FSC Brazil partners with the Government of the State of Amazonas to strengthen sustainable management in protected areas

On Thursday, 21 May 2026, FSC Brazil signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of the State of Amazonas, through its State Secretariat for the Environment (SEMA), to strengthen sustainable management and forest certification in jurisdictional protected areas.

The agreement was signed during the Annual Meeting of the Governors’ Climate and Forests Task Force (GCF Task Force), held in Caquetá, Colombia. The event brought together subnational governments from several countries committed to protecting tropical forests, reducing deforestation, and promoting sustainable development.

The agreement establishes technical cooperation between SEMA and FSC Brazil to develop actions aimed at FSC certification in protected areas in Amazonas, including training, technical assessments, institutional strengthening, and the promotion of ecosystem services associated with protected areas.

The partnership also includes an initial incubation phase focused on structuring the technical and institutional foundations necessary to enable certification processes, as well as identifying priority areas and assessing feasibility. It also encompasses knowledge exchange, engagement of local stakeholders, and the promotion of best practices in responsible forest management.

Eduardo Taveira, State Secretary for the Environment, highlighted that the partnership represents another step forward in consolidating public policies aimed at conservation and valuing standing forests. 

“This is a historic step toward the international recognition of Amazonas’ biodiversity. Through this partnership with FSC, the state strengthens its sustainable management policies and expands the potential for income generation from the forest, with the possibility of reaching approximately 8 million hectares under certification,” Eduardo Taveira stated.

The partnership with FSC could serve as a means to implement the state’s bioeconomy policy with a focus on governance and traceability, valorization of natural capital, and the business ecosystem. 

The document also provides support for verified impact related to ecosystem services, as well as the development of annual work plans to define priority activities under the cooperation. Governance of the partnership will be carried out jointly between the institutions, with specific responsibilities defined through complementary instruments.

FSC Brazil’s Executive Director, Elson Fernandes de Lima, emphasized the strategic importance of the partnership to expand responsible forest management initiatives in the Amazon.

“FSC is a forest certification system that helps enhance the social and environmental benefits of protected areas. This memorandum with SEMA seeks to develop a pathway to certify protected areas in Amazonas in order to recognize their ecosystem services, strengthen their management, and expand opportunities for internationally recognized payment for ecosystem services mechanisms,” Elson Fernandes de Lima said.

The Memorandum of Understanding will be valid for up to five years and does not involve, at this stage, direct financial transfers between the parties. It provides for the development of specific agreements for the implementation of technical and operational activities under the cooperation, including the possibility of jointly mobilizing funding and strategic partnerships.

The activities are supported by the FSC Conservation Facility, which was designed as a collaborative fund capable of unlocking long-term financing and delivering verified impacts through FSC certification.