Mickhale Green
Brazil is one of the world’s largest producers of Eucalyptus pulp, which primarily is harvested in large monoculture plantations and used to make paper and tissue. These Eucalyptus plantations border indigenous reserves, small landholders, and quilombolas which are protected historical settlements of runaway slaves. In the areas surrounding company held lands, there is intense conflict between the various groups. In some cases, these conflicts are specific to the land use and practices of the forestry companies operating in the region such as their use of monocultures and excessive water consumption and in other cases they are indicative of larger debates in Brazil. Since much of the arable land is held by private companies, individuals and communities in the area often have to steal or illegally harvest timber or eucalyptus pulp for survival. These thefts have led to violent interactions between community members and forestry companies or frequent arrests. In response some companies have launched social programs to improve relationships with the communities. This project explores the communities perceptions of these programs.