The legalization of the land belonging to the families already in the area is of extreme importance, since half of the area is involved in the creation of the Extractive reserve is claimed by private groups.
The positive social dynamics of the rubber tappers should be used to implement projects of regional development, since most of them like new ways of social organization by the Tejo River Basin Rubber Tapper's Association, which is little by little changing the current living situation of the people living in the area.
There are approximately 10,000 people living in the area, most of them Indians and rubber tappers. In order to have sustainable development, it should be established management plans of the forest that will allow a stable exploitation of the rubber, the survival of local fauna, which is constantly under ecological pressure.
There is a need for alternative food sources for this population due to the rudimentary cattle raising activity, thus making the local fauna its main protein source.
This work has shown some of the socio-economical aspects of the rubber tappers in this region. The studied area s the status of Extractive Reserve, but this is not a warranty for the local population. Analyzing satellite images, field surveys and data banks can be very useful to understand the dynamics of this region.
New projects are being implemented to pave roads, if BR-364 is paved (links Rio Branco to the Pacific Ocean) there will be a risk for a deosrdenated occupation process, which will cause great environmental impact in the Alto Juruá Area.
In order to minimize these impacts, the federal government created the Alto Juruá extractive Reserve, which is just a first step in the process. There is still the need for land legalization for the rubber tapper families, introduction of alternative protein sources and life quality improvements through research and development programs to be conducted with the forest people.
