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| PROJECT |
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Green Hug
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| DESCRIPTION |
The remaining forests in the Pontal do Paranapanema suffer from human impacts including burning, logging and agricultural pollution. Some of these activities indirectly lead to border effects resulting from wind, unstable temperatures, excessive light penetration, humidity reduction or exotic species invasions. Each of these factors can substantially change the ecological dynamics of Atlantic Forest fragments.
Little attention has been given to the role agroforestry systems can serve as buffer areas surrounding habitat fragments. Such a strategy makes can minimize unwanted human-mediated environmental damage within forests whilst simultaneously benefiting adjacent farming communities.
Since 1997, IPE has implemented the project "Green Hug" around Morro do Diabo State Park and nearby fragments with the aim of protecting the exposed borders of these forests. The "Hug" itself is an agroforestry strip that surrounds fragments and creates a multiple-benefit zone, with trees and shrubs that serve as firewood, fruits, seeds and animal feed. These benefit both the adjacent human settlements and ecological processes.
These multiple-benefit zones are roughly 40-80 meters wide and up to 2km long. They are planted on small rural properties between the forest and the surrounding matrix (usually pasture or sugarcane fields).
Reforestation using agroforestry techniques, in addition to promoting the preservation of habitat and species, has also convinced local communities of the importance of conservation. Thus the "Green Hug" provides residents with a sustainable harvest of products such as firewood and fruit.
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| OBJECTIVES |
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To establish systems at the perimeter of native forests that promote the protection of the forests through "agrosylavitic" means (multiple-use trees and shrubs inter - planted with agricultural crops) in the rural properties of the Pontal do Paranapanema, São Paulo State ;
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To control and diminish edge effects around the Morro do Diabo State Park and other fragments of the Atlantic Forest of the Interior ;
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To produce goods (fruits, firewood, timber, medicinal plants, etc.) and services (windbreaks, living fences, soil conservation, shade, etc.) that can better the quality of life for small property owners;
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To generate and transfer results to other forest fragments and their respective communities (both small and medium-sized property owners). |
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