The Environmental Function of Forest Property

Abstract

The article analyzes the effects of the environmental function of forest property in Brazil, based on recent decisions by the Superior Court of Justice on the delimitation of property content and the appropriateness of compensation referring to restrictions on the use of protected forest areas. The aim is to demonstrate that there was a significant redefinition of the dogmatic institute of indirect expropriation and a strong conditioning of the owners’ right to compensation. The jurisprudential and doctrinal bases of the social and environmental function of real estate in Germany are also discussed, in the context of forest protection and conservation, in order to compare the feasibility and coherence of the solutions adopted in the two countries. The research makes use of bibliographical and documentary survey, based on theoretical models, normative provisions and court-judged cases. It is concluded that the national legal system of forest protection has already advanced a lot, but it still needs to improve its instrumental framework, including on the basis of other legal systems’ experiences.