The government of Brazil, along with a wide coalition of partners, has launched ARPA Comunidades (ARPA Communities), a major new initiative aimed at strengthening community-led conservation across the Brazilian Amazon. Over the next 15 years, the program will support more than 130,000 people and help reduce deforestation pressure in 60 sustainable-use protected areas covering 58.6 million acres—an area twice the size of Ohio. The initiative positions community leadership and sustainable livelihoods as central to the long-term protection of the Amazon rainforest.
ARPA Comunidades builds on the two-decade legacy of the Amazon Region Protected Areas (ARPA) program, the world’s largest tropical forest conservation effort. ARPA has already created nearly 67 million acres of protected areas, improved management across 120 sites, and avoided an estimated 104 million tons of CO₂ emissions. The new phase will add 7.4 million additional acres of protected areas while strengthening biodiversity conservation, improving natural resource management, and helping reduce ongoing deforestation.
Brazilian Environment Minister Marina Silva emphasized that traditional peoples and communities—whose cultural knowledge and forest stewardship span generations—are fundamental to combating climate change. She noted that ARPA Comunidades will strengthen community organizations, expand access to energy and connectivity, and generate sustainable income based on socio-bioeconomic value chains. This approach reflects a broader effort to co-design public policies that honor and support the people safeguarding Brazil’s ecosystems.
The initiative is backed by a broad network of international donors, foundations, and development partners working closely with the Brazilian government, FUNBIO, and WWF. Through this collaboration, ARPA Comunidades aims to expand sustainable economic opportunities, strengthen local governance, and ensure that communities have a leading voice in decision-making that affects their territories and livelihoods. Strengthened community organizations will also help increase access to public services, support economic rights, promote food security, and empower local stewardship.
Socio-bioeconomy production within ARPA’s sustainable-use areas has significant potential to enhance incomes while conserving forests and freshwater ecosystems. These nature-based activities are projected to generate $95–$132 million annually for community members and could lift up to 100,000 people out of poverty. Community leaders, such as the president of the National Council of Extractivist Populations, described ARPA Comunidades as a transformative governance model that elevates local voices and strengthens sustainable extractive production while protecting the Amazon.
Conservation organizations and financial partners emphasized that the initiative marks a decisive moment in safeguarding the Amazon at a critical ecological tipping point. Leaders from WWF-Brazil, FUNBIO, and several global institutions underscored that long-term conservation succeeds only when local communities thrive. They highlighted ARPA Comunidades as a model that unites environmental protection with inclusive development, positioning Brazil as a global leader in climate and biodiversity action.
ARPA Comunidades is anchored in the Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) model, which secures long-term policies and funding in a single agreement to guarantee stable management and durable conservation outcomes. The program is supported by a $120 million, 15-year donor sinking fund managed by FUNBIO. Partners noted that this model ensures protected areas are sustainably financed and benefit the communities who depend on them.
The initiative forms part of a growing global movement of PFP conservation projects supported by the Enduring Earth partnership. With the addition of ARPA Comunidades, PFP efforts have contributed to the lasting conservation of 518 million acres of lands and waters worldwide. Leaders across institutions affirmed that the success of such conservation efforts is driven by local leadership, community participation, and stewardship that safeguard biodiversity while expanding economic opportunity.
ARPA Comunidades marks a major milestone in Amazon conservation by integrating community well-being, environmental protection, and long-term financial stability. The initiative is expected to shape the future of conservation in Brazil and serve as a replicable model for countries seeking to align forest protection with sustainable community development.
