The Forests of Brazil: Beyond the Criticism of Deforestation

World Forestry Center Speaker Will Talk About
The Forests of Brazil: Beyond the Criticism of Deforestation

Aline Guerrieri Moreira, a Fellow at the World Forestry Center’s World Forest Institute (WFI), will speak on sustainability issues of her home country, Brazil. The presentation will be from 4-5pm in the Mt. Hood Room of the World Forestry Center Discovery Museum on Wednesday, December 9 . Admission is free with advance RSVP to cbennett@worldforestry.org 503-488-2137, or $8 at the door. The Discovery Museum is located in Portland’s Washington Park.

Aline Guerrieri Moreira will present a talk about the complexities of sustainability in Brazil, a country well known for its natural resource richness and its rapid economic growth, but also for its stark contrast between rich and poor. Moreira has a Social Science degree from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, and a Master in Sustainable Resource Management from the Technical University of Munich, in Germany. Her experience in social work in the slums of Brazil, coupled with her natural resource background, gives her unique insight into the challenges facing Brazil, as it struggles to mitigate deforestation while also raising living standards for impoverished communities. Brazil has long been a target of international criticism about deforestation of the Amazon, but as Moreira will explain, there is far more to forests than just the Amazon, and sustainability is not just about saving trees.

In 1989, the World Forestry Center established the World Forest Institute, to meet a growing demand for forestry information. As the forestry sector becomes increasingly complex, there is a greater need for international collaboration and exchange of information on forest trade, regulation, management, and forest resources. In response, WFI created the International Fellowship Program that brings forestry and forest products professionals from around the world to work at the World Forest Institute for 6 to 12 months. Over 80 Fellows from 25 countries have participated in the program. Fellows arrive with a major research proposal developed in conjunction with his/her sponsor. Research projects may involve information gathering, interviewing, visiting other organizations, or planning a conference. Fellows typically summarize their projects in a report published by the World Forest Institute.

The World Forestry Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization whose mission is to "educate and inform people about the world's forests and trees, and environmental sustainability." The Center owns and operates the Discovery Museum located in Portland's Washington Park, Magness Memorial Tree Farm demonstration forest located near Wilsonville, and the World Forest Institute, an international fellowship program. For more information, visit www.worldforestry.org or 503-228-1367.