Invasive exotic species and protected areas © David Paes

Who are we?

The LAI (Living Amazon Initiative) is a well-integrated and strategic WWF Global Initiative that aims to inform and collaborate with civil society, governments and businesses The vulnerability and resilience of protected areas to climate change will be topic of a workshop organized by about the importance of the Amazon and drive RedParques in coordination with the authorities of the decisions and actions for a sustainable future protected areas systems of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru of the region. together with WWF.

Amazon voices Interview: Rosalvo Duarte Rosa, biologist The importance of the Amazon © Zig Koch / WWF for Sustainable Development © Zig Koch / WWF

Acquiring in-depth knowledge of the fish fauna, especially migratory species, in the Tapajos River basin as a whole, and especially in the surroundings of the Juruena (Brazilian Amazon) was one of the goals of the Rio Juruena Migratory Fish Species Expedition conducted by The Amazon and its importance to the Objectives of UN Sus- WWF in May. Biologist Rosalvo Duarte Rosa gives us more tainable Development issues featured prominently during details of this study. the Interdisciplinary Environmental Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro’s Environment Week in June. Living Amazon Initiative staff were at the event. Invasive exotic species and protected areas © David Paes

Cueva de los Guacharos Protected Area, Colombia.

RedParques in coordination with the become established. authorities of the protected areas sys- tems of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru “One could consider protected areas Would you kiss a snake? together with WWF will be holding a to be immune to the introduction of workshop in Quito next week (July 8 species but the problems that have and 9) to obtain up to date knowled- arisen from the introduction of rats, That’s just one of the things you could do on ge regarding the vulnerability and re- dogs, pigs, goats and other animals in a trip to Amazonas. Swimming with dolphins silience of protected areas to climate islands such as those of the Galapa- and getting to know cultural aspects of indige- change. The goal of the workshop is gos National Park are well known. nous communities are other adventures tou- to build technical capacity and fos- The situation in continental areas, ter the exchange of knowledge and such as with the introduction of alien rists can experience in the experiences regarding the status of plant species, is less well known”, ex- while in Amazonas! With the World Cup going Amazon protected areas with respect plains Tarcisio Granizo, coordinator on right now, tourism in is at its peak to their vulnerability and resilience for the WWF Living Amazon Initiati- and the state of Amazonas is certainly a place to climate change, their provision of ve’s Protected Areas and Indigenous ecosystem services and the opportu- Lands Strategy. to visit. See more at our facebook: http://on. nities available to enhance their ef- fb.me/1sUXg84 fectiveness. “It must be stated that not all intro- duced species are necessarily ‘inva- The expected results include: a) sha- ders’. Those that represent a threat ring and discussing the various tech- are the ones that are capable of trans- Amazon in the news nical exercises that have been carried forming the habitats, competing with out in the context of the Amazon bio- and eventually extinguishing the na- me; b) defining the methodological tive species”, he adds. - The Economist: How Brazil became pathway for analysing climate chan- the world leader in reducing environmen- ge resilience and vulnerability of The introduction of exotic plant and tal degradation - http://econ.st/1hEiRg3 protected areas, including their per- animal species is something that af- formance in the provision of ecosys- fects even those protected areas ge- tem services and the identification nerally held to be “isolated”. - The Guardian: Tackling climate chan- of other conservation opportunities ge would grow global economy, World that could possibly complement the Recent studies like those of Pauchard actual protected areas systems; and and Jiménez have confirmed that the Bank says - http://bit.ly/1l5cTzX c) preparing and validating a preli- number and abundance of exotic minary proposal for complementary species in protected areas are usu- -The Guardian: Dying to save the Ama- indicators to evaluate protected are- ally much lower than in the adjacent zonian rainforest - http://bit.ly/SXElsN as management efficiency in the light landscapes more intensely affected of climate change phenomena. by human activities. Nevertheless, over 15 years ago, authors like Lons- - The Guardian: Peru now has a ‘licence In that regard, the potential invasion dale estimated that introduced spe- to kill’ environmental protesters - http:// of protected areas by exotic species cies already represented more than bit.ly/1ofNoAz might serve as an additional indica- 8% of the flora in protected areas and tor. Invasive exotic species are those other recent studies have put that fi- which for one reason or another have gure between 15 and 18% and as high - New Scientist: Brazil’s mega power arrived in an area where they do not as 60%, for example, in some of the line threatens Amazon’s top reserve - naturally belong, generally as the re- Galapagos Islands. The evidence su- sult of voluntary or involuntary hu- ggests that even though protected http://bit.ly/1lPDxSq man actions, and which accordingly areas present natural and human bring about alterations to the native barriers that restrict the invasion of biodiversity (and eventually, cultural alien species, those species neverthe- diversity) of the places where they less do invade and establish themsel- - Ecosystem Marketplace: Fútbol ves even in the most intact and well Shines Light On Brazil’s Forests - http:// preserved areas, and are capable of The various resilience and vulnerabi- giving rise to the same impacts that lity studies conducted in the Amazon bit.ly/TArHzR have been registered for areas with basin, especially those led by WWF much higher levels of anthropic in- with funding from the German En- - BBC: UN: World’s forests fundamen- terference. vironment Ministry’s International tal to human well-being - http://bbc. Climate Initiative, can help predict It is possible in certain scenarios, future scenarios regarding invasive in/1jIXoxI for climate change to favour the in- exotic species and succeed in faci- vasion of exotic species. Evidently, litating implementation of suitable climate change is liable to alter the measures to avoid harm to the natu- structure and composition of the na- ral and cultural Andean and Amazon tive communities and consequently, environments and landscapes. the functioning of the respective ecosystems, establishing a regime of Tarsicio Granizo, Protected Areas and Species spotlight - Brown-throated disturbances that heightens the risk Indigenous Territories Strategy, coor- Three-toed Sloth of biological invasions. dinator. The importance of the Amazon for Sustainable Development © Michael Gunther / WWF LAI

© Zig Koch / WWF

Juruena River, near São Simão waterfall, Brazi- lian Amazon. The global importance of the Ama- responsible for conducting moistu- zon and its relation to the UN Sustai- re from the Atlantic Ocean into the nable Development issues were ad- Amazon, the Andes, south-central dressed during Environment Week, Brazil, and South America. Defo- organized by the Interdisciplinary restation in the Amazon negatively Environmental Catholic University affects climatic stability around the of Rio de Janeiro (NIMA / PUC-RIO) world. Closer to home, deforestation in early June. can lead to decreased rainfall outside the Amazon in south-central Brazil. The path to the definition of Sus- tainable Development Goals (SDG) “But the Amazon is also a political emerged in 2012, during the UN group of eight countries and one Conference on Sustainable Develop- overseas territory that shares parts ment (Rio +20), when participating of the biome and needs to be admi- Have you ever heard of the Brown-throated governments agreed to establish nistered and managed to the benefit Three-toed Sloth (Bradypus variegatus)? joint targets for implementation of of its local communities and of the Matching its long name, this species occurs in sustainable development. The SDG populations of the Amazonian cou- should guide countries in achieving ntries with a sense of responsibility a large number of countries: Brazil, Colombia, results, including universal access to consonant with its global importan- Venezuela, Ecuador, eastern Peru, eastern sustainable energy and clean water, ce. The degradation of the Amazon Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina and Honduras. and should be integrated into the de- forest, the most extensive and richest The mammal has an average weight of 4 kg velopment agenda of the United Na- rainforest in the world, with the hi- tions after 2015. ghest concentration of biodiversity, (Approx. 8.8 lbs), lives almost entirely on will have immeasurable consequen- leaves and its mating period varies depen- Critical to sustainable development ces,” said Claudio Maretti. ding on the year and geographical region, but is protecting key areas that provide Maretti recalled that an integrated occurs mainly in spring. Due to of habitat loss, ecosystem services. Latin America is the region of the world with the view of Amazon conservation is ne- deforestation and illegal trading, the species is greatest biodiversity and the greatest eded, not only protecting forests, but in the IUCN Redlist. volumes of water in addition to other also ensuring the integrity of aquatic rich natural resources, and the Ama- environments and the relationship zon is largely responsible for that. between land and water upon which Source: IUCN The Amazon is not only the largest the ecological balance of the Amazon reserve of carbon on Earth, it also is rests. “It is no longer acceptable that the ma- by more than one country.” Amazon, where around 400 hydropower ximization of hydroelectric energy pro- projects are already being considered, duction should take precedence, to the “Hydropower plants are the biggest requires a comprehensive regional plan detriment of other uses and benefits threat, because they not only impact the to ensure the ecological integrity of the associated to the river basins. Further- rivers and their ecosystems, but also the region and the preservation of the Ama- more, it is fundamentally important that entire region through their inducement zon we want and need,” Maretti added. we move forward and understand what to human occupation. We need to be is involved in the integrated responsible proactive rather than trying to fix things management of natural resources, river after problems arise. The rapid advan- basins and ecosystems that are shared ceme of a hydroelectric frontier in the Amazon voices Interview: Rosalvo Duarte Rosa, biologist

Biologist Rosalvo Duarte Rosa was a lable? member of the technical staff of the Rio Possibly we will have some answers by

Juruena Migratory Fish Species Expe- © Zig Koch / WWF dition conducted by WWF in May. He the end of July or the beginning of Au- lives in Alto Floresta in the north of gust. state and has considerable knowledge and experience of the Sou- How will people be able to access thern Amazon, which embraces parts of the research results? the states of Amazonas, Rondonia and Mato Grosso. He spoke to WWF team This research will probably be the object about the expedition’s work and the of a scientific article and it is highly pro- importance of conserving fish species bable that something will be published in the region surrounding the Juruena online as well so that the results can be National Park. made available to as many people as possible. Part of the expedition’s work in- volved monitoring the fish species. Why is it so important to study the migratory fish species of the How was that done in practice? and caught by fishermen from the local Juruena region, like the matrinxã, for example? communities. The first impact would be We captured 20 specimens of the ma- to make it hard for people to catch the trinxã (matrinsham) species (Brycon Migratory fish species have an impor- fish that are the basis of their subsisten- amazonicus) in the vicinity of the great ce consumption and that would serious- waterfall known as Salto Augusto, insi- tant dependence on undisturbed na- tural conditions, an integral habitat. It ly jeopardise the lives of people living in de the limits. 10 these communities. specimens were caught above the falls means that if we detect the presence of and 10 below. The fish specimens were various migratory species here, we can be reasonably sure that the area has Still on the subject of interfering sent to the laboratories of the Federal with migratory patterns: would University of Mato Grosso where they maintained its natural integrity and has not been degraded by human activities. there be any impacts on the eco- are now being analysed. We want to find nomic activities carried out in the out whether the two fish communities Furthermore, these migratory species play an important role in the food con- regions surrounding the Juruena separated by the falls have exactly the National Park? same genetic characteristics and the- sumption of the local riverside dwellers. The migratory fish species are the main refore belong to a single community or Yes, there would. We know that the whether there are differences between component of local people’s diet. That means it is important to know all about sport angling lodges, which obviously them and they are in fact two distinct depend on the presence of these fish, communities of the same species. them, preserve them and do everything to prevent their extinction, thereby avoi- hire people from the local communities as guides and boatmen for the tourists What is the importance of this ding a serious problem for the riverside communities that come to the region. So this tourism work? offers a source of employment and inco-

If something serious were to ha- me to the people that live long the river It is very important insofar as it enables banks. If the fish were to disappear, so us to determine the conditions of this ppen that jeopardised migratory fish species on a large scale, how would the jobs. species at this moment. In that way we will obtain information and knowledge would that affect the local riversi- de communities? Would it be possible to say that of the species that currently does not the amount of fish present in the exist. It means that in the future, in the today is less than event of hydroelectric projects being im- It would mainly affect their food su- pply because these fish are the basis of the amounts registered in pre- planted in the region, for example, we vious years? will have baseline references that will the diet of all peoples that live along the riverbanks. Anywhere you go you find help us to determine what may to ha- Yes, we can already observe that there ppen to these fish populations. people mainly eat fish and farinha (ma- nioc meal). If you interfere with the mi- has been an impact. However, the Jurue- gratory flows of these fish species then na River is not being affected so badly as Do have any idea when the work the Teles Pires River where the reality is will be finalised and when the re- you will be removing them from the places where they can usually be found one of intensive agricultural production sults of the study will became avai- and large-scale plantations and the sil- ting up of water courses is far more se- more attention to this issue. We can area’s fish, and that is a matter for se- rious and extensive. In the Juruena, tho- see, for example that there is a clearly rious concern. There are plans to build se processes are still incipient and their defined policy of building big dams and eight hydroelectric plants in the Tapajós impacts have been smaller than in other hydroelectric installations without due River basin. All the riverside and regio- regions. However, great care must be assessment of the real impacts of such nal communities from Jacareacanga to taken to ensure that there is no destruc- large-scale works. The Amazon has now Barra de São Manuel and right up to the tion of forest and river banks and no sil- become the target for the installation of headwaters of the Juruena will suffer ting up with reductions in fish numbers. such large scale hydroelectric projects, the consequences, just as the people li- but I cannot see evidence of any concern ving in the Teles Pires region are suffe- Do you think that Brazilian society for what is happening to the populations ring today. as a whole manages its rivers and that reside in the areas surrounding other water resources properly? them and who depend on all the resour- Interviewed by Jorge Oliveira Dantas. ces found there. When you build a dam No. I think people need to pay a lot you generate an impact, above all, on the Stories from the region WWF-Brazil launches new campaign

Brasília (DF) – The National Energy Po- the Amazon, befo- licy Council (CNPE, in portuguese) – is re the areas were meeting in Brasília, June 24, when it created”, recalls may declare as “public utility” a part of Marco Lentini, the Juruena National Park, located on coordinator of the the border between the states of Mato Amazon Program Grosso and Amazonas. With nearly 2 for WWF-Brazil. million hectares, Juruena is the fourth According to Len- largest national park in the country. It tini, the region is represents 2.5% of the area covered by of extreme biologi- the federal protected areas in the Legal cal importance for Amazon and 5.3% of the area in natio- birds, mammals, nal parks areas in the region. The park reptiles, amphi- is part of ARPA (Amazon Region Pro- bians and plant tected Areas), which funded part of the species threatened actions for its implementation. with extinction. “Brazil has an in- Butterflies near the Augusto Falls on the The Declaration of Public Utility (DUP, ternational commitment to protect these Juruena River. Juruena National Park, in Portuguese) is the first step towards species,” says the expert. Brazi a reduction of the protected area for the construction of the hydroelectric plants Aquatic - According to scholars, the he- Presidency of the Republic in the for- of São Simão Alto and Salto Augusto alth of aquatic ecosystems in Juruena mulation of policies and guidelines for Baixo. They are part of a series of seven River - as well as throughout the Ama- energy planning for the whole country. dams that the government plans to build zon - depends on the annual cycles of Created in 1997, the Council provides in the Tapajós Basin, with significant so- flooding and drought, which influence for the participation of civil society and cial and environmental impacts. the establishment of suitable environ- academia since 2006. However, these ments for feeding and reproduction of vacancies have not been filled to the mo- In order to raise awareness of the socie- fish, turtles and dolphins. The damming ment. ty regarding these threats to the Jurue- of Juruena River for the construction na National Park and the Tapajós Basin, of Salto Augusto and São Simão plants Seeking to participate in decisions of the WWF-Brazil has launched this month, will alter river flows and bring about the CNPE, a group of civil society organiza- the SOS Juruena Campaign. The ini- isolation or even the disappearance of tions submitted a letter to the Minister tiative calls for the support of society to some environments, which will be per- of Mines and Energy, Edison Lobão, pressure the government and block the manently flooded or not have enough last year, asking for clarification about construction of dams within the Jurue- water to be formed. the lack of civil representation on the na National Park, therefore ensuring board. The document pointed out the that this protected area remains intact. The area expected to be flooded is also a lack of transparency of the body, who- shelter for several native peoples, inclu- se agendas are not published in advance Once built, the reservoirs of the two ding some who live in complete isolation and the minutes are known only months plants will flood more than 40,000 in the forest. “In the case of indigenous after each meeting. hectares in the Juruena National Park, people and traditional communities”, in the Juruena Igarapés State Park and says Lentini, “any action that might af- “There has been no response and the indigenous territories of “Escondido” fect them must be preceded by Free, board decisions continue to be taken wi- and “Apiaká do Pontal”, in Mato Grosso Prior and Informed Consultation, as thout the debate with the society”, said state. In the Amazon, portions of the Su- determined by the Convention Nr. 169 Jean Timmers, director of Public Polices cunduri State Park can be impacted as of the International Labor Organization at WWF-Brazil. well as indigenous territories. - ILO, signed by Brazil since 2004, and the Declaration of the Rights of Indige- For Timmers, “it is unacceptable that “This mosaic of protected areas is es- nous Peoples, UN 2006.” protected areas created through exhaus- sential to curb deforestation, unplanned tive social and environmental studies, and illegall occupation that expanded In the dark - Chaired by the Ministry of political agreements between govern- aggressively from Mato Grosso towards Mines and Energy, the CNPE assists the ments and productive sectors, essential © Diego Pérez / WWF Peru Published online and distributed on30th June 2014. home: forests. unique conserving their by community thrive as aims to with and education, culture their bolstering and by practices productive sustainable new through lers also improveslifequalityoflocal dwel but of naturalresources, management le sustainab- reaching abetter only allows which not a newconservationmodel Nowadays, thecommunityisembracing ture Preserving nature for a better fu- agriculture, timber,amongothers). (Brazil nut,hungurahua,subsistence committees organized inproductive about 36families; one ofeachisduly in distributed over 100 local dwellers, by is formed also here.Thecommunity conserving nature,live upon depend greatly and wellbeing economy whose and Quechuarunas, Shipibos as the such community. Someotherethnicgroups, coming fromPurus, is theheartofthis Amahuaca ethnicgroup, cies. Herethe spe fauna and flora of array wide a to is home This astonishing landscape Dios). (Madre de Maldonado Puerto at 2hoursbyboatfrom manu, located a uniquecommunity: BocaParia to ce entran- the out Las PiedrasRiverpoints Brazilian territory”. the of or part whole the affect that tions decision-making andac- policies, public formulation of mental factorsinthe economic, socialandenviron between social participation, ensuring balance requires transparencyandbroad lity director, “sustainabi- According tothe transparent anddemocraticdebate.” qualified, a by supported society, entire for the policy Brazilian energy on the vocates fortheopeningofdiscussion governmental councils.Head- clusively ex- of decisions unilateral by threatened integrity have their biodiversity, might of conservation for the commitments international of fulfillment the and ces servi- maintenance ofecosystem for the Peruvian communityworksonanewconservationmodel - - - - na, with subsistence purposes. These are na, with subsistence looking forfau - ventured intothe forest and hunterby training, with whom, we Juan Inuma,formerpresident met also of resources.We and unsustainableuse logging illegal all avoiding re, andthus harvest natu- of its because ding forests stan- not jeopardize activity thatdoes a forests-friendly is this that us showed activity, who excelsa) nut (Bertholletia to theBrazil Marilu, a womandedicated know to got also community. We the of benefit in stakeholders, external and NGOs with along activities several of ge community, whoisnowinchar- of the Wilbert Inuma is thecurrentlypresident nity Knowing more about the commu legacy fornextgenerations. life quality,andleavealasting dwellers’ jective: preserveforests,maintain local and aimtoa common ob- framed duly are steps these irreversible impacts.All and cause forests from enteringtotheir miners andloggers illegal halt aims to with Surveillance Planwasdeveloped ars projection. Finally,aControland elaborated, witha5-ye Plan was ment an Invest- Also natural resources. of use sustainable rating incomesthroughthe nature, gene with and workinharmony can live they environment where safe and a healthy to enjoy them allowing quality and by improvingfamilies’life thecommu- way nity inanorganizedandplanned tolead order in defined, Community LifePlanwas Moreover, the and community. forest both benefit to aims with carried out was species fauna and flora of study assessment an here – delimited were of forests 1536 hectares through zoning. In this regard,nearly for conservation, forests an extensionof identifying were WWF’s with support ty communi- the by out carried steps The AboutWWF-Brazil: a Braziliannon- It is at: wwf.org.br/sosjuruena. Get toknowtheWWF-Brazil campaign gion, suchasillegalloggingandmining. re- for the tracting highimpactactivities is alreadyat- plants. Theannouncement seven hydroelectric at least to introduce intends government basin only,the this In are multiplied. effects jós Basin,these Tapa- Amazon, asthe such the of regions cessary damming. In largely preserved unne- and flooding river degradation, social andenvironmental deforestation, tend toincrease with thesociety debate andextensive existing alternatives of assessment the without plants electric hydro- of construction - The Alert Green - - - http://chn.ge/1npaRgS campaign: the and support Watch avideo conservation oftheirlegacy:theforests. in mindasprioritythe keeping always organization, their quality andbolster ronment in order toimprovetheirlife envi- to their experiences adapt these to able be will dwellers With this,local funding. is experiences these replicate major One ofthedriverstosuccessfully have aconservation model. already who similar communities (e.g.: in Satipo) with performed have been experiences nearly 4,500 of ha. Many exchanges hold intheir they natural resources the live, and they way the more about bit world knowalittle the about letting enthusiastic is really The community Next steps que community. actors inthisuni- greatest of the some sociates andvolunteers. by over five million people, including as- supported It is than 100countries. more ment conservationnetwork,activein environ independent largest zation, the International WWFOrgani- the of part country anditis whole the throughout projects in Brasília.Itdevelops located is office its and 1996 in created was zil generations. WWF-Bra zens andfuture citi- today’s of benefit the for resources promoting therational use ofnatural vity withbiodiversityconservation and objective ofharmonizing human acti- the conservation ofnaturewith to the organization dedicated governmental facebook.com/WWFLivingA www.panda.org/amazon Denise Oliveira, headof communications http://bit.ly/1kXGPDq WWF LivingAmazonInitiative mazonInitiative [email protected] Facebook YouTube Website Cláudio Maretti, leader - - -