Meio Ambiente

The area of natural forests, deforestation rates and characteristics of biomes are some of the information gathered in the book Forests of Brazil at a glance, published by the Brazilian Forest Service. The publication, with nearly 60 tables and 20 maps, is available for download in the website www.florestal.gov.br, in Portuguese and in English.

The book provides an overview of the forestry sector in Brazil. It begins with the explanation of basic concepts and shows the importance of the forest wealth to the country. There are also explanations on the forest management and the role of federal agencies, such as MMA, Forest Service, IBAMA and ICMBio.

Regarding the market, the book shows that the forest-based sector generates approximately US$ 37 billion and is responsible for about 3.5% of the GDP.

Countries such as Australia, Finland, Chile, United States and Canada have already published this kind of book. According to the general-director of the Brazilian Forest Service, Antônio Carlos Hummel, it will be of great benefit to all those interested in conservation and management of forest resources in Brazil.