Law 11284/2006, establishing the management of Public Forests, Brazilian Forest Service and National Fund for Forest Development
This law establishes principles for the management of public forests for sustainable production; institutes, within the structure of the Ministry of Environment, the Brazilian Forest Service (BFS); and creates the National Fund for Forest Development.
In order to attest compliance with the forest management principles established by this bill, forest concession-holders should undertake independent forest audits, every 3 years at a maximum, and at their own cost. Additionally, the National Environment System (Sisnama) agencies are responsible for control and environmental inspection. The National Fund for Forest Development has a Consultative Council formed by members from the federal administration and civil society charged with overseeing the disbursement of funds and evaluating performance.
Regarding REDD+/land use policies, the bill establishes the following principles for public forest management:
• Protection of ecosystems, land, water, biodiversity and associated cultural value
• Efficient and rational use of forests in line with local, regional and national sustainable development targets
• Respect for local communities’ right of access to and use of public forests and the benefits associated with conservation
• Promotion of local processing, increased value-added of forest products and services, industrial diversification, technological development, and capacity-building of local entrepreneurs and labour-force
• Free access to information regarding public forest management
• Promotion and dissemination of research on forestry related to conservation, restoration and sustainable use of forests
• Promotion of knowledge and awareness of forest conservation, recovery and sustainable use; and
• Creation of stable and secure conditions for the promotion of long-term investment in forest conservation and recovery
The National Fund for Forest Development (NFFD) is instituted with the purpose of promoting sustainable forestry activities as well as technological innovation in the sector. Among other things, the Fund’s resources should be channelled to technical assistance, monitoring and verification, recuperation of degraded areas, rational economic use of forests and environmental education. The Fund only finances projects from public institutions or not-for-profit private institutions. The Brazilian Forest Service (BSF) is created with the exclusive mandate of managing public forests; it is equally the managing authority of the NFFD. The BSF is responsible for: training, capacity-building and technical assistance; promoting of sustainable timber and wood and sustainable forest production in general; and market scoping for forest products and services.
Research and development: the National Fund for Forest Development finances research and technological development on forest monitoring.
