Deforestation, Coffee Cultivation, and Land Degradation ... - lumes

Of course, before any landowner will be willing to give up even 10 meters of land for thesake of the forest, value for biodiversity within the Mata Atlântica must be created.Developing the awareness of the value of biodiversity and of the rainforest is another majorfocus of Iracambi’s Research Center. Due to the fact that small-scale rural farmers are mostoften more concerned about their subsistence than the theoretical values of saving therainforest, Iracambi has focused its attention on two practical aspects of forest managementand conservation. These are the value of forests through the conservation of water resources,and the potential value of biodiversity as a source of revenue, that is to say in generatingincome for small-scale landowners. The Iracambi Research Center’s extension and educationprogram therefore gives emphasis to the role forests have in water conservation and howdeforestation damages the water cycle.As part of its search for alternative sources of income, Iracambi has started research on theuse of plants for medicinal purposes. A database is being established to record local plantsthat have been used traditionally to heal various ailments. Five species have thus far beenidentified as having particular potential. The next phase of this work is to identify possiblemarkets and commercial partners, and Iracambi has contacted various commercial companiesthat market medicinal plants with a goal to start pilot production that might later be taken upby interested farmers as an alternative source of income.Iracambi believes that there are undoubtedly many other possibilities for using the MataAtlântica’s biodiversity as a source of revenue. These possibilities include, but are certainlynot limited to, hearts of palm, honey, and eucalyptus based products, and the potential ofecotourism in the region. However, these potential projects will be investigated as the fundsand human resources at Iracambi allow.Future projects include the creation of a center for the breeding of endangered species, partlyto raise awareness of the value of local fauna in terms of biodiversity and partly with a longtermview of restoring native populations. Iracambi has been legally recognized as an“endangered species point of release” and has worked with a few species including sloths andprimates. At present, the organization is identifying other species as suitable with which towork.5.3.4 Extension and Education ProgramWithout embarking on any systematic publicity campaign, Iracambi has found itselfpressured from local interests to play a part in other environmental initiatives that have arisenin and around Rosário da Limeira. The organization has developed a role in the communityitself and does not work in isolation from the same problems the residents themselves mustface. Therefore, the Iracambi Research Center broadened its original focus on pure researchto take on the role of a local conservation center, a focus point for education and extensionprograms.Working with schools and local farmers’ groups, the Research Center has field days forteachers, schoolchildren, and farmers’ associations, when they can come and visit Iracambiand learn about the importance of environmental conservation and what they can do about it.Iracambi has prepared a basic set of education materials that will be developed more over thecourse of time with input from visiting school children and local community volunteers. TheResearch Center hosts field trips for schoolchildren, who are give a basic introduction to theconcept of conservation in their daily lives showing why biodiversity conservation matters.The visitors are also asked to write some material of their own or draw a colorful picture that31