Rio de Janeiro's Atlantic Forest gains Reference Center for Ecological Restoration

The initiative is also the result of a broad alliance with research institutions, such as universities and PELD Rede (Long-Term Ecological Research Program), nurseries and supporters of the golden lion tamarin conservation program. "CERRE brings together decades of research in areas such as botany, geology, ecology and will allow the development of long-term studies. It is a center built on the work of the Mico-Leão-Dourado Association and partner universities, which should boost new research on ecological restoration", stated Jerônimo Sansevero, professor at UFRRJ and coordinator of the Long-Term Ecological Research Program (PELD Rede). The site will train researchers, students, technicians and rural workers in biodiversity restoration and monitoring methodologies. "CERRE will be an important space for the training of students and researchers. The center will allow us to closely monitor ecological restoration techniques and will offer a structure for field research, which should strengthen the production of knowledge on the topic", stated Marcelo Trindade Nascimento, head of the UENF Environmental Sciences Laboratory and curator of the UENF Herbarium. The idea is that sharing experiences and applying acquired knowledge will further strengthen the sustainable economy and the ecological restoration process in the São João River Basin, as explained by Carlos Alvarenga, a forestry engineer at AMLD who coordinates CERRE activities. "CERRE's objective is to disseminate experiences and be an amplifier, with the help of rural landowners, of efficient restoration practices. The Center wants to train students, in an open-air laboratory. There will be workshops, symposiums, courses, all to encourage the best soil and agroecological practices, such as Agroforestry Systems (SAFs). The Center will show that restoration can generate income and strengthen the region's production chain", he said. Luís Paulo Ferraz, executive secretary of AMLD, mediated the conversation during the inauguration of the Reference Center for Ecological Restoration of the Atlantic Forest Luiz Thiago de Jesus/AMLD In addition to Carlos Alvarenga and Jerônimo Sansevero, Felipe Drummond, coordinator of Ecological Restoration at the State Secretariat for the Environment and Sustainability (SEAS/RJ), participated in the conversation; Flávio Valente, representative of the State Environmental Institute (Inea); Gustavo Luna, representative of the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio); and Luiz Fernando Moraes, vice-president of the board of AMLD and Embrapa Agroecologia. "The main challenge is to involve rural landowners in the restoration process and show that sustainable land use benefits both the environment and production. CERRE intends to encourage this engagement and expand the adoption of these practices", stated Luiz Fernando Moraes, vice-president of the board of the Associação Mico-Leão-Dourado (AMLD). The ceremony was led by Luís Paulo Ferraz, executive secretary of AMLD, who explained about the acquisition of the farm where CERRE is located and how restoration in the area will be strategic for connecting the habitat of the golden lion tamarin. "CERRE was created to share experiences in ecological restoration with researchers, students, visitors and rural producers. The idea is to disseminate techniques and encourage other owners to adopt sustainable practices in their areas", explained Luís Paulo Ferraz, executive secretary of the Mico-Leão-Dourado Association (AMLD). Sustainable Livestock Demonstration Unit The public visited the Sustainable Livestock Demonstration Unit, also inaugurated during the CERRE launch program, in Silva Jardim - RJ Luiz Thiago de Jesus/AMLD In addition to checking out the indoor and outdoor exhibition with informative panels on ecological restoration, the public planted native seedlings from the Atlantic Forest and visited the Sustainable Livestock Demonstration Unit, launched during the event, on a partner property. Techniques will be applied on site for better pasture management, aiming to increase production driven by practices integrated with the protection and recovery of natural resources. On the occasion, zootechnician Alisson Rodrigues Jordão answered questions about the work carried out at the site, spoke about the challenges and promising results. "The purpose of the Demonstration Unit is to show that it is possible to increase livestock productivity without increasing deforestation, by adopting sustainable technologies and practices. The idea is that producers see these results in practice and feel encouraged to adopt this model", said Alisson Rodrigues, zootechnician and professor at IFF in Bom Jesus do Itabapoana. The Reference Center for Ecological Restoration of the Atlantic Forest is today a reality thanks to the support