Brazil forest concession area exceeds 1m hectares

More than one million hectares of prime Amazon Rainforest land in Brazil has been made available for a programme of forestry concessions, according to the Brazilian Forest Service (SFB).

The area involved in the programme is spread over seven areas within the states of Rondonia and Pará, and is estimated to have a total potential timber production value of approximately 850,000 cubic metres every year.

The SFB has said that the forest concessions will help to promote the implementation of sustainable forest management schemes that will generate jobs and improve the living conditions of people who are reliant on the forest system.

The business benefits of the scheme will allow participating companies to have long-term legal access to the forest's resources.

The total value of the concession contract for the Jamari National Forests and the Saracá-Taquera National Forests is R$6 million. The amount collected from other concessions will be known after the bidding process is completed, as companies may pay a premium over the minimum price set by the SFB.

The minimum total value of the concessions under the bidding process is more than R$20 million a year. The SFB has said that the forest concessions practising sustainable forest management have the potential to increase timber output in the future.