Private reserves in Brazil: Distribution patterns, logistical challenges, and conservation contributions

Traditional strategies to stem declines in biodiversity include the establishment of public protected area networks. However, private lands are an increasingly important component of contemporary reserve networks. Despite the increasing recognition of the value of private lands for conservation little is known about these areas. Consequently, this study aimed to re-evaluate the changes in private reserves in Brazil since 2005. Brazil’s private reserve system is represented by 1182 reserves, recognized under federal law and created to protect nature in perpetuity. These reserves protect 7502 km2 of land and are distributed across seven terrestrial biomes. This is an overall increase of 35% in the number of reserves (n = 753) and 3265 km2 of protected land (<0.05% of Brazilian terrestrial extent) since 2005. Forty-eight percent of the reserves (n = 572) are each smaller than 0.5 km2. While 749 (67%) of all private reserves (n = 1,182) are located in the Atlantic Forest biome, 38% of the overall area protected under the private reserve system is in the Pantanal biome, which has only 10 reserves. For landowners, the establishment of these reserves is a costly and bureaucratic process. Few economic incentives to establish reserves are available and comprise mostly tax breaks and funding from NGOs to assist with the establishment and management activities. The private reserve network provides valuable contributions to watershed and species conservation in Brazil, despite their limited size and challenges to create and manage these areas. Greater funding opportunities to landowners can be a catalyst for the establishment of reserves beyond the Atlantic Forest biome.