1. Protection
The first objective is to protect the forest from further damage. REGUA employs
five Forest Rangers who continuously patrol the reserve, maintain the network of
trails and accompany the visitors on their walks. They were recruited from local
hunters and are the first line of defence against poaching, erosion and habitat
destruction. Rangers are an effective and efficient way to protect the reserve and
their presence has virtually eliminated local hunting.
2. Biodiversity monitoring and inventory
REGUA is home to approximately 420 species of birds of which 120 species are
endemic to the coastal Atlantic Rain Forest biome. As yet little is known about
REGUA’s other fauna and flora so there are projects underway to create a comprehensive
inventory using simple, inexpensive field methods such as: pit falls, camera traps,
mist nets, transects and direct observation. Special attention is given to the larger
mammals in the Reserve such as the Woolly Spider Monkey - South America’s biggest
primate- and the large wild cat - the Puma. A regular monitoring programme is being
established to learn more about the distribution and abundance of some of the species found.
3. Habitat Restoration and Species Reintroduction
The São José farm at REGUA once held a large lowland wetland with rare species of trees,
orchids and bromeliads. It was cut, drained and turned into pasture thirty years ago.
REGUA wants to restore this special vegetation type and the surrounding 60 hectares of
degenerated pasture and use it as an educational tool for primary schools and universities.
Its objective is to serve as a demonstration project for the general public to be introduced
to the environment, understand their relationship to the environment and finally learn to
care for the environment.
REGUA has created a nursery from seeds collected locally and these provide the seedlings for its reforestation programme, planting over 50 different hardwood and pioneer species. REGUA has already planted over 8,000 trees in 2005 and is looking at planting a further 8,500 trees next year.
REGUA is also keen to reintroduce some of the species that have been lost due to hunting. Plans are already in progress to reintroduce the Red-billed Currasow, the Black-fronted Piping Guan and 3 species of tinamous. Reintroductions of some mammals such as Golden-lion Tamarin, Red Brocket Deer and even Tapir might be possible when we can be certain that a large enough area is secure from hunting.
Golden Lion Tamarins are amongst the world's most endangered New World primates. There are four species (Golden Lion Tamarin, Black Lion Tamarin, Golden-headed Lion Tamarin and the Black-faced Tamarin). Their populations have crashed as development of the Atlantic Rainforest has increased, and if it were not for the conservation efforts of various mammalogists (notably Anthony Rylands and Devra Kleiman), these beautiful species would have become extinct. Now REGUA is assisting the Primatology Centre in their conservation. Golden Lion Tamarins are kept at the nearby Primatology Centre and REGUA has the potential to be a release site in the future.
In recent years two wetland areas (90,000sqm) have been created on former agricultural holdings around the farmstead, in easy reach of the accommodation. These lowland wetlands are already attracting a variety of waterfowl and caiman. Common birds include Cattle Egrets, Night Heron, Jacanas, Least Grebe and Brazilian Teal.
Plans are underway to re-establish the Red-billed Curassow (Crax blumenbachii) on the reserve. This is a Brazilian endemic species whose populations have plummeted with the loss of the Atlantic Rainforest. It is thought that there are fewer than 650 individuals left; it is just hanging on in the lowland forests of Espirito Santo. The Red-billed Currasow was declared 'Endangered' by the IUCN throughout its entire range on December 02, 1970. Recovery Plans, Special Rules and Habitat Conservation Plans have been drawn up by IBAMA
4. Education
To be effective in conservation it is important to raise people’s awareness on the importance
of the natural environment and their dependence on it. The REGUA "Schools project" aims to introduce the
Extra Curricular Parameters of the Ministry of Education at 7 schools around the reserve with a
total of 800 pupils. These parameters cover a wide range of interrelated issues such as: health,
ethics, cultural diversity, sexual orientation, consumerism, labour and the environment.
The project is currently being successfully implemented in close collaboration with the
municipal authorities. REGUA has also involved youngsters in a new exciting project called
Young Rangers. This project enables local children to learn the basic environmental principles
and responsibities which they can take home to encourage their friends and families to understand
the threatened nature of the surrounding rain forest. The results obtained so far have brought
down hunting and the quantity of caged birds and will hopefully provide future rangers and other employees.
Agenda 21 is a policy to protect the environment. It was born out of an international meeting of governments in Rio do Janeiro in 1992 to protect the world's environment. The concern at the time was global warming, habitat loss and the effects of the ozone layer. Each country decided to apply the legislation locally, thus the Local Agenda 21. The initiative has been grasped at R.E.G.U.A. by working with the local community on projects to conserve the rainforest, and both children and adults have been involved with the programme. Here are 3 current projects:
Community program
REGUA is actively involved with the revitalization of community associations around the Reserve.
Organized communities are better able to increase their quality of life. Higher quality of life
leads to better protection of natural resources including biodiversity. The program also
facilitates communication between REGUA and the surrounding communities. It gives REGUA a
tool to raise awareness amongst adults about the importance of protecting nature and aids in
the control of hunting.
School Project
One of REGUA’s most important long term programs is raising awareness amongst young people and
informing them about the environmental crisis that humanity is currently facing. The School
Project helps young people understand underlying issues such as: exponential population growth;
increasing consumerism and the growing disparity between rich and poor.
Young Ranger
The Young Ranger project is an extension of the School project and intensively accompanies a
selected group of adolescents. The Young Rangers are volunteers involved in the day to day
activities of REGUA such as: monitoring the Reserve, planting trees and maintaining its trail
system. They also assist in research activities in the Reserve. In return they receive education
in environmental issues and training in skills that increase their career possibilities. The
long term objective of this project is to create a group of future community leaders that are
able and aware