Tag: Indigenous people

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National REDD+ Implications for Tenured Indigenous Communities in Guyana, and Communities’ Impact on Forest Carbon Stocks: New Publication in “Forests”

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Makushi and Wapichana parabiologists at vegetation and soil assessment training workshop. Dr, Kye Epps, course leader at bottom left.

We used a technically approved United Nations Forest Reference Emission Level (FREL) submission and Opt-In Mechanism to assess how fifteen indigenous communities with tenured forestland may financially benefit from national REDD+. We provide a first-time assessment whether field estimates of the average carbon density of mature forests managed by fifteen forest-dependent communities equals that of nearby unmanaged mature forest, as this could affect REDD+ payment levels. We conclude that, notwithstanding some pending issues, Guyana’s national REDD+ program could be very beneficial for FDP, even under a modest United States (US) $5 unit carbon price.

Free access to full paper: http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/9/5/231

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Levantamentos com Observações diretas Subestimam a Abundância de Mamíferos Terrestres: Implicações para uma Caça de Subsistência Sustentável

In corral behind house
Catitu (foto: Jose MV Fragoso)

A conservação de espécies cinegéticas neotropicais deve levar em conta os meios de vida e necessidades alimentares das populações humanas locais.

Artigo:  http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0152659

Resumo: Continue reading “Levantamentos com Observações diretas Subestimam a Abundância de Mamíferos Terrestres: Implicações para uma Caça de Subsistência Sustentável”

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New Publication: Line Transect Surveys Underdetect Terrestrial Mammals: Implications for the Sustainability of Subsistence Hunting

In corral behind house

Collared peccary (copyright photo Jose MV Fragoso)

Our new paper in the journal PLOS ONE reports that we are grossly under-detecting hunted animal species.  The results challenge the many studies showing serious negative impacts of subsistence hunting on wildlife species.  Seems like the animals may be hiding from us.  This research indicates that we need to reassess how we measure hunting impacts in the tropics.

Read the article:  http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0152659

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Modelo prevê impacto de fatores externos em tribos indígenas: Reportagem no jornal O Globo

Making farina in Kwanamer village, Wai Wai area
Muheres Uaiuais preparam farinha de mandioca tradicional (Foto: José Fragoso)

“Populações habitam a região amazônica há milhares de anos, mas o avanço de elementos da vida moderna está pondo em risco a sustentabilidade desses povos e do ecossistema onde vivem. Essa é a conclusão de um estudo elaborado pela equipe do biólogo português José Fragoso, da Universidade Stanford, nos EUA.” “ — Os resultados da pesquisa mostram que apenas não invadir áreas indígenas não é suficiente — diz Fragoso. — O que acontece no entorno das reservas tem grande impacto no interior.”

Reportagem do O Globo:Modelo prevê impacto de fatores externos em tribos indígenas – Jornal O Globo

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Stanford University publishes news piece regarding our new publication.

Large industrial soybean fields in midst of Cerradao forest
Industrial scale soybean fields cut from forest by the Xingu Indigenous Area,  Brazil  (Photo copyright by Jose Fragoso)

Stanford University reports on how our computer model simulating sustainability sheds light on how modern interventions can affect tropical forests and indigenous peoples. Our computer simulation shows that carefully designing government interactions with rural indigenous people is critical for protecting the sustainability of people, wildlife and the land.

Read the full article here: http://news.stanford.edu/news/2016/march/amazon-model-fragoso-031116.html

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New Publication: Socio–environmental sustainability of indigenous lands: simulating coupled human–natural systems in the Amazon

Tractor preparing soy bean field in the cerrado
Preparing field for planting soybeans near indigenous land in the Cerrado of Brazil         (Photo copyright by Jose Fragoso )

Our latest publication is out in Frontiers in Ecology and The Environment. We examine the socio-environmental sustainability of protected areas inhabited by indigenous and rural peoples and describe how socio-ecological change and development (e.g., forest clear-cutting outside indigenous areas, religious conversion, improved child mortality rates and introduction of resources from outside) outside these areas influences the sustainability of biodiversity, forest cover, and people inside. There are some surprising results so read the publication!

Read the article:

Continue reading “New Publication: Socio–environmental sustainability of indigenous lands: simulating coupled human–natural systems in the Amazon”

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New in press: “Socio–environmental Sustainability of Indigenous Lands: Simulating Human-Nature Interactions in the Amazon” in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment

Agro-industrial soy bean farm adjacent to an indigenous area in Brazil
Agro-industrial soy bean farm adjacent to forest of an indigenous area in Brazil   (photo Jose Fragoso)

Research collaborators Takuya Iwamura, Eric Lambin, Kirsten Silvius, Jeffrey B Luzar, and José Fragoso have a new paper in press. The publication examines the resiliency and sustainability of biodiversity, human livelihoods and forest cover within Amazonian indigenous lands under various future development scenarios. The paper is scheduled for publication in the February 2016 issue of the journal “Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment”. 

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New Publication: Utilizing Amerindian Hunter’s Descriptions to Guide the Production of a Vegetation Map

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Anthony Cummings (photo from the Web)

Map Rupununi

Anthony Ravindra Cummings led the Project Fauna team in the production of a vegetation map for the Rupununi region of Guyana, with the participation of Makushi, Wapichana and other Amerindians. Cummings and co-authors Jane Read (Syracuse University, USA) and Jose Fragoso state that with hunter’s vegetation descriptions and remotely sensed imagery we produced an eleven-class vegetation map that covered the main vegetation types described by hunters. “The final map shows that indigenous hunters can be important partners in the map-making process…”.

Full article:

Continue reading “New Publication: Utilizing Amerindian Hunter’s Descriptions to Guide the Production of a Vegetation Map”

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Gathering Data on Plants and Animals in the Amazon Basin

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Spectacled Caiman (photo by Jose Fragoso)

Stanford University produced a short documentary of our monitoring of plants and animals of the Amazon. Watch amazing scenes of caimans, capybaras, tapirs, giant anteaters, giant otters, macaws and other unusual creatures filmed during our field studies. The interview focuses on the successful monitoring of these animals by indigenous people. The take home message is that indigenous people use wildlife in a sustainable fashion.

Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upmzEzuF_ls