VZCZCXRO2501
RR RUEHAST RUEHDH RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD RUEHTM RUEHTRO
DE RUEHBR #0526 1191919
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 291919Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY BRASILIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4153
INFO RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO 3928
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO 7618
RUEHRG/AMCONSUL RECIFE 9423
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS BRASILIA 000526 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV KSCA EAID KGHG EAGR BR
SUBJECT:  U.S. FOREST SERVICE EXPLORES EXPANDED COLLABORATION WITH 
BRAZILIAN COUNTERPARTS 
 
(U) THIS CABLE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED AND NOT FOR INTERNET 
DISTRIBUTION. 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  A team of experts from the U.S. Forest Service 
(USFS) identified and prioritized a range of areas for two-way 
cooperation with Brazilian counterparts during their April 14-17 
visit to Brazil.  Officials from the young Brazilian Forest Service, 
the Brazilian Agricultural Research Agency (EMBRAPA), the Ministry 
of Environment (MMA) and the new Chico Mendes Institute (ICMBio), 
which manages Brazil's vast federal protected areas, sought 
increased cooperation in the areas of sustainable forest management, 
timber sale contracting, information systems and forest planning, 
national forest inventory, climate change, fire management, forest 
products, bio-energy, managing concessions, and sustainable tourism. 
 END SUMMARY. 
 
FOREST MANAGEMENT COOPERATION 
 
¶2.  (SBU) A team from the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) organized by 
Michelle Zweede from the USFS's International Programs Office met 
with Brazilian counterparts to discuss future bilateral cooperation. 
 The team included Carlos Rodriguez-Franco, Ronald McRoberts, 
Hans-Erik Andersen, Ernesto Alvarado, Dennis Dykstra, and Michael 
Ritter, who are experts in the field of forest research management, 
climate change, fire management, remote sensing, forest 
inventorying, and forest products.  At a three-day seminar (April 
14-16) in Brasilia, the Brazilian Forest Service and EMBRAPA 
emphasized their interest in expanding collaboration in the 
following areas: forest management and monitoring; best management 
practices for rural roads; timber sale contract development and 
monitoring; information systems and forest planning; national forest 
inventory; forest products and bio-energy; climate change and fire 
management.  The USFS team and the Brazilians called on a Brazilian 
EMBRAPA scientist temporarily working with the USFS at its Pacific 
Northwest Research Station to further develop these ideas in 
coordination with Brazilian counterparts. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) The USFS team outlined its work program for Brazil, which 
includes sharing lessons learned technologies, providing training, 
building technical and scientific capacity, technology transfer, and 
expanding joint research efforts.  The USFS's activities are 
supported by the USAID Mission in Brazil. 
 
STRENGTHENING COLLABORATION ON PROTECTED AREAS 
 
¶4.  (SBU) On April 17, the USFS team met with representatives from 
the ICMBio, MMA, and the NGO Conservation Strategy Fund (CSF), as 
well as with Post personnel to discuss next steps and long term 
planning for collaborating on protected area and concession 
management.  ICMBio is preparing to develop concession plans for 
many of Brazil's national parks in order to increase visitation and 
public visibility.  It also is seeking technical assistance in the 
area of sustainable tourism.  USFS with support from Post and USAID 
is developing a collaborative program with ICMbio and the MMA to 
provide technical assistance and training as ICMbio develops the 
national protected area concession program and plans for sustainable 
tourism.  The USFS team thought that the USFS expertise, as well as 
calling on experts from other USG land management agencies, could 
provide valuable technical assistance. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) In May, the USFS will host a team of ICMbio officials in a 
trip to the USFS sites to learn more about the U.S. concession 
system within public lands and public/private partnerships.  USFS 
will also develop a series of visits from USFS experts over the next 
couple of years to strengthen the relationship with the ICMbio and 
assist building capacity within the agency. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) COMMENT.  The USFS offers invaluable technical assistance 
to Brazilian counterparts, which should help Brazil better manage 
its vast public lands.  This advances the USG's interests in 
addressing global climate change because the up till now lack of 
oversight and weak management and effective environmental has 
allowed millions of hectares of forests to be cleared to change the 
land use to ranching and agriculture use.   This massive, ongoing 
deforestation has propelled Brazil into the ranks of the world's 
leading greenhouse gas emitters.  Fortunately, the USFS is building 
on excellent and long-standing ties with Brazilian counterparts 
regarding sustainable forest management, conservation, and fire 
management.  END COMMENT. 
 
SOBEL