Agroforestry Systems on Brazilian Legal Protected Lands: Permanent Preservation Areas (PPA) and Legal Reservation Areas (LRA)

Abstract

Forests preservation and restoration are crucial, to sustain ecological and social benefits. Agroforestry systems are important land use restoration instruments because they allow food production combined with sustainable forest management. There are different kinds of agroforestry systems, and they can occur in degradedareas andin forested areas which are legally protected or not. In Brazil, where forests cover 46.5% of land area, deforestation continues and there are several challenges to protect and restore forests. Permanent Preservation Areas (PPA) and Legal Reservation Areas (LRA), which have been institutionalized in Brazilian Environmental Legislation require the maintenance of areas with native vegetation within rural properties restricting certain activities. Historically, they have not been duly respected by most land owners where riverbanks, springs, slopes and other areas have been occupied suppressing natural vegetation. Thus, there are possibilities for ecological management and use of PPA and mainly LRA, which seek to both preserve environmental resources and contribute to food production and income, especially in the campesino smallholders. This paper discusses possibilities and limitations of using agroforestry systems in PPA and LRA, pointing out that agroforestry systems are also feasible for restoring degraded areas and for expanding enriched areas and uses of their natural resources. Despite legal possibilities, a historical problem in Brazil is related to the lack of compliance with environmental legislation. Moreover, the scenario of deforestation and several difficulties to advance in environmental management in Brazil have been harming this conservationist possibilities.