Challenges in the conservation and management of legal reserve areas in Brazilian grassland and savanna ecosystems in the face of global climate change

Abstract

Legal reserve areas (ARLs) are a fundamental part of Brazil's conservation strategy, along with permanent preservation areas. ARLs are designed to maintain biodiversity and can be managed sustainably. When these areas are home to fire- and grazing-dependent ecosystems, such as native grasslands and savannas, appropriate management practices must be adopted to conserve them and cope with the effects of global climate change. However, this subject is still little discussed in Brazil, and public policies are unclear in this regard. This review article describes the grassland and savannah ecosystems in Brazil, the legal aspects related to the management of ARLs, current and future climate scenarios, and the relationship between climate and fire risk. It also presents a review of the use of fire and grazing in grassland and savannah ecosystems, the legal challenges related to their application in ARLs and the use of geotechnologies in monitoring these practices. It concludes that grazing and fire, as management tools, are appropriate for the functions of ARLs, provided that they are practiced according to legal and scientifically based standards to avoid the negative effects of their misuse.