BRASILIA, Brazil, February 15, 2006 (ENS) - Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Monday signed decrees expanding Amazon National Park and creating seven new environmental protected areas in the western part of Pará state, a region marked by land disputes and environmental devastation.
The protected areas are intended to ensure that the planned paving of highway BR-163 does not result in uncontrolled increase of logging on lands bordering the road, as has historically occured throughout Amazonia.
In one decree, President Lula added 150,000 hectares to the million hectare (2.47 million acre) Amazon National Park, and another establishes the country's first Sustainable Forest District, also located in western Pará and aimed at fostering sustainable development in the region.
These decrees bring the total protected area in that region of Pará to 6.4 million hectares (15.8 million acres).
Links to further information
CBD Press Release, 17 February 2006
Brazil Expands Amazon National Park, Creates Forest Reserves, Environment News Service, 15 February 2006
