Amazonian Forest covers 90% of the state of Amapa territory

On Wednesday, November 19, the Committee for The Amazon, National Integration and Regional Development approved the Bill 5995/05, proposed by the Federal Senate, which establishes the Plan for the Regional Development of the Municipalities in the environment of the National Park Mountains of Tumucumaque, in the states of Amapá and Pará. Amapá is one of the states having the largest reserves of Amazonian Forest, which covers 90% of its territory.

The plan comprehends the municipalities of Calçoene, Laranjal do Jari, Oiapoque, Pedra Branca do Amapari, Serra do Navio in Amapá; and Almeirim, in Pará. Its objective is to drive sustainable development, generate employment and foster economic activities that are typical to the region.

Park area
The National Park Mountains of Tumucumaque, created in 2002 by a Federal Decree, has the size of the state of Rio de Janeiro (3.87 million hectares) and is located at the extreme northern region of the country, at the border of French Guyana and Suriname.

The park is considered as the biggest conservation unity of tropical forests in the world, and is part of the hall of biodiversity of Amapá, formed by 12 conservation unities and four indigenous areas. The hall, created in order to maintain biodiversity with free circulation of species, covers an area of about 11 million hectares, which is equivalent to more than half of the state’s territory and which is larger than Portugal and Holland.

The original bill included only the municipalities of Amapá, but the rapporteur accepted the amendment made by the Committee for Environment and Sustainable Development, which includes the municipality of Almeirim, whose area is also covered by the park. The approved text is a substitution bill by the deputy Dalva Figueiredo (PT-AP).

Priorities and resources
Among the priorities are activities such as agribusiness, fishing, sustainable forest extraction, certified timber production, electric power, ecotourism, waterway transportation, professionalizing education, and the establishment of associations and cooperatives.
The rapporteur included, among the resources for the implementation of the programs, donations by national bodies and international cooperation agencies. Other sources are the Union, the states of Amapá and Pará, and the comprehended municipalities.

Procedure
The bill was deemed conclusive power and priority regime, and will still be reviewed by the Committees for Finances and Taxation, and for Constitution and Justice and Citizenship.

Report - Oscar Telles
Editing - Regina Céli Assumpção/Rejane Xavier