Evaluating the impacts of Payment for Ecosystem Services (water supplies) in an agricultural system of the Brazilian Cerrado

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the effects of the Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) in an agrisystem located in the Brazilian Midwest. This PES benefits the owners of rural properties that encompass springs that feed the Abóbora River microbasin which supplies water for consumption in the city of Rio Verde, Goiás. We evaluated the percentage of native vegetation cover around the springs of the watercourses and also estimated its change over time (2005, 2011 and 2017). The vegetation cover of the Areas of Permanent Preservation (APP) increased by 2.24% on average, seven years after the implantation of the PES. There was little difference in the change of vegetation cover maintained over the study years (2005, 2011, and 2017), however, the vegetation cover increased for 17 springs, decreased for 11 springs, and was completely degraded for other two. To improve the performance of this PES, we recommend (1) expanding the program to include the APPs surrounding the springs, together with the legal reserves of each property, (2) implementing measures to ensure that properties are environmentally adequate, (3) including the properties in the Brazilian Rural Environment Register (CAR), and (4) obtaining environmental licensing for the activities undertaken within the Abóbora River basin.

Water quality and surroundings for systemic management of springs in rural areas

“…Fencing a Permanent Preservation Area is essential for the preservation and recovery of springs that are subject to access by farm animals, contributing to their natural regeneration process or the establishment of forests (Oliveira et al, 2023). Additionally, it enhances water conservation by preventing animal movement and the risk of trampling and soil compaction around the outcrop, thus preventing obstruction and siltation due to erosive processes (Pieroni et al, 2019).…”