março, 20 2020

COLLABORATION BEYOND BORDERS

New proposals for tax incentives, wildlife management, fire control, participatory zoning and tourism itineraries are of interest to all Pantanal residents. Along with maintaining traditions that teach and educate, these actions ease isolation and act as resources for indigenous resistance. These are some of the topics covered in this fifth issue of the Pantanal Science magazine, along with entertaining and little-known information about white-lipped peccaries, discussions about the importance of determining macrohabitats and understanding the infrastructure projects serial impacts that can interrupt natural water flow.

Since its creation, in 2014, the Pantanal Science magazine has been publishing studies and contributions from scientists to broaden knowledge about the Pantanal biome, both for Pantanal natives, workers and farmers (the pantaneiros) and visitors. Of course, by living and experiencing the Pantanal reality while taking care of farms, attending to tourists, unexpectedly encountering fauna, and fighting fires or the drought and flood extremes, the pantaneiros already hold precious knowledge about their surroundings. However, the experts technical eye can add another kind of knowledge, including information about distant locations on the same Pantanal or good initiatives and innovations that are worth replicating.

Integrating traditional and scientific knowledge is important for achieving the intended balance among different society sectors and to turn ideas and ideals into reality. Above all, this balance is needed to change two major global trends that greatly impact nature and people: the increase in emissions contributing to climate change and the biodiversity loss on the planet. Together and with qualified information, everyone can contribute to reversing such worrying global trends by doing their part to change their daily routines and investing in environmental and economic sustainability for this unique region that is the Pantanal.

As this biome is not only Brazilian and extends across the territories of Bolivia and Paraguay, this magazine edition produced by WWF-Brazil presents a collaboration of researchers, the pantaneiros and indigenous peoples from both countries. All together they provide traditional knowledge and experiences from the Pantanal beyond our borders. For example, the wild caiman sustainable economic use carried out in the San Matías Integrated Management Natural Area in Bolivia, with support from WWF-Bolivia. Also, the participatory zoning underway in the Paraguayan Pantanal to plan the Bahía Negra District. Furthermore, from the Paraguayan Pantanal, come reports of the Yshir Chamacoco people who are resisting the Paraguayan bureaucracy and defending their ancestral lands.
 
WWF-Brazil is a non-profit non-partisan, non-governmental Brazilian organization. Created in 1996, it operates throughout Brazil and is part of the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) Network, which is present in over 100 countries. We work in defense of life, with the purpose to change the social and environmental degradation current trajectory. Controlling and reversing the rising emissions trend, for example, depends on replacing the current “business as usual” models. Deforestation, native vegetation conversion to crops, pollution and burning oil should be replaced by environmentally friendly technologies. Also, the habitat and biodiversity accelerated loss leading to mass extinctions needs to be halted and reversed.

Changing these two trends - emissions and biodiversity loss- is the WWF-Brazil primary concern and purpose. For us, the Pantanal is a place of the possible, where tradition and sustainable development can align to promote these necessary and urgent changes. We believe in the possibility of building a new development vision, with a return to economic prosperity and political stability through a fair transition to a low-impact economy by adding efficiency, knowledge and technology to the natural resources use, and promoting inclusion, greater transparency and social participation.

Since 2015, WWF-Brazil has supported the Pantanal Observatory, which today comprises 27 civil society organizations active in the Upper Paraguay River Basin of Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay. For this network members, the Pantanal resources conservation and sustainable use must be a common concern for society, governments and private initiatives to ensure the biome survival and integrity.

The Pantanal Science magazine also supports this idea, which is why we include such a diversity of authors and community members in our pages, who are united by their willingness to understand the Pantanal and look for ways towards a sustainable, diverse and collaborative future. This is a true collaboration across borders.
 
MAURÍCIO VOIVODIC
Executive Director
WWF-Brasil