Adalberto Verissimo

Adalberto has been convinced, since the mid 1980s, that, in order to save the Amazon, there must be a sensible and sustainable plan to develop it. By combining applied research and win-win negotiations among rival groups Adalberto’s initiatives have led to: the sustainable management and development of 5 million hectares of forests; the protection of 25 million hectares of the Amazons through the first ever 2006 Law of National Forest Preserves; and the development of a satellite monitoring system of the Amazon which he has transformed into an Amazon Health Index, similar to a stock exchange Dow Jones index to track trends in the health of the Amazon every couple of days.

The future of the Amazon has been a highly debated topic for the past two decades. On the one side, it has been exploited and deforested by landowners who see fortunes to be made. On the other hand, environmentalists have tried to block any and all development in the Amazon in order to preserve it as much as possible in a pristine condition. In contrast, Adalberto, for twenty years, has pioneered a different way to look at, understand and develop the Amazon in a sustainable way. He has been guided by the deep conviction that the local production of scientific knowledge, coupled with field experience and a deep understanding of the context within which a variety of actors are acting, are necessary for the creation of viable alternatives for sustainable development in the Amazon. Adalberto has achieved extraordinary success by using IMAZON (Amazon Institute of People and the Environment), which he founded in 1990, to carry out four innovative and interrelated programs. His first pilot program in 1990 on 250 hectares introduced the field of Forest Management, showing that forests could be managed in a sustainable and profitable manner without devastating them. His approach is now practiced in over 5 million hectares of the Amazon, and plans to reach 12 million by 2012. Adalberto also fought to protect some lands from development by scientifically proving and promoting the concept that 20 percent of the Amazon should be protected, 40 percent can be managed sustainably and 40 percent can be developed. This work culminated in the government passing in 2006 the first Federal Law of Forest Management which he fought for during fifteen years. Moreover, through IMAZON's efforts, the government designated 25 million hectares as a National Forest Reserve (an area equivalent to five times the size of Costa Rica). Finally, through the Forest Transparency program, he has developed a satellite imaging system, which has allowed him to develop an index monitoring the health of the Amazon environment similarly to a stock exchange index. This indicator allows citizens, the government and the private sector to see on a monthly basis whether the Amazon is getting healthier or more endangered. IMAZON and Google are now developing an improved version of this technology: Google Forest; which in two years will make the real-time monitoring of deforestation accessible to people the world over. Thanks to his success in fostering and strengthening dialogue between the government, the citizen sector and the business sector, Adalberto has brought national and international recognition to the concept of Forest Management. He aims to create a new economic model for the region, combining the conservation of 70 percent of the Amazon, with a productive economy and social development.