The five thousand hectares of the Jará Environmental Protection Area (APA), located in Juruti, western Pará, will have an ecological trail and a community -based tourism project. One of the initiative’s objectives is to generate income sustainably for local communities.
The APA Jará Public Use Promotion Project, conducted by the Imazon Research Institute in partnership with the Juruti City Hall, also provides environmental education actions and a communication course for young people to spread information about APA JARÁ on social networks.
For Imazon researcher Jeferson Figueira, protected areas are important tools for the promotion of environmental education in the municipality. “In addition, APA JARÁ promotes ecosystem services such as carbon capture of the atmosphere, keeps large biodiversity of fauna and flora and can still be a space for recreation and leisure for the Jurutiense population, promoting health and well-being,” he explained in a statement.
>> Brazil is among G20 countries with the highest proportion of protected area
Figueira and researcher Jarine Reis, also from Imazon, presented the project during the meeting of the Conservation Unit Management Council, held in late March. At the time, a schedule of the activities that will be carried out was established, including the awareness of local communities on the potential of community -based tourism, the opening of the trail, the training for trail drivers and the communication course.
The trail is expected to be completed at the end of May this year and that driver training courses will take place in June and then receive tourists.
“We seek not only to open the doors of APA Jará for visitors, but also strengthen the bond between our population and the natural wealth around us,” Juruti’s Secretary of Environment said Nayme Couto, in a statement. It is expected to help mobilize people in defense of APA against environmental crimes such as deforestation and forest degradation.
According to the secretary, with the promotion of sustainable tourism, opportunities are created for the local community to share stories, traditions and knowledge, while protecting and valuing environmental heritage, as well as generation of income. “It is a significant step in uniting conservation and community development, bringing real benefits to all of us,” he added.
“With Apar Jurá, Juruti stands out as a model of equilibrium between environmental conservation and sustainable development. The project reinforces the importance of partnerships between civil society, private sector and public power in the construction of effective solutions for the protection of the Amazon,” said Imazon researcher Jarine. The project is funded by Alcoa Foundation.
