In the heart of northeastern Brazil lies the breathtaking state of Piauí, home to a mesmerizing array of natural landscapes, diverse wildlife, and a rich cultural heritage. Yet, this captivating region has also faced the devastating consequences of deforestation, leaving behind scars on its natural beauty and threatening the well-being of its inhabitants.
Preserving Brazil's Biodiversity and Supporting Local Communities
Brazil's Cerrado and Caatinga biomes are rich tapestries of diverse ecosystems, including savannahs, drylands, and closed-canopy forest formations. This mosaic of habitats fosters an extraordinary diversity of plant and animal species, each uniquely adapted to the challenges and opportunities of these landscapes.
Gallery forests, a critical component of these biomes, play a pivotal role in maintaining landscape connectivity. These verdant ribbons serve as vital corridors for a wide range of species, including the Spix's Macaw, a stunning bird once declared "extinct-in-the-wild" in 2019. Sadly, these precious forests face an existential threat from agriculture and grazing, as they often occupy some of the region's most fertile and well-watered areas.
More than Planting Trees
The Paraim Ecological Corridor Project impact extends far beyond restoring the natural landscape. By engaging with Brazilian environmental policy and working with rural family farming communities, Eden Reforestation Projects (Eden) is fostering a vision of sustainable land management that safeguards essential ecosystem services, supports biodiversity, and improves livelihoods.
In a landscape threatened by an expanding agricultural frontier and desertification, PECP stands as a testament to the power of restoration and community collaboration. As the headwaters of the Parnaiba River watershed – the main water source for the State of Piauí – this project creates a vital corridor between two networks of protected Conservation Units.
Anticipated Impacts
Environmental
- Increased forest connectivity within the landscape to support wildlife, water recharge, water filtration, and other important functions of this landscape.
- Fire monitoring and mitigation to prevent uncontrolled burns in the area that disturb natural fire regimes.
- The establishment of a local seed collection network
- Comprehensive, collaboratively developed restoration plan for Rangel State Park, its buffer zone, and the APP zones of private, rural family farming properties along the perennial channels of the Paraim River.
Social
- Mobilization and education of hundreds of rural landowners to achieve landscape-scale restoration goals by engaging their private property in restoration initiatives.
- Education and training materials for rural landowners interested in engaging in restoration on their properties.
- Agroforestry programs and extension services that create forest-friendly and climate-resilient livelihoods.
- Livelihood opportunities for communities near the project, both through direct employment and seed collection, as well as complementary initiatives to be co-defined in the next phases of project development.
Key Activities
- Mobilization of rural landowners for restoration of Areas of Permanent Preservation and Legal Reserves on private property
- Restoration needs assessment and implementation plans for rural properties to support alignment with environmental policies
- Support in the development of the Rangel State Park Management Plan
- Reforestation
- Riverbank stabilization (as needed)
- Agroforestry initiatives
- Conservation agriculture and extension support
- Fire monitoring and mitigation
- Exploration of Payment for Ecosystem Services model (based on precedent)
- Sustainable livelihoods – value chain development, alternative income opportunities
A Sign of Hope
While deforestation has ravaged neighboring areas, the Paraim Ecological Corridor Area of Interest (AOI) has shown remarkable resilience, losing only 11% of its tree cover between 2001-2020 compared to the staggering 18% loss in surrounding areas. This resilience underscores the potential for PECP to transform the region's deforestation trajectory.
PECP is not merely a restoration project; it is an investment in the future of Brazil's natural heritage and the well-being of its people. Join us in supporting this transformative initiative as we work together to preserve Brazil's biodiversity and empower local communities.
Watch & Learn about the Project
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Nestled in the heart of Brazil's Cerrado and Caatinga biomes, the Paraim Ecological Corridor Project (PECP) is a beacon of hope for conservation and community development.
Spanning over 67,000 hectares, this ambitious initiative aims to restore and maintain ecological connectivity through the critically important gallery forests of Brazil's southern Piauí region.
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The Paraim Ecological Corridor Project is an expansion of Eden’s work in Piauí that began in November 2021. It
scales Eden’s initiative to build collaboration with private landowners to restore their LR and APPs. The
journey to Piauí was sparked by the story of Lake Parnaguá, a source of sustenance for fishing communities,
and the significant challenges local communities face. As Eden builds on this vision, the PECP will incorporate
thousands of additional hectares of degraded land into its restoration and protection initiatives.
The Power of Reforestation and Community Empowerment
The Paraim Ecological Corridor Project is an exciting opportunity to restore a vital ecosystem and create a lasting impact on communities and biodiversity in Brazil. With your support, we can expand Eden's current work in southern Piaui and transform this landscape.
Your contribution will help us:
- Engage with local communities to ensure their needs are met throughout the restoration process
- Develop a comprehensive restoration plan that will guide our efforts for years to come
- Begin early restoration activities, such as planting trees and removing invasive species
- Create supporting initiatives that will benefit local communities and sustain restoration in the long-term
Together, we can make a real difference in the Paraim Ecological Corridor. Join One World today and help us restore this vital ecosystem for generations to come.