Impacts of the Public Forest Management Law on traditional communities in Crepori National Forest

Abstract

Abstract This article focuses on the impacts of the Public Forest Management Law on traditionally occupied territories, by analyzing the case of Crepori National Forest, in the state of Pará. The origins of the modalities of protected areas that focus primarily on high-tech exploitation are the starting point of the exposition, which highlights the elements that show how the management of forests benefits commercial exploration of wood resources over the territorial rights of peoples and communities that traditionally occupy these areas. The text also explains the mechanisms of the law that purportedly protect the territorial integrity of the conservation units. Finally, we present the case of Crepori, in which traditional communities were made invisible by the national forest management plan. The article draws on qualitative research, based on secondary data and ethnographic field work. The findings corroborate studies indicating that the processes of forest concessions negatively impact traditional communities.