Restoration in Brazil has been spurred by international and national commitments. In the Atlantic Rainforest, a highly fragmented biome and a global biodiversity hotspot, restoration in private areas is being promoted by NGOs, government, and research organizations. The case study from Brazil will gather lessons learned from the ‘Guandu Water Producer Project’, the most advanced Payment for Environmental Service initiative in Latin America. Through this project, fees collected from water users will pay farmers to conserve and restore riparian forests on their lands. The Guandu Watershed is a vital source of drinking water for 8 million people in the city of Rio de Janeiro, and this project aims to encourage conservation and forest restoration practices to improve water quality and quantity, as an alternative to conventional solutions. This case study will provide an example of environmental and socio-economic opportunities and challenges associated with restoration in Brazil.
Deforested hill slopes in Guandu Watershed in 2010
Hill slopes in Guandu Watershed after restoration in 2012
Read a Photo Story on Water and Forest Producers for Nature-based Solution in Rio Claro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Read more in the Case Study Brief