rppn vicintin
It was defined as a RPPN (Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural – Private Natural Heritage Reserve), a private area to be actively protected by its owner perpetually; an area of significant importance due to its biodiversity or landscape or otherwise due to other environmental features that would somehow justify this classification.
Since 2006, Rima Industrial S/A has taken important steps forward in the preservation of the Januária Region Ecosystem, one of the most destitute in the state of Minas Gerais.
RIMA INDUSTRIAL S/A transformed around 15.870,65 hectares of land into a RPPN (Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural – Private Natural Heritage Reserve) which is now called RPPN Alessandra Bello Vicintin, considered the largest RPPN in the state of Minas Gerais.
The region where the RPPN is located encompasses a sensitive ecosystem: the veredas - a typical cerrado environment located near river sources that functions as drainage paths that contribute to the health and regularity of water flows as they function as very important drainage basins that replenish rivers flowing into São Francisco rivers initial and middle regions.
Since the creation of the RPPN, several measures have been taken in order to maintain the RPPN, such as: firebreaks around the reserve; training firefighters and voluntaries on how to prevent and extinguish wildfires; conducting an environmental education program in the schools of local communities and lectures on controlled fires to a rural producer organization. The RPPN is starting to develop social programs in partnership with the local communities for the rational and sustainable use of the land.
Part of the RPPN is located in an Environmental Preservation Area (Área de Preservação Ambiental - APA) – the Pandeiros River APA, more specifically a sustainable-use APA created under the provisions of Statute 11.901 of 01/Sep/1995 whereas 393,060 hectares of land encompassing the entire drainage basin of Pandeiros River, included in the cities of Januária, Bonito de Minas and Cônego Marinho, northern Minas Gerais.
The purpose of the Pandeiros River APA - which is defined as a sustainable-use preservation unit – is to harmoniously balance nature preservation with the sustainable use of part of its water resources while protecting the biological diversity in its lakes, streams, waterfalls, veredas and the only swamp of the state, because the Pandeiros River and its swamp are considered the “source of the São Francisco”, responsible for 70% of the natural fish breeding in the São Francisco River. Therefore the Pandeiros River, part of the São Francisco River basin (middle region), is an important tributary at the left margin of São Francisco, and its health and existence depend of the veredas supporting it.
The RPPN Alessandra Bello Vicintin is located in the city of Januária region, Pandeiros River sub-basin, with a significantly relevant ecosystem due to its environmental importance to the entire middle São Franscisco basin region. RPPN Alessandra Belo Vicintin is located between the coordinates: 15°29′13′′ and 15°14′47′′ south latitude and 45°13′38′′ and 44°57′45′′ west longitude.
The RPPN is located in the cerrado (Brazilian savanna) region, which is the most predominant vegetation in the state of Minas Gerais.
The diversity of the fauna in the Brazilian Cerrado makes it a priority area for the conservation of life according to the World Wildlife Foundation – WWF.
Rich and diverse avifauna including psittaciformes, falconiformes, tinamiformes, galliformes, among others.