Institutional Change and Its Impact on Conservation Units

Objective: This study seeks to analyze, from a historical perspective, how institutional changes in the Brazilian forestry sector impacted the Tapajós National Forest, with the aim of verifying whether they acted as an incentive or restriction to community forest management. Theoretical Framework: The theoretical starting point is the new institutional economics, especially the analytical categories institutions, environment and institutional change by Douglas North and common access resources by Elinor Ostrom. Method: This is a research with a qualitative approach focused on carrying out a case study whose data and information were collected from bibliographic and documentary sources, complemented by in-depth interviews conducted with the main leaders of community organizations in the Tapajós National Forest. Results and Discussion: The results indicate that some institutional changes were fundamental as an incentive for the creation of a community business for the practice of forest management in the Conservation Unit studied. The results also indicate that other constituent elements of the place, such as collective action, interact positively with institutional changes. Research Implications: The results can support the development of public policies aimed at promoting productive activities in Conservation Units, as they elucidate, based on the case study carried out, the fundamental elements for successful practices. Originality/Value: The institutional focus of the research is innovative and sheds light on elements that often go unnoticed in analyses of community businesses, focused on social, economic and environmental aspects.