The Senate approved this Wednesday (31) a bill that changes the boundaries of the Serra dos Órgãos National Park, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, excluding areas that are currently exploited by rural producers from the unit.
The proposal, on the other hand, adds an area of still native and intact vegetation to the limits of the so-called Parnassus. With this, the park now has an area of 19,855 hectares – the original size was 20,024 protected hectares.
The bill was passed symbolically by the senators. As had already been processed by the Chamber of Deputies, it goes straight to the sanction of President Jair Bolsonaro (PL).
The measure comes three weeks after the Senate approved a proposal that reduced the boundaries of the Brasília National Forest by 3,700 hectares, excluding areas currently occupied by needy communities.
Regarding the alteration of the limits of the Serra dos Órgãos National Park, Senator Jaques Wagner (PT-BA) requested that the bill be analyzed by the House Environment Committee. The request was not considered.
Parnaso currently covers part of the Rio de Janeiro municipalities of Teresópolis, Petrópolis, Magé and Guapimirim. It is the third oldest national park in the country.
The proposal approved by the senators removes from the limits of the park areas that are currently occupied by rural producers from Vale do Bonfim, in Petrópolis, and by the urbanized neighborhood of Barreira, in Guapimirim. These residents will now be able to have their occupation titles recognized.
The author of the proposal, deputy Hugo Leal (PSD-RJ), argued that these areas are already “uncharacterized” by agricultural use, dating back to before the creation of the national park, in 1939.
These areas, according to the text, are no longer part of Parnaso and become part of the Environmental Protection Area of the Serrana Region of Petrópolis.
The text also declares other areas of public utility, with still native vegetation, to be integrated into the Serra dos Órgãos National Park.
“The main objective of the proposal is, therefore, to establish limits that exclude uses that conflict with the purpose of the conservation unit, in areas occupied by rural producers”, said the rapporteur of the proposal in the Senate, the government leader Carlos Portinho (PL- RJ).
The senator stated that ICMBio —which manages the national parks— was consulted and expressed itself positively to the proposal.
“ICMBio sent a map, showing the areas that were added, the areas that were excluded, to a lesser extent, and, with that, I think we give Parnaso, the Serra dos Órgãos National Park, the best solution, including ending eight-decade conflict,” he added.
