Community and environmental updates from the Trocano Project, where Go Balance continues to deliver long-term REDD+ conservation and community engagement initiatives in Brazil.
January 2026 marked a strong start to the year for the Trocano Araretama Project in Borba, Amazonas, with activities focused on community wellbeing, environmental education, sustainable agriculture, and local partnerships. Developed by Go Balance in Brazil, the project continues to combine practical action on the ground with long-term forest conservation goals.
Throughout the month, the team worked across multiple areas of community life, showing how REDD+ initiatives can deliver meaningful local impact when they are rooted in real engagement and consistent follow-through.
Supporting Wellbeing Through White January
One of the month’s key social initiatives was participation in White January, Brazil’s national mental health awareness campaign.
The campaign encourages open conversations around emotional wellbeing, prevention, and access to support. By recognising Mental Health Awareness Month, the Trocano Project reinforced the idea that healthy communities are an essential part of long-term environmental resilience.
This broader approach remains central to the Go Balance REDD+ model in Brazil: supporting people and forests together, rather than treating environmental goals in isolation.
Supporting Women and Community Wellbeing in Borba
During January, Go Balance’s wider support in Borba also helped strengthen specialist services focused on women, wellbeing, and social protection. Through its support for consultancy capacity within the Women’s Defenders Office, local coordination continued with public health teams, social assistance services, and protection networks. This reflects a broader project philosophy: long-term conservation is strongest when communities also have access to meaningful social support and inclusive local institutions.
Technical Visit to the Community Garden
A major practical activity in January was the technical visit to the community garden in São Lázaro – Terra Preta, located along the Borba–Mapiá Road.
During the visit, the team carried out:
- assessment of the garden’s structural condition
- review of soil quality and cultivation needs
- removal of harmful impurities affecting crops
- technical discussions on the next phase of expansion and maintenance
The garden continues to serve as both a productive space and a learning environment, helping connect environmental education with everyday community use. Initiatives like this are an important example of how the Trocano Project REDD+ initiative supports sustainable land use in Borba, Amazonas.
Strengthening Sustainable Agriculture
January also included wider support for local agricultural activity, including monitoring cultivation areas and identifying opportunities to improve soil fertility and productivity.
These types of interventions help strengthen local livelihoods while promoting better land management practices. Practical support for small-scale producers remains an important part of the project’s long-term approach, ensuring that environmental progress is linked to real economic and social value within communities.
For Go Balance in Brazil, this is a core principle of effective REDD+ delivery: conservation must be relevant and useful at the local level. The garden continues to serve as a practical example of environmental education and sustainable agriculture in action.
Expanding Opportunities Through Education
The month also saw continued progress on the English for Tourism Services course, one of the project’s flagship education initiatives.
Designed to help local residents develop practical language skills for engaging with visitors, the course supports confidence, employability, and future opportunity. During January, the team continued registrations, coordinated with CETAM, and engaged with teachers and community members to build participation.
By the end of the month, enrolment had reached near capacity, demonstrating strong interest from the local community.
This initiative reflects how Go Balance Brazil REDD+ activities aim to create wider benefits beyond conservation alone.
Keeping Communities Informed and Engaged
Community engagement also remained a priority in January. Preparations were made for a live interview with Rádio Comunitária Santo Antônio, where the team planned to discuss:
- the English course
- environmental education activities
- upcoming community initiatives
Local communication plays an important role in maintaining transparency, building trust, and ensuring that opportunities created through the project are visible and accessible across Borba.
A Strong Start to 2026
January demonstrated the value of a practical, community-led approach to conservation. From mental health awareness and education programmes to agricultural support and community gardens, the month showed how environmental projects can create wider social value when delivered consistently and collaboratively.
As Go Balance Brazil continues to develop REDD+ activities in Borba, Amazonas, the Trocano Araretama Project remains focused on long-term impact built through local relationships, practical action, and shared progress.
The Trocano Araretama Project is a REDD+ initiative located in Borba, Amazonas, Brazil, developed by Go Balance Brazil as part of its long-term commitment to forest conservation and community engagement.
