Rio Madeira Sustainable Development Reserve

The Rio Madeira Sustainable Development Reserve is divided between the municipalities of Manicoré (15.22%), Borba (46.1%) and Novo Aripuanã (38.68%) in the state of Amazonas. It has an area of 283,117 hectares (699,600 acres).^[1] The reserve is contiguous to other conservation units that make up the Matupiri-Igapó Açu mosaic.^[2] The reserve extends along the left (northwest) bank of the Madeira River. The town of Novo Aripuanã on the right bank is opposite the centre of the reserve. It adjoins the Matupiri State Park to the north of the western section, and the Matupiri Sustainable Development Reserve to the north of the eastern section. It is bounded to the east by the Arary Indigenous Territory.^[3]

The reserve is drained by the "white water" Madeira River, which flows from Porto Velho in the state of Rondônia to the Amazon River below Manaus in Amazonas.^[2] The vegetation of the Madeira-Purus interfluvial, in which the reserve is located, is of great importance for conserving biodiversity, with endemic species that are potentially vulnerable to anthropogenic threats, particularly birds. The varied environments include campinas and campinaranas, which conserve a variety of species of flora and fauna and are refuges of the Pleistocene. Vegetation in the reserve includes dense lowland rainforest with emergent canopy and alluvial forests along the streams.^[2]

The reserve has 25 communities with about 480 families. The traditional populations are descendants of rubber tappers. The main economic activity is agriculture, with bananas being the main commercial crop, and Brazil nuts also gathered for sale. Other possible economic resources include timber, copaiba and cumara. The area has high potential for ecotourism.^[2]