoted to support decentralization and strengthen environmental management, with the acquisition of 20 vehicles and 20 IT kits, along with furniture items.

Additionally, 60 municipal technicians were trained in environmental management.

A total of 320 employees from various state institutions were trained to carry out inspections in and around State Conservation Units. For this purpose, 5 4x4 pickup trucks, 18 boats with trailers for out-of-water transport, 1 flatbed truck, 15 vehicle GPS devices, and 15 notebooks were purchased. The project also supported the re-marking and signage of 2,800 km² of boundaries in 40 Conservation Units and rented a rotary-wing aircraft by the hour to enhance illegal deforestation monitoring actions.