Ideflor-Bio participates in planning workshop for the Arpa Program in Santarém

Managers and focal points of the Amazon Protected Areas Program (Arpa), from the Institute of Forest Development and Biodiversity of Pará (Ideflor-Bio), participated from September 9 to 11 in Santarém, in the western region of Pará, in the 1st Planning Workshop for the 2026/2027 cycle. The meeting brought together representatives from the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MMA), the Brazilian Biodiversity Fund (Funbio), responsible for managing the program, in order to reflect on the advances already achieved and project actions to strengthen the environmental agenda for the next 15 years.

Ideflor-Bio is responsible for the management of three Conservation Units (UCs) supported by Arpa in Pará: the Serra dos Martírios/Andorinhas State Park, in the Southeast region, the Maicuru Biological Reserve, and the Grão-Pará Ecological Station, in the extreme North of the State - the latter considered the largest area of integral protection of tropical forests in the world.

During the three days of programming, participants had access to workshops and discussions on planning and management tools, as well as moments of evaluation and exchange of experiences among managers. Highlights included the presentation of the SAMGe Plan methodology, used by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio), to plan and monitor results in UCs, as well as discussions on the Arpa Consolidation Plan, new financing modalities, and management tools that can enhance the execution of actions in the field.

Ideflor-Bio was represented by the manager of the Araguaia Administrative Region, Laís Mercedes, and by the manager of the North Channel 3 Administrative Region, Lândio França. Both reinforced Pará's commitment to contribute to the consolidation of a management model for UCs aligned with contemporary challenges of conservation and sustainable use of Amazonian biodiversity.

Future - Beyond planning for the next biennium, the meeting also proposed a broader reflection on the paths of the Arpa Program for the next 15 years, encouraging managers and focal points to project long-term goals and identify opportunities for integration between governments, civil society, and international organizations.

According to Laís Mercedes, participation in the workshop reinforces the importance of alignment between state and national managers. “This space allows us to look at the future of Conservation Units with more clarity and strategy. Sharing experiences and challenges with other managers strengthens our work in the field and expands the capacity to plan consistent environmental policies for Pará and for the Amazon as a whole,” highlighted the manager.