Group seeks to create the Itacaiúnas Basin Committee

A working group of environmentalists, public agencies, universities, civil society sectors, non-governmental organizations and indigenous communities gathered this morning (January 18) at the Chico Mendes Institute of Biodiversity Conservation Office - ICMBio, concerned With the preservation and recovery of the Itacaiúnas River, whose purpose is to create the Itacaiúnas River Basin Committee and articulate the holding of a large Seminar in mid-March 2017.

The Itacaiúnas river is born in the Serra da Seringa in the municipality of Água Azul do Norte. It is formed by the junction of the Água Preta and Azul river and flows into the left bank of the Tocantins river in Marabá. Considered as a State river, it is 390 km long and has a basin area of ​​42 thousand square kilometers. Its tributaries include Madeira, Parauapebas River, Oneã River, Red River, Aquiri River, Tapirapé River, Sororó River and Preto River.

As a result of intense devastation of the forest, of riparian forests and even the pollution that is thrown into bed, it is suffering and runs the risk of dying. The Itacaiúnas was already very important for the municipality of Marabá, mainly because it sheltered in its immense chestnut banks and reserve of rubber, a kind of latex that was used in the past in medicine.

The group of activists in their discussions approached capital points of human survival, as the end of the river will greatly affect agricultural production and livestock and has already affected fish farming, it was recalled that the city is no longer the largest producer of Brazil nuts, or fish. Hence, the reason for creating protective measures.

The discussion went through strategies for holding the plenary later this month, convening authorities and experts, riverine people, fishermen, indigenous communities, to make a strong impact and raise awareness about what the river represents for life, and water that We need, as well as animals, to live and the river Itacaiúnas can not dry.

The theme of preservation of the Itacaiúnas river has been gaining ground, an expedition carried out in October 2015 by the Marabá House Culture Foundation led by biologist Noé von Atzingen found that the river is drying up and in some places, as seen in the expedition, there are points Completely dry and in others the river was covered on foot for a 10 km stretch with very little water. In addition to deforestation, there was a great deal of sedimentation and reduction of rainfall in the region as contributors, besides the action of man to worsen the situation.

Green Ciranda Project

The Green Ciranda Project is a popular initiative, a work of a group idealized by André Vianello who has already mobilized hundreds of supporters throughout the local society. The project brings together the work of volunteers and public power, with enormous international visibility launched this year a video documentary S.O.S. Itacaiúnas, with images and testimonies of riverine and fishermen affected with the decrease of the fish and with the pollution that the man has been throwing in the bed of the river. The documentary can be seen on the blog: http://projetocirandaverdemaraba.blogspot.com.br/2017/01/assista-ao-filme-sos-rio-itacaiunas.html and, I say more, here begins a journey of protection, preservation Of Itacaiúnas river and has already started, the expected result will be the rescue and maintenance of the life of the river that has a meaning for me, life.

The river and ecotourism

We will talk a little about ecotourism activities, in fact from cities that have already explored and developed greater ecological awareness. Difficult not to remember Bonito - MS, with activities of ecotourism and adventure tourism, bathe, dive with equipment and see a huge variety of fish, meet caves and waterfalls and a whole natural green scenery and divine beauties, a blessed place. And the way it is explored is something else, since Bonito is considered one of the most sustainable destinations in the world. What about Lençóis Maranhenses -MA where people visit to see the dunes and lagoons that form with rainwater and a wonderful scenery? It was once the scenario for TV Globo novels. And of the city of Brotas in the interior of São Paulo that has in the river Jacaré Pepira numerous tourist attractions. Anyway, let's just stick with these few examples to not stretch too long.