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The Nature Conservancy in Africa - Conservation in Africa

The Nature Conservancy in Asia Pacific - Conservation in Asia-Pacific

The Nature Conservancy in the Caribbean - Conservation in the Caribbean

The Nature Conservancy in Central America - Conservation in Central America

The Nature Conservancy in North America - Conservation in North America

The Nature Conservancy in the United States - Conservation in the United States

The Nature Conservancy in South America - Conservation in South America

New Agreement to Protect the Pantanal

curizal Ranch is located in the most flooded area of the Brazilian Pantanal, where 98% is water. Thi
Acurizal Ranch in Brazil´s Pantanal is 98% water.
© Scott S. Warren

Farmers and government officials have banded together to protect nearly 2.5 million acres around the Pantanal, the world's largest freshwater wetland.

In an historic agreement on November 22, 2005, farmers will open their lands to researchers. According to Brazilian law, landowners must protect between 20 and 35 percent of their lands. Thus far, enforcement of the law has been lax, largely due to the challenges in monitoring such an immense landscape. Using global positioning devices, Conservancy scientists will map farms and determine whether landowners have set aside enough lands. If not, they will need to protect more land. In exchange for their cooperation, farm owners will not be fined.

As farmers comply with the law, they are expected to protect millions of acres on their farms and elsewhere in ecologically sensitive places. Work being done by the Conservancy is helping identify the best places for conservation action in the region, which includes three watersheds—the Cuiabá and São Lourenço River basins in Mato Grosso state and the Taquari River basin in Mato Grosso do Sul state. A new database will help scientists determine where to conserve, where to produce crops, where to form wildlife corridors and where to regenerate native plant life. The database contains satellite images, information about the land, including where protected lands are located, and ownership information.