The Caiman Ecological Refuge (CER) is a company committed to the Socio-Environmental Responsibility and Sustainable Development. For this reason, over the years CER has been developing projects and partnerships of great importance to the world's largest flooded area, the Pantanal.
Accordingly, one of the many examples of Caiman’s actions in favor of the environment was the creation of a private reserve within the property, with the intention of PERPETUATION. What does this mean? The reserve RPPN (Private Reserve of Natural Patrimony) Dona Aracy Klabin is a large portion of the property that was created to be protected forever.
It consists of an area of the native Pantanal that will be permanently protected by law, so even if CER’s owners change, they will be obliged by law to keep it protected. And although the reserve is considered a private area it is a Brazilian Natural Patrimony.
In the Pantanal, every single property must keep 20% of the total area as permanently protected. Such area is called Legal Reserve, but for CER THAT IS NOT ENOUGH, the company´s administration wants to protect and contribute more to the environment. Therefore, in addition to the 20% of the total 53,000 hectares of the Refuge designated as Legal Reserve, a new reserve area of 5,603 hectares called RPPN Dona Aracy Klabin was created.
Over 30% of the entire Caiman area is set aside as reserve. Besides the mentioned area there are other additional areas that remain untouchable with native vegetation. The CER’s RPPN is one of the largest reserves in the Pantanal and in Brazil. According to the National System of Conservation Units (SNUC) in Brazil, a RPPN is an area set up for environmental conservation. Scientific researches have been conducted for nearly 20 years in order to create the area, which as finally recognized by the Brazilian Government in 2004. The RPPN is protected by external actions and fire by fences and firebreaks, as well as manpower provided by CER.
Management and Environmental FeeRecently Caiman Ecological Refuge has accomplished a new project – the creation of the Division of Environmental Management of the company. One of its main purposes is to put in action the Management Plan of the RPPN and in the near future turn the RPPN into an example of conservation and preservation for Brazil, a source of scientific research production, a place for development of environmental education and an area for ecotourism based on the precepts of sustainable development.
Both the concern with the environment and the maintenance of the good health of the planet has already been included in the guidelines of large companies over the years and those ideas are spreading out through different communities and the CER is not different. Aiming to contribute to the conservation of our planet and the development of society, CER has major reserves on its property, develops recycling programs, offers training to the employees, such as security at work, first aid, fire fighting, ecotourism education, mechanics, cattle raising, and breaking of horses among other activities.
With a history of pioneering activities in cattle raising operation, ecotourism and environmental conservation, along with the desire to be always up to date with the environmental responsibilities, the Refuge has created an environmental fee for this wildlife paradise in the Pantanal. All visitors and guests will be charged a small contribution that will be turned into actions for the preservation, conservation, maintenance, visitation and research at one of the largest reserves (RPPNs) in the Pantanal.
RPPN Dona Aracy Klabin will be a great example for the environmental protection and it will be in the future transformed into an ecological and economically self-sustainable reserve. The year 2009 is the beginning of this undertaking and the fee will allow us to fund all of the new projects, which you can view here (link).
1 - Production of informative folders2 - Website update and information on the environment3 - A gift for you4 - Nomination of an Environmental Manager for RPPN/ CER5 - Creation of the Environmental Management Department6- Creation of a Visitors Center7 - Creation and construction of the Base and Office for the RPPNLectures on the activities and resultsCreation of a database (library) with information on the RPPNEmployees training on the standards for the tourism development of RPPN8 - Creation of a visitation program for schools and special groups9 - Distribution of a guest survey for opinions and suggestions10 - Creation of new access to water for fire fighting11 - Creation of dams for fire fighting12 - Creation of trails for ecotourism13 - Creation of an Environmental Monitoring Program14 - Purchase of environmental monitoring equipment15 - Purchase and maintenance of fight fire equipment16 - Maintenance of a RPPN automobile17 - Creation of a Research Program for the RPPN1 – Come to visit Caiman Lodge and get all the information from our environmental protection work. The environmental fee will sponsor all instituitional material such as banners and folders, disseminating all the actions for conservation of the protected area and future plans for the area.
2 – If you have already visited the CER or if you are interested, you can always check Caiman’s official website to get information on the RPPN status and latest news about the environment and ecology.
3 - When visiting the CER you will be surrounded by wildlife. You will be able to observe anteaters during a photo safari, walk in forests live with monkeys, paddle in canoes a few meters away from caimans, see Hyacinth Macaws flying above your head and YOU WILL HELP nature in a DIRECT way with your contribution - the Environmental Fee. Our main goal is to show our guests the wealth of wildlife in the Pantanal, offering the best guides service and the comfort and coziness of our Lodges sharing a great experience and unforgettable moments. We thank you for your contribution by offering a souvenir as a symbol of respect to the environment. By visiting the CER you will receive a gift, a button as a symbol of your contribution to the preservation of the Pantanal.
4 – Within a RPPN area it´s possible to develop scientific research, education activites and ecoturism once these activites are compatible with the protection of the area and follow the objectives of the Management Plan, which is a document approved by the Government to develop any kind of activity in the reserve. In order to develop and organize all of the activities: goals and plans concerning the monitoring of the environment, the ecotourism actions, research programs, the environmental education program, the social actions and to update the environmental management of the company, the CER is adding to its environmental team an Environmental Manager to its staff. With the creation of an Environmental Department, the organization and planning will be concentrate and optimize the actions providing better results in a short time. Through this new department the CER guests will be able to learn not just about the Reserve (RPPN) but also all about our actions to help the environment, such as recycling, the use of energy, sewage treatment, the research projects and future improvement plans.
5 - In the near future an interdisciplinary team will be formed to achieve the expectations and goals of both the company and the society. Research projects, internships, social and environmental actions and certificates are some of this team’s objective and the environmental fee will be one of the revenues to achieve them.
6 - Another attraction to the guests, sponsored by the environmental fee, will be the Visitation Center, a space that will exhibit the results of nature preservation, promoting the interaction between researcher and visitor and developing studies programs. This center will offer a conference room, where visitors of the lodge will be lectured on the latest achievements, internal and external events will take place in such space and it will be also an environmental education area to visitors and the community. The Visitation Center will lodge an Environmental Interpretation room, with CER’s mockup and animal samples, such as skeletons, feathers, hooves, skulls, amongst others.
7 – The Environmental Department Administration Office will be located in the same building and will be equipped with a library to organize all documentation.
8 - If your school is interested in learning about an environmental management project, reserves in the Pantanal area, our research projects, or simply enjoy our Ecological Lodge and learn how the CER helps to preserve the Pantanal, please contact us by e-mail or phone.
9 - When visiting the CER you will have the opportunity to share your oppinion on all of your experiences here, by giving suggestions, criticisms and compliments. We will make sure that all opinions will be considered in order to improve the quality of our services.
10 – Another benefit generated by the environmental fee will be the creation of paths for the efficient access to water inside the reserve. During the Pantanal’s dry season fires are very common and can be devastating, destroying vast areas. In case the fire gets close to the reserve, we will be prepared to assist and fight the fire in the surroundings. This is perhaps one of the most important and urgent actions to be taken by our administration in order to procted our the reserve.
11 - Fire protection is one of the most important and urgent actions for the Conservation Units of the Pantanal. In 2008, 20 thousand hectares of the RPPN Serra do Amolar (RPPN of Amolar Moutain Range) were consumed by a fire caused by lightning, and in CER several other small fires in the surrounding ranches were fought until the first rains started to fall. Therefore to increase the protection against fire in all Conservation Units is of great importance and the construction of dams to to guarantee water fro fire fighting is a must.
12 - The RPPN comprises a large area of the Pantanal, including closed dense forests, flooding and non flooding areas, open fields, ebbs, streams, gallery forests, and cordilheira forests among others. One of the activities available to guests will be a walking trail in the middle of the forest in the preserved areas. The environment fee will provide resources to build the walking trails so all that the visitors will be able to enjoy the incredible scenery.
13 - The research, ecotourism and fiscalization that will be developed in the RPPN area may cause some impact on the environment, so a program to monitor the environment to evaluate all activities and minimize any environmental impact that may occur will be created. Through the regular collection of information, such as physical and biological changes will feed us with information on the activities.
14 – Equipment to monitor the environment, such as GPS, barometer, ombrometer, thermometer, etc will be acquired. This activity will begin only after the construction of tracks, but will be of great importance to the welfare of the preserved area..
15 – As fires can be devastating during the dry season, equipments such as cushioned, protection clothing, masks, barrel car, and backpack-bomb among other items will be needed in order to fight them correctly.
16 – The environmental fee will be also important to the maintenance of motor vehicles responsible for the surveillance, environmental monitoring, zoning recognition and fire fighting.
17 - Aiming to make the RPPN a place of scientific studies, the environment fee will help us develop a research program, encouraging new researchers to come and do their work in RPPN, helping endangered and/or in risk of extinction species, and searching for a better solutions to reduce our impacts on nature and contribute to the ecotourism based on sustainable development.