Ideflor-Bio, Portel City Hall, and civil society discuss the creation of new conservation units
The meeting aimed to discuss the proposal for the creation of new state conservation units in the municipality, which houses important areas of forest and Amazonian biodiversity.
The Institute for Forest Development and Biodiversity of Pará (Ideflor-Bio) received, this Tuesday (19), in Belém, a delegation from the municipality of Portel, located in the Marajó Integration Region. The group was led by Mayor Paulo Ferreira, accompanied by State Deputy Aveilton Souza, as well as representatives from the Rural Producers Union and local residents. The meeting aimed to discuss the proposal for the creation of new state conservation units in the municipality, which houses important areas of forest and Amazonian biodiversity.
During the meeting, clarifications were presented regarding the technical studies that support the proposal and the stages involved in the process of creating conservation units. The meeting served to align expectations and reinforce that the initiative seeks to ensure not only environmental protection but also social and economic benefits, especially in the areas of land regularization, sustainable management, and generating opportunities for local communities.
The president of Ideflor-Bio, Nilson Pinto, emphasized the importance of dialogue with the different social segments of Portel. “The creation of conservation units is a process that needs to be built in a participatory manner. Therefore, it is essential to listen to municipal managers, rural producers, and civil society. Our goal is to ensure that these areas are instruments of sustainable development, reconciling forest conservation and quality of life for the populations,” he stated.
In the same vein, the Mayor of Portel, Paulo Ferreira, highlighted the relevance of the meeting as a space for institutional rapprochement. “We are here to dialogue and better understand this proposal. It is important that the municipality participates in every stage and that the population is heard. What we want is to combine efforts so that the decisions made benefit our people and bring more opportunities to Portel,” he said.
Listening - Representing the Rural Producers Union of Portel, President Uenia Araújo evaluated the meeting as a moment of clarification and joint construction. According to her, there were concerns about possible restrictions brought by the creation of protected areas, but the debate opened new perspectives.
“It was a very productive conversation because until then we had a limited understanding of what an APA is. Today it became clear to us that the creation of an environmental protection area can be positive, as it helps in environmental regularization and also has enormous importance in the land regularization process. We leave here more informed and with the responsibility to multiply this vision within the community,” she highlighted.
New Date - Another point addressed in the meeting was the Public Consultation scheduled to discuss the creation of conservation units in Portel, initially set for August 21, but which was postponed to allow for a deeper exploration of technical and social studies. Ideflor-Bio informed that a new date will be announced soon on the official channels of the Institute and the Government of Pará, ensuring wide dissemination and popular participation.
As a follow-up, it was determined that new meetings will be held both in Belém and in Portel, with the aim of expanding the debate and ensuring that all interested parties are included in the process. The expectation is that this ongoing dialogue will strengthen transparency and shared responsibility in building solutions that reconcile conservation and development in the Marajó territory.
