President Lula sanctioned, this Wednesday (31/07), in the Pantanal, Law 1.1818/2022, which creates the National Policy for Integrated Fire Management (MIF)
The unprecedented National Fire Management Policy (MIF) represents a significant milestone in Brazilian environmental management, establishing guidelines for integrated fire management practices across all biomes and territories in the country. It responds to the growing need for adaptation and mitigation of the impacts of fires, especially in times of climate change. Each Brazilian biome will be managed according to its own needs, taking into account its ecological and cultural particularities.
Among the biomes that will benefit from this policy, the Cerrado receives special attention. Known as the cradle of Brazil's waters, the Cerrado is home to rich biodiversity and is essential for maintaining the country's water resources. Furthermore, it is home to traditional communities and indigenous peoples who play a crucial role in the protection and sustainable management of their ecosystems.
These communities, including family farmers and quilombolas, possess ancestral knowledge about the controlled and beneficial use of fire. The new MIF policy values this knowledge, promoting integration between science and technical knowledge (from environmental managers) and traditional knowledge to ensure the conservation and resilience of Brazilian biomes.
Benefits of the National MIF Policy
The implementation of the National Integrated Fire Management Policy will bring numerous benefits, such as:
- Reduction of wildfires (uncontrolled and unwanted fires): With appropriate management practices, it will be possible to prevent large-scale fires, which cause irreparable damage to fauna and flora and bring harm to local communities.
- Biodiversity conservation: The use of fire in a controlled and planned manner helps to maintain the ecological balance of ecosystems adapted to fire, favoring the regeneration of native species.
- Strengthening traditional communities: By recognizing and incorporating traditional knowledge, the policy strengthens the autonomy and environmental management capacity of these communities.
- Conflict reduction: MIF's participatory approach improves dialogue and partnership between managers, researchers and local communities and promotes collective decision-making.
- Climate change mitigation and adaptation: Fire management actions contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing the resilience of biomes, helping to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change.
President Lula's approval of this policy in the Pantanal symbolizes a renewed commitment to protecting Brazil's biomes and valuing the communities that inhabit them. It is believed that the National MIF Policy will be a decisive step toward a more sustainable and balanced future for Brazil.
Research with mangaba trees
A study conducted by the National Center for the Prevention and Combat of Forest Fires (Prevfogo) of IBAMA, the University of Brasília (UnB) and the Institute for Society, Population and Nature (ISPN) created a simplified protocol to monitor the effects of different fire regimes on plants of cultural importance to traditional communities and indigenous peoples in Brazil.
The results were the subject of a scientific article in the journal Fire, based on monitoring of 18 traditional territories. It showed that attempts to suppress fire, which increases fires in environments like the Cerrado, cause mortality and significantly harm mangaba fruit production. On the other hand, in areas managed with prescribed burns, mangaba tree mortality was almost zero, and fruit production was much higher than in burned areas.
"Traditional knowledge has been saying this for a long time. In the last decade, institutions have incorporated fire as a management tool. Now, participatory monitoring of the areas indicates that this is the best path forward to properly care for the Cerrado and its incredible sociobiodiversity," highlights ISPN technical advisor Lívia Moura.
To read the full article in English, click here.
To understand even more, read the article published in the newspaper Correio Braziliense Using fire to protect us from fires, written by the professor of the Department of Ecology/UnB and member of the Biota Cerrado Network, Isabel B. Schmidt; and by the technical advisor of the Institute of Society, Population and Nature (ISPN), Livia Moura.
ISPN Communications Office