Rural Environmental Registry: An Essential Tool for Sustainable Land Management.

The Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) is a fundamental tool for ensuring the protection and effective management of Brazil's natural resources. Established by Law 12.651/2012, within the context of the Forest Code, CAR is a mandatory electronic public registry for all rural properties, aiming to integrate environmental information from rural properties, considering Permanent Preservation Areas, Legal Reserve areas, forests, and areas of native vegetation.

CAR brings a series of advantages for both rural property owners and environmental protection. From the owners' point of view, it helps in the environmental regularization of rural properties, provides access to agricultural credit, and allows for the planning of efficient land and natural resource use. For the environment, it promotes control of the expansion of agricultural areas, combating illegal deforestation, and conserving preservation areas.

One of the most advantageous elements of CAR is that it provides a detailed overview of rural areas and their uses. Each registered property must provide information on the status of Legal Reserves, Permanent Preservation Areas, restricted-use areas, and native forests located both within the properties and in their border areas.

CAR is managed by the National System of Rural Environmental Cadastre (Sicar), which centralizes environmental information from rural properties. This information is vital for environmental and economic planning, monitoring, and combating deforestation.

The CAR registration process is carried out online, through Sicar. In addition to registration information, the owner must provide a map of the property, which can be obtained through satellite images, aerial photography, or other georeferenced techniques.

In summary, CAR allows for a more complete and integrated view of Brazilian rural lands, assisting in more efficient and sustainable management. It is a vital tool that brings rural property owners closer to the best environmental management practices, promoting nature conservation while ensuring responsible rural production.