A land trust is a way to unite people with the single interest in purchasing an area for conservation. The administration body of the trust will be composed by the first 50 participants. See below the details of the project.

Location

South America is extremely diverse, harbouring rainforests to semi-arid landscapes, and from andean mountains to savannas.

The first reserve to be purchased is located in the Brazilian southern tablelands.

Southern Brazil resemble Europe in many aspects, inheriting strong cultural background from early German and Italian settlers.

More so in the tablelands, with a climate resembling that of temperate areas, where temperatures drop to -10 C in winter. Its savanna-like aspect though, it similar to that found in Africa.

Economic and political context

Cattle ranching, forestry, and apple plantations are the main economic force in the region. Wine is a prospective market that has lately received a lot of investment. Products are exported in large scale.
The nearest port is 300 km distant along very good highways. The coast area is the most populated, and where the majority of the industries and commerce is located.

Brazil is a stable country for investment, with property rights fully garanteed by the constitution and by the presence of solid institutions.

The town nearest to the reserve is Lages (below), with facilities including local universities with graduate courses in medicine, law, and biological sciences, just to cite a few, and advanced courses in education and environmental management.

In the town of Lages, Projeto Puma has established a partnership with the 'Universidade do Planalto Catarinense (UNIPLAC)',maintaining a Laboratory of Ecology and lecturing advanced short courses ranging from Geographic Information System (GIS) to Wildlife Management.

Focus on sustainability

The reserve will have an investment focused on ecotourism and sustainable harvest of native non-timber products, particullarly the 'erva-mate' (Ilex paraguariensis), a tea broadly consumed in Brazil. It may be consumed in a variety of ways, recommended for its antioxidant properties. In the ecotourism aspect, lodges will be built where tourists may come and stay for several days. Horse-riding and wildlife watching will be the main attactions.

Lodges will be installed for accomodation of visitors.

Environmental focus - habitat and wildlife restoration

The south has been intensively settled, resulting in the extinction of the most remarckable species, and the decline of others. An area will be chosen where threatned species may be restored. Pecaris and pampas deer still inhabit the land but need management for a good come-back, while others such as the tapir and the maned-wolf may need to be re-introduced.

The puma, below, is fortunately still widespread on the tablelands. However, prey has declined and should be restored, and pumas are being pursued for livestock depredation. We aim to build a fenced yard to keep problem animals that would otherwise be killed.

Project Budget

The total budget has been calculated for land purchase (initially 100 ha), building of facilities such as lodges and fences for wildlife maintainance, purchase of a four-whell drive vehicle and a van, general maintainance for a two year period, and investments on ecotourism services and non-timber products, as follows. Quotas from 5,000 USD.

An emergency, initial budget has been calculated for project startup, as follows.

Yes, we have snow... but only occasionally.

Tablelands are covered with extensive savannas that in some areas resemble those of Africa. The climate is temperate, with temperatures dropping to -10C in winter. Cattle ranching is one of the main activities.

The far sight is ideal for sightseen and for horse-riding.

Native grassland with araucaria (coniferous) forest in the background.

 

The local university in the town of Lages 'Universidade do Planalto Catarinense - UNIPLAC' (http://www.uniplac.net), where the Laboratory of Ecology was installed and is currently run by Projeto Puma.

 

Below, mammal species most threatned and to be recovered in the reserve, clockwise from top left, the tapir, the maned-wolf, the white-lipped pecary, and the collared-pecary.

 

The pampas deer of the south, Ozotocerus bezoarticus celer, one of the mammals to be protected in the reserve, is considered Endangered (EN) worldwide by the IUCN.