Brasil Proximo

Project website: http://www.brasilproximo.com/?page_id=311

Brasil Proximo: : growth and sustainable tourism

Brazil is a Country rich in contradictions: in fact the great abundance of raw materials and natural resources is counterbalanced by increasingly serious social and economic inequalities, poverty and widespread crime, and an increasingly spreading deforestation which is jeopardizing the natural resources of the Country. Natural resources are the true heritage of Brazil and they must be protected with sustainable and effective tourism policies: it is the case of the Serra das Confusões, a Brazilian region affected by poverty and social problems but very rich in natural and landscape beauties. There, it is possible to find the so called “caatinga”, the characteristic “white forest” which is typical of the semi-arid Brazilian climate, an ecosystem that presents the greatest capability of adaptation to climate change and drought.

The project

“Brasil Proximo” is a decentralized cooperation project which involves 5 Italian regions: COSPE is particularly focused on the project financed by the region of Tuscany, located in the Serra das Confusões area.  The project aims to improve the life condition of local communities through the support of tourism and environmental enhancement policies for the Natural Park: a protected area of over 800.000 hectares of Brazilian “katinga”, which opened to the public in December 2014 after a long phase of preparation. The project aims to start a process of economic and social growth involving local communities: among the various activities of Brasil Proximo there is the assistance to various levels of Government for the promotion of the park, but also the training of local tourist guides.

Info

ORIGINAL NAME OF THE PROJECT Brasil Proximo
AREAS INTERESTED BY THE PROJECT Brazil
BENEFICIARIES 

Central and decentralized Brazilian Institutions;

Cooperatives and local authorities that are involved;

Local Population.
LOCAL PARTNERS

Federal Government (Presidency of the Republic and Ministry of Tourism),

ICMBio (Istituto Chico Mendes)
DATES OF THE PROJECT From May 2012 to October 2015