Upside down: an inverted forest that helps balance the world
In South America, a little-known biome, with one of the richest biodiversity on Earth, contributes to balance the Planet, sustaining its oldest inhabitants: indigenous peoples and local communities.
Get to know
In the heart of South America, there is an inverted forest with deep roots that connect a diversity of fruits, plants, animals, peoples, and cultures. Despite being closely related to the planet’s climatic balance, few know the riches of this biome that is under constant threat. Half of its vegetation cover has already been lost. What remains of the inverted forest is protected by protected areas but also the traditional peoples and communities and family farmers who inhabit these lands with their ancestry and their sustainable ways of life.
Called the Cerrado, this Brazilian savanna is known as the “cradle of waters” even though it faces six months of intense drought every year. Of the 12 river basins in Brazil, eight originate in this region of the country. Embellished with rocks, plateaus, twisted trees, delicate and fragrant flowers, giant waterfalls, tasty fruits, and people who have much to teach the rest of the world, the Cerrado is a socio-ecological powerhouse.
Explore the chapters of this story
#1 . Good Results
Experiences and richness of the peoples
#2. Long roots
Deep connections
#3. Invisible biome
Real threats
#4. Peoples
Sustaining the Cerrado
#5. Ways
Solutions to save the Cerrado
Cerrado at COP 28
The campaign “Cerrado and Amazon: connected by water” arrives at COP 28, in Dubai, to raise awareness among the international community about the importance of understanding the interdependence that exists between biomes to face the water and climate crisis. With this, we warn of the urgency of conserving the Cerrado, the second largest biome in Brazil, but forgotten in global climate debates, and protecting the rights of indigenous people and traditional communities
Initiatives
Here, we gather articulations, projects and campaigns that work to defend the rich socio-biodiversity of the Cerrado. These are initiatives that have the support of different actors and understand the importance of keeping the Cerrado standing. Get to know!
Rede Cerrado
It brings together around 60 organizations for the defense of the Cerrado and its peoples. Its main objective is the fight for the conservation of the biome and the defense of its peoples and traditional communities, in the promotion of social justice and environmental sustainability.
Campanha Nacional em Defesa do Cerrado
The Campaign tells Brazil and the world that the Cerrado exists, is beautiful, unique and socio-biodiverse. Through the articulation of more than 50 movements, organizations and social pastorals with a long history of struggles with their feet on the ground in the Cerrado, the initiative works to protect the Biome and guarantee the rights of its peoples.
Tamo de Olho
It aims to identify emblematic cases of deforestation and violations of territorial rights of Traditional Peoples and Communities for advocacy with public bodies, focusing on accountability and guaranteeing rights. Its main focus is on the Cerrado biome, especially in the MATOPIBA region. WWF-Brasil, ISPN, Rede Cerrado, Instituto Cerrados and IPAM are participating in the initiative.
Tô no Mapa
It is an application developed for Brazilian peoples, traditional communities and family farmers to self-map their territories. An accessible and free tool, built from the dialogue between different communities and social organizations. This political instrument aims to strengthen the struggle for territorial rights not yet recognized. This is an initiative of the Institute for Environmental Research of the Amazon (IPAM) together with the Society, Population and Nature Institute (ISPN), with support from the Cerrado Network.
