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Brazilian president signs decree
to promote sustainable logging
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio
Lula da Silva signed a decree on
Thursday to set up the Brazilian
Forestry Service and the
National Forest Development Fund
aimed at promoting sustainable
logging of state-owned forests.
According to a new law approved
by Congress in February, the
government will offer 40-year
contracts allowing the highest
bidder to log trees under a
sustainable development plan.
Legislative approval is needed
for forests of more than 2,500
hectares, but the government can
license small and medium-sized
forests.
The law is intended to halt
illegal forest sales, Lula said.
Twenty percent of profits from
sales will go to the Brazilian
Forestry Service. Of the
remaining profits, 30 percent
will be allocated to state
governments, 30 percent to
municipal governments, and the
remainder to the forest
development fund.
Environment Minister Marina
Silva and National Integration
Minister Ciro Gomes attended the
signing ceremony at the Planalto
Palace which houses the
government.
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