Participatory monitoring of subsistence hunting in the extractive Reserve Tapajós Arapiuns/PA: pathways to effective social participation

Abstract

Conservation initiatives that can balance the
direct use of the forest, species conservation and local development are fundamental. Participatory monitoring
stands out as tool for bringing these different goals together. In this paper we describe the process used to build a monitoring protocol for subsistence hunting in the Extractive Reserve (RESEX) Tapajós-Arapiuns, BrazilianAmazon, including its evaluation and return to local people. The protocol was underpinned by the guidelines created for the National Biodiversity Monitoring Programme of ICMBio (Monitora) and involved over 1600 participations. The program was divided into two protocols, (I) evaluation of the game population status and (II) evaluation of the hunting pressure. Two monitoring courses were realized, in which 70 people participated and 34 of those became biodiversity monitors. The protocols were implemented in nine communities in 2015, yet eight carried out data collection for more than one year. In 2016, the first workshops were realized to deliver the data and evaluate the monitoring process. It was verified that, although the monitoring was implemented in eight communities, some community members were facing doubts about the participatory process and not clearly understood the importance of the biodiversity monitoring of subsistence hunting programme. It is clear, therefore, that for the program to be internalized among communities, it needs to become a long-term policy. However, the monitoring of subsistence hunting faces challenges that go beyond
those commonly found in social participation programs. A lack of clear legislation and legal certainty for
those who manage and practice subsistence hunting is a major barrier with the environmental agencies seeking management, a fundamental step, therefore, to put into practice effective management strategies
and conservation initiatives.