Organizations discuss actions to improve the performance and reputation of sustainable forest management in Mato Grosso

Brazil has a privileged position in terms of tropical forest cover, as it boasts the third largest area in the world. However, timber is still classified as a high-risk product, which causes total exports to be considered insignificant when compared to other countries.

Mato Grosso is one of the states with strong presence of the forest-based sector and over the last few years it has been discussing ways to boost this productive chain and improve the reputation of timber from sustainable forest management.

IDH has supported this process that is in line with the State Strategy Produce, Conserve and Include (PCI), whose goal is to double the area under sustainable forest management, to reach 6M ha by 2030. In 2020 IDH conducted a broad and innovative study that analyzed and compared the Forest Products Trading and Transport System (Sisflora-MT) against the main international timber protocols and certifications. The results were discussed with the Center of Timber Producers and Exporters of Mato Grosso State – Cipem (the acronym in Portuguese).

Then, IDH and the REM Program, which support the operationalization of the PCI, initiated a consultation process with the different actors involved in this segment to determine the main bottlenecks, challenges, opportunities and priority actions.

The results were shared and widely discussed in a workshop held online on September 22, with the participation of representatives from the public and private sectors and civil society organizations that work with issues related to the management and conservation of native forests.

Based on this, they will draw up a new work plan in line with the feasibility made available by the REM program, considering the challenges previously mapped out, and assigning priorities with a set time-frame for their implementation.

” Our purpose is to support the sustainable forest chain, by creating connections between the landscapes and the markets. In order to do so, we need to identify the obstacles and the priorities”, added Alex Schmidt, manager of public policies implementation at IDH.

The president of Cipem, Rafael Mason, underscored that “the previous consultation on the prioritization of actions and suggestions for strengthening the Sustainable Forest Management, added to the curbing of illegal deforestation, enhanced the discussion and allowed the agenda to advance productively and with focus, since this has given the institutions enough time to align their positions internally and contribute more assertively to the objective of the Workshop”.

The REM MT

The REM Program (REDD Early Movers Mato Grosso) is an award received by the State of Mato Grosso for the reduction of illegal deforestation between 2004 and 2014. Aiming to promote actions that contribute to the mitigation of illegal deforestation, part of the funds should be allocated to the strengthening of Sustainable Timber Forest Management in the State of Mato Grosso.