Amazonas prepares its first state forest concession with technical support from Imaflora and the Brazilian Forest Service

Manaus (AM) – In an unprecedented step for Amazonas’ environmental policy, staff from the State Secretariat for the Environment (SEMA-AM), representatives of the Brazilian Forest Service (SFB), and the Institute for Forest and Agricultural Management and Certification (Imaflora) met on March 24 and 25 for a technical workshop on forest concessions. Held at SEMA’s headquarters, the meeting is part of the process to structure Amazonas’ first state forest concession, focused on the Maués State Forest.

Imaflora’s participation in the training is part of the actions foreseen under its technical cooperation with the SFB, supported by the UK PACT project (Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions). The initiative is part of a broader strategy to expand the sustainable use of public forests and foster the legal forest economy in the region.

“This event is essential to help the state overcome the initial challenges of a concession. Establishing a policy like this requires institutional, technical, and legal structuring, and we are here to share the knowledge accumulated over the years by the SFB,” said Cristina Galvão Alves, General Coordinator for Forest Concession Contract Management at the SFB.

The course program was divided into three macro-processes: project structuring, contract management, and concession monitoring, with an emphasis on the first topic. The adopted model is inspired by the SFB’s own experience with federal concessions, such as the Jatuarana National Forest (Flona), which is currently undergoing a bidding process.

Imaflora also played a prominent role in the event, with participation from technical consultant Rennan Pantoja. “Our work has been to provide technical support for expanding forest legality, valuing sustainable forest management, and promoting the productive use of public forests. The concession in Maués represents a decisive step in this direction, and the engagement of the SEMA team shows that the state is willing to move this agenda forward,” he noted.

The initiative is seen as strategic to curb illegal exploitation and promote sustainable economic alternatives. Fabrícia Arruda Moreira, Deputy Executive Secretary for Environmental Management at SEMA, emphasized the importance of hands-on training. “We had the technical studies in hand, but we did not feel ready to move forward with the public notice. This direct interaction with the SFB and Imaflora has been fundamental to review and improve the documents. Our goal is to launch the call for bids in July and hold a public hearing in August,” she said.

According to her, the concession will be geared toward multiple use, going beyond timber extraction. “The first concession also needs to serve as a learning experience. We want to develop robust management plans to combat illegality, strengthen enforcement, and generate real benefits for the local population,” she concluded.

During the event, Amazonas’ Secretary for the Environment, Eduardo Taveira, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to implementing effective public policies focused on sustainable forest use. “We are at a moment of learning by doing. This is an important agenda, and Imaflora brings the necessary technical expertise. We also have other partners contributing valuable insights,” he stated.

Taveira also highlighted the SFB’s progress on critical issues such as benefit-sharing and institutional strengthening, and pointed to forest management as a territorial protection strategy. “I am a strong advocate of forest management, because where this activity exists, the region tends to be protected against other land uses that, in Amazonas, usually result in severe degradation. Any activity that keeps the forest standing, even with all its challenges, still offers a far more appropriate response than predatory models,” he concluded.

Amazonas is Brazil’s largest state by territorial extent and hosts one of the largest continuous areas of tropical forest in the world. Despite this, it had not yet launched any state forest concession. The expectation is that the Maués experience will pave the way for replicating the policy in other public areas of the state, aligning environmental conservation, economic development, and the fight against environmental crimes.