FRA states that it hopes Paragominas's methods catch on

Dec. 20, 2011 - PRLog -- Seattle, United States -- News that the town of Paragominas in Brazil is being hailed as a new 'Green City', after once being one of the most deforested regions of the Amazon, has been welcomed by Forestry Research Associates (FRA).

Just three years ago the forest surrounding the city was ravaged by deforestation and the air lay heavy with smoke and fumes from the fires that raged in order to clear land for cattle grazing. FRA, a research and analysis consultancy specialising in forestry investment and sustainability matters, claims that the region is a model of what sustainability can do for the Amazon region.

FRA says that things really changed in the city after the people living there become convinced, thanks to efforts from the government, that the forests were more valuable while they were standing, than when they were turned into wood products.

The government of the country helped to create this sense of value after launching embargoes against the counties that performed the worst with regard to deforestation. “this left the people of Paragominas very little choice but to find a way to make sure their forestry management practices made sense over the long term through sustainability,” explained FRA’s analysis partner, Peter Collins.

Mayor Adnan Demachki go behind the changes, explaining to the San Francisco Chronicle: "Our city was on the government's 'black list. There was no way out other than the new path we had chosen."

The secret to the changes is the use of less land while increasing production. Sustainable forestry management methods are central to this, added FRA, which promotes such methods including the planting of non-native species that can offer an alternative to using wood from native trees for the production of coal, pulpwood and other timber products.

Mr Collins concluded, “we hope that the methods used by those in Paragominas continue to spread across the Amazon regions, safeguarding the future of the forestry industry and the forests for generation to come.”

About Forestry Research Associates

Forestry Research Associates is a research and advisory consultancy that focuses on forestry management, sustainability issues and forestry investment around the globe.

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