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Protect A Critical Forest From A Mega-highway In Brazil
High carbon “ flooded forests ” situated in the lowlands around Capanã Lake are a vital component of the Amazon rainforest ecosystem . This region experiences dramatic changes in water levels throughout the year , creating a dynamic environment of abundant biodiversity with a rich array of plant and animal species adapted to aquatic and terrestrial habitats . Remarkably , 98 % of this habitat remains intact . It is essential for local communities in providing resources such as fish , timber and non-timber forest products for subsistence and livelihoods .
( Top ) Amazon River Dolphin | COULANGES ; ( Bottom ) Black-faced Black Spider Monkey | Diego Grandi funded
Safeguard Over 1 Million Acres in Brazil ’ s Flooded Forest
Lake Tefé in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon is surrounded by dense tropical rainforest teeming with biodiversity and is an integral part of the wider ecosystem . This vital habitat serves as a refuge for endangered wildlife like the Wattled Curassow , Black-faced Black Spider Monkey and two species of river dolphin . But millions of acres of undesignated public lands composed of more than 90 % intact rainforest surrounding the lake are under intense threat of illegal land grabbing for mining , logging , agriculture and cattle ranching .
The added pressure of deforestation , climate change and El Nińo caused the Amazon to suffer a drought from September to December of 2023 . Lake Tefé nearly dried up , stressing the ecosystem and the local and Indigenous people who rely on it . Thankfully , the rains have now returned and the ecosystem is recovering .
All of this is at great risk from the controversial resurfacing of a 540-mile partially paved highway that was constructed across the Brazilian Amazon in the 1970s to link the major city of Manaus to Porto Velho in the Western Amazon . With the support of donors like you , we and our partner , Centro de Trabalho Indigenista , are working to establish the 429,823-acre Lago Capanā II Indigenous Territory , to help mitigate threats from the highway and enable Indigenous communities to maintain their traditional ways of life and land use practices that are compatible with forest conservation .
Giant Otter | Natalia Tamkovich
Thanks to your generous support , Rainforest Trust and our partner , Instituto Internacional de Educação do Brasil , are working to secure 1,280,981 acres of primary rainforest within the buffer area of the 2.5-million-acre Tefé National Forest Protected Area adjacent to Lake Tefé . These traditional Indigenous territories will be legally designated to recognize the communities ’ land tenure and help them to protect their territories against external threats .