Mobilizing South America’s NGOs for HCVA process

The Round Table on Responsible Soy aims to provide a global standard for Responsible Soy Production. The standard will contain a set of minimum-criteria which will help mainstream soy production towards better practices. Social and environmental issues are debated in the RTRS standard, of which biodiversity protection is one of the most prominent. A criterion that is currently included in the draft standard (to be finalized in May 2009) deals with High Conservation Value Areas (HCVAs). HCVAs are not only used in the standard for soy, but also for palm oil (Round Table Sustainable Palm Oil, RSPO) and biofuel (Roundtable Responsible Biofuel, RSB). HCVAs are also included in the FSC standard, from which the concept (started as High Conservation Forest Areas, HCFAs). The project will provide a kick-start to the actual mapping of HCVAs in a pilot project in the states of Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul and some regions in the Argentina Chaco. ICV proposes to organize a workshop between November 26th and 27th which will bring some south America’s NGOs together. The aim of the workshops will be to develop a common understanding on HCVAs, and the methodology that will be used. ICV also wants to define which NGO will be responsible for each region and define a working plan. Objectives of the workshops are: i) create a common understanding of the HCVA concept, ii) establish the conditions under which an HCVA identification process can take place that are acceptable to all stakeholders involved. Expected outputs of the seminar include: - Common understanding among the participants on the HCVA approach and on how to implement it in the context of the RTRS and other multi-stakeholder processes; - Proposal of a methodological approach, considering both technical and participation aspects, for the mapping of HCVA; - Tentative workplan for the mapping of HCVA in pilot areas in South America. These outputs will be integrated in seminar's report, to be written in portuguese and shared with all the participants. Organisations that are involved. ISA de BSB; ISA Canarana; ISA de SP; Neotropica Mato Grosso Sul; REPAN Mato Grosso Sul;ECOA Campo Grande Rafaela; TNC (de Brasilia); CI (Brasilia); WWf Brasilia; ICV Cuiaba; IPAM Brasilia; ICV Alta Floresta;FORMAD cuiaba; ANSA nordeste MT; OPAN; Superintendência de Biodiversidade SEMA – MT; Fundacao Ecologica Cristalino - alta floresta; Ecopanta - Mato grosso bioma pantanal; Fundacion Vida Silvestre – Argentina; Proforest; Fundacion Amigos de la Naturaleza -Bolivia; GTZ;Facilitadora; Univ de Tucuman