Reservas Extrativistas na Amazônia Brasileira

The Reserva Extrativista (Gatherer Reserve) is a category of protected area under the National System of Nature Conservation Units (SNUC), widely employed in the Brazilian Amazon, with seventy-seven units totaling approximately 147,464 km² — an area larger than that of England, for instance. After more than three decades of existence, crises and conflicts have emerged in the public agenda and political discourse, notably the increase in deforestation and cattle ranching, as well as challenges such as the low level of implementation and inconsistencies with the original concept-project. Despite these problems, the Reserva Extrativista remain an important instrument for territorial planning in the Amazon. In this context, this essay proposes a research agenda to support the adaptive management of the Reserves. The methodology is based on a narrative literature review and the author's long-term experience. The results point to a path for Reservas Extrativistas to reach their potential for societal innovation, as envisioned by the rubber tapper movement.