Residents of the Rio Preto-Jacundá Extractive Reserve are already applying the knowledge acquired during the Botanical Identification Course to improve flora monitoring and support low-impact forest management.
As presented in our previous article about the Botanical Identification Course, the initiative was designed to strengthen the technical capacity of members of ASMOREX (Association of Residents of the Rio Preto-Jacundá Extractive Reserve), where the RESEX Jacundá REDD+ Project is developed.
Created in response to the needs identified by community members engaged in sustainable forest management, the course is already generating practical results. Participants have begun applying the techniques learned to identify native plant species, monitor biodiversity and support forest conservation activities throughout the Reserve.
“This course is extremely important, especially for our community. Those of us working with forest management and restoration often face challenges in botanical identification because of the enormous biodiversity found here. For me, as a graduate student, the greatest value is learning how to correctly identify species and generate reliable data that represent the Western Amazon, which is the focus of my research.”
Ariane Cristina, Forest Engineer
According to Erisson Medeiros, collaborator at the New York Botanical Garden, the main objective of the course was to provide participants with the skills required to collect botanical samples, identify species correctly and, whenever necessary, access technical networks capable of confirming species identification with scientific accuracy.
“Before, we identified trees mainly by their bark. Now we can also recognize them through their flowers and leaves. This knowledge will make a real difference because I recently started working with botany, and this course has given me much more confidence.”
Ludbre de Oliveira, ASMOREX resident
Watch the participants’ testimonials
Hear directly from community members and project partners about how the Botanical Identification Course is strengthening local capacity for biodiversity monitoring and sustainable forest management.
Knowledge that strengthens forest conservation
The RESEX Jacundá REDD+ Project is the first REDD+ initiative developed within a state conservation unit in Rondônia and remains the only project of its kind operating under both Verra VCS and Climate, Community & Biodiversity Standards (CCBS) certification.
Developed through a partnership between Biofílica and ASMOREX, the project demonstrates how forest conservation can be combined with community development. Alongside REDD+ activities, residents practice low-impact forest management while generating income through sustainable forest products and environmental services.
Initiatives such as the Botanical Identification Course reinforce this long-term strategy by providing practical knowledge that enables residents to monitor biodiversity more effectively, improve forest management practices and reduce pressure on native vegetation. When communities have opportunities to prosper while remaining in the forest, conservation becomes an integral part of local development.
Biofílica also acknowledges the collaboration of all organizations that contributed to making this initiative possible, including ASMOREX, CES Rioterra, UNIR (Federal University of Rondônia) and the New York Botanical Garden.
Discover how the RESEX Jacundá REDD+ Project combines forest conservation, biodiversity monitoring and community development while generating high-integrity carbon credits.
