In a study on sustainability, Embrapa highlights the potential of chestnut trees for preserving the biome and regulating the climate
Compensation for environmental services provided by the so-called guardians of the Amazon, notably Amazon nut agroextractive communities, can be an effective strategy to boost sustainable development and face the challenges of climate change and deforestation.
This is what a group of researchers from the Embrapa Environment (SP), Embrapa Amapá and Embrapa Rondônia. The results were published in chapter 11 of the book Amazon chestnut: ecology and management of native chestnut treeswhich can be downloaded for free.
This approach attributes a tangible value to the protection of forests, that is, the extractive worker receives money for carrying out conservation practices in their activity. The research found that the reward for preserving and improving environmental services encourages sustainable forest management, forest conservation and its responsible use. This compensation can be made through public policies or private initiatives that encompass environmental, ecological and socioeconomic aspects.
The scientists analyzed payments for environmental services and payments for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in the Amazon. Both mechanisms stand out for their potential to add value to forests where chestnut trees occur, by bringing additional benefits such as carbon storage, climate regulation and meeting goals established in government programs and international agreements.
Other mechanisms under discussion, such as biodiversity credits, can also add value to chestnut forests, helping to recognize the opportunity cost of maintaining these forests.
“Furthermore, strengthening the forest economy and the market for Amazonian products is essential to make forest management economically competitive in relation to activities dependent on deforestation, thus enabling the conservation of the standing forest”says Embrapa researcher Patricia da Costa.
“It is important to understand the potential for markets for traditional products, such as honey and forest seeds, in reforestation, as well as the possibility of creating new markets from the forest’s biological resources”declares Embrapa researcher Marcelino Guedes.
ROLE OF CHESTNUT TREES
The scientist emphasizes that areas with chestnut trees represent forests of high value for the bioeconomy, for the preservation of agroextractive communities and for ecological stability. “Therefore, it is essential to recognize the importance of agroextractivism and the environmental services provided by families that depend on nuts for the conservation of this invaluable forest”says Guedes.
According to the researcher, the chestnut tree plays a crucial role in the conservation of the Amazon. It is present in around 32% of the biome, approximately 2.3 million km². The species is found in dryland forests throughout the Pan-Amazon region, which includes Brazil, Guyana, French Guiana, Suriname, Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and Venezuela.
In addition to its ecological value, the chestnut tree contributes significantly to ecosystem processes, such as carbon storage, the hydrological cycle, nutrient cycling and the maintenance of biodiversity.
The study demonstrated that although chestnut trees represent only 3% of the individuals in a chestnut forest in the Northern Amazon, they contribute 40% of the living biomass above ground, of which around 50% is carbon. “The longevity of chestnut trees allows this carbon to be stored for a long period, between 300 and 400 years”, says Embrapa researcher Carolina Castilho.
In addition to its ecological value, the chestnut tree also has socioeconomic and cultural relevance. The researchers believe that compensation for environmental services, in addition to being crucial for the conservation of the Amazon Forest, also promotes the sustainability of communities that depend on Brazil nuts.
With information from Embrapa Agency
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