Project in process | Protection of Fauna and Flora
Rede Amolar
The project
The Rede de Proteção e Conservação da Serra do Amolar (RPCSA), managed by the Instituto Homem Pantaneiro since 2008, is located in the complex of Protected Areas formed by the Pantanal National Park and the Acurizal, Penha, Dorochê, Rumo Oeste, Eliezer Batista Reserves and by the farms Santa Teresa, Jatobazinho, Vale do Paraíso, São Gonçalo, Santa Rosa, Morro Alegre, and Sítio Serra Negra. These areas represent a unique conservation strategy by encompassing a large number of landscapes, ecosystems, and biodiversity of the Pantanal in one region.
Location
The region of Serra do Amolar and the Pantanal Mato-grossense National Park are considered World Natural Heritage sites, a title granted by UNESCO in 2012. By acting in the prevention and combat of wildfires, one ensures the safety of the heritage of all society. Furthermore, preserving springs and rivers of the Upper Paraguay Basin through the Pantanal Headwaters Project directly and indirectly serves the entire population living in these areas due to the quality of water and other ecosystem services provided.
Species: Pantanal Biome
The Pantanal is the largest flooded plain in the world, covering 250,000 km² in the Upper Paraguay River Basin, mainly in the states of Mato Grosso do Sul and Mato Grosso. This region stands out for its seasonal flooding, creating a mosaic of habitats that sustain a rich biodiversity. More than 4,700 species have already been cataloged in the Pantanal, including endemic animals such as the giant anteater, the hyacinth macaw, and the jabiru stork.
The biome is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a Biosphere Reserve for its ecological importance as a nursery for aquatic species, natural water filter, and regulator of the regional climate. However, the Pantanal faces several threats, such as deforestation, predatory fishing, mining, expansion of agriculture and livestock, and climate change. Preserving this vital biome for the planet depends on joint actions to protect and conserve its fauna, flora, and the ecosystem services it provides.
Community history
The Alto Pantanal Brigade has been operating in the Serra do Amolar area and neighboring properties. In 2020, many wildfires were started in private areas that lacked contingent or structure for combat. A wildfire prevention and combat base in Serra do Amolar provides rapid response to wildfire outbreaks in the region for the entire territory (conservation units or private properties).
In addition to the Brigade, the Pantanal Felines Project operates on private properties seeking to minimize problems caused by the predation of livestock by large felines, and the predation of crops by wild pigs, ensuring better practices and reference in the harmony between production and conservation. Additionally, the Pantanal Headwaters Project works on the preservation of springs through dialogue with landowners, proposing and enabling actions for the recovery of degraded areas.
The audience served by the Amolar Network project consists of IHP employees, their families, and residents of local communities in the region, totaling about 403 people distributed in 198 families. Local communities are traditional riverine communities that mostly live from fishing live bait for fishing tourism. These families suffer from the seasonality of the activity and the period of "piracema" when their sources of income are practically scarce. The implementation of the Amolar Network project generates, whether through ecotourism or activities such as training for area restoration, an income alternative for these families and an improvement in the quality of life.
Historical impacts:
2002 - Foundation of the Instituto do Homem Pantaneiro
2010 - Start of environmental monitoring activities by IHP in the Rede de Proteção e Conservação da Serra do Amolar (RPCSA)
2016 - Start of ecotourism activities in Serra do Amolar managed by IHP
2020 - 97% of Rede Amolar areas are affected by wildfires (causing the death of nearly 17 million vertebrate animals)
February 2020 - Creation of the Brigada do Alto Pantanal
2021 - Reduction from 97% to 7% of areas affected by wildfire, through the action of the Brigada do Alto Pantanal
2021 - Installation of the Animal Technical Rescue Base (BARTA) at RPPN Acurizal, construction financed by World Animal Protection (WAP)
2023 - Formalization of Celeo Redes' support for the Rede Amolar project
January 2024 - Start of project actions.
Project activities
Act in wildfire prevention, reducing the extent of areas affected by fire
Actions to prevent wildfires, reducing the extent of areas affected by fire through improved access to fire focus locations with the construction of firebreaks and cleaning of areas, as well as environmental education activities with the local population to raise awareness of methods for preventing fire outbreaks.
Act in combating wildfires (when necessary), reducing the impact of fire on local communities and biodiversity
Act in combating wildfires directly (by spraying water, smothering, or using backpack blowers) and indirectly (by building lines, firebreaks, backfires), reducing the impact of fire on local communities and biodiversity.
Carry out the rescue and care of wildlife affected by wildfires
Carry out the technical rescue and care of wildlife affected by wildfires, providing emergency care to animals in critical situations by a multidisciplinary group of professionals with techniques and expertise in the field.
Raise awareness among the local community about wildlife health education
Raise awareness among the local community about wildlife health education through lectures and environmental education activities that allow the acquisition of new knowledge, information, values, and experiences, enabling the community to feel part of the ecosystem and responsible for preventing, caring for, acting, and solving present and future environmental problems.
100%
of wildfires fought in the Serra do Amolar region;
50
people sensitized by environmental education on wildfire prevention;
12
wildfire prevention actions in the Rede Amolar;
4
environmental education actions with the six communities living in the region, with the participation of 30 people.
Project impacts
Realization
Celeo Redes
Responsible for the financial support of the project, Jauru Transmissora de Energia S.A. is a power transmission company of Celeo, a group that operates in the transmission and generation of renewable energy, with operations in more than 10 Brazilian states.
Instituto Homem Pantaneiro (IHP)
Instituto Homem Pantaneiro (IHP) is a non-profit civil society organization. Founded in 2002 and established on March 30, 2012, in Corumbá (MS), it works in the conservation and preservation of the Pantanal biome and local culture.
VBIO.eco
A bioeconomy platform that enables projects for the valorization of Brazilian biodiversity. It has a multidisciplinary team with over 12 years of experience in project management and corporate communication. Its actions have already enabled the operation of 23 projects for the valorization of biodiversity and created a network of over 500 organizations and companies working in the socio-environmental cause.
