Forest concession is a public forest governance policy predominant in tropical countries. In the Brazilian Amazon, this instrument was applied since 2008 under the main premise of increasing governance in remote areas being an alternative for the development of a forest-based economy and curbing illegal deforestation. Since 2011, the concessions of the Glebas Mamuru-Arapiuns in Pará state have been implemented as a forest governance tool to promote territorial planning in a former undesignated public forestland with a history of local conflicts. This study aimed to understand how these state forest concessions may have contributed to spatial planning and a more effective governance of these areas before the beginning of forest operations. Secondary data and legal framework that focused on the discussions of the first concessions under state management were used to review the historical process. After 12 months of discussions involving 37 groups with different positions, the state strategy using a participatory process has resulted in advances on the governance of 1-million hectares of state public forests through land titling, destination for community use, creation of conservation units and forest concession, decreasing local conflicts. However, indigenous territories are still under dispute. Overall, the participatory process may be considered a successful case study of territorial planning and conflict resolution having forest concession as a starting point.

02 - Forest concession and territorial planning: governance and conflict resolution in the eastern Amazon