Uma inquietação me fez escrever uma carta à The Arbour Day Foundation, questionando o "reconhecimento" dado à Prefeitura de São José dos Campos como Tree City of the World. Este reconhecimento é uma iniciativa da fundação, em associação com a FAO (Organização da ONU para Alimentação e Agricultura). Transcrevo aqui a troca de mensagens com a fundação, a qual buscava elucidar os motivos para a concessão do reconhecimento a uma cidade que, ao contrário do que propaga, não é exemplo no cuidado com a arborização urbana.
"Dear all (from Arbor Day and FAO - Tree Cities of the World)
I'm a citizen from Sao Jose dos Campos (Sao Paulo state, Brazil) and I've seen some news stating that the municipality had been recognized as a Tree City by Arbor Day Foundation. That sounds strange for us (citizens) because, instead of a protective city for trees, the mayor and his staff have imposed several impacts over the city's trees. Therefore, the municipality doesn't fill the 5 steps for recognition as a tree city (according with your methodology), specially in the case of Standards 2, 3 and 4. About Standard 2 the municipality has recently elaborate a Urban Trees Policy, but it is a piece of controversy (several measures proposed by civil society were simply ignored and others, like the arbitrary power of releasing a tree cut, were inserted in) and even it's not a proper law yet (it's still discussing by the parliament). The city hasn´t an inventory of trees covering the entire urban zone, what turns down the Standard 3. And even the Standard 4 is not reached by the Sao Jose dos Campos municipality, once there are no dedicated budget for the tree management plan. Additionally, in the recent years the municipality have changed the Director Plan and Zoning Act put in risk the last protected area (which is part of a inquiry by the Public Prosecutor) and some urban trees places (one of them is subject of a large campaign entitled "Save the Betania Park", see in https://www.facebook.com/SALVEOBOSQUEBETANIA). So, by these appointments we ask you to review your "recognition" for Sao Jose dos Campos municipality, in order to keep the credibility of the program.
Resposta da FAO
"Wilson Cabral, we appreciate your passion for trees in your community! Tree Cities of the World is a recognition programme, designed to provide positive encouragement to a city that meets five core standards for local tree programmes. Based on the information submitted by city leaders, São José dos Campos did meet these five standards for 2019. It remains to be seen if they will meet the five standards again in calendar year 2020, based on your comments. We will forward your complaint to them in an effort to connect you, and will encourage these leaders to work with citizens to find a solution that increases tree health and cover in the city. We ask that you do your part by working respectfully with local officials to address the issues that are important to you. Thank you."
Minha réplica...
"Dear Arbor Day representative, what I am advising you is that the municipality is not addressing a trees caring plan properly. Instead of that, they repeal the public participation on that issue and even DO NOT COMPLY with 3 of your 5 standards, as explained in my message. If you are interested we (me and colleagues with deal on this case) can show you pictures and real cases about the municipality practices related to urban trees. At the end of the day, there is a discourse of a good management, however, there is a practice in the opposite way. And you are awarding just the discourse. We are just trying to show you the real practice."
Em síntese: o "reconhecimento" da Arbour Day Foundation é ofertado a cidades que preenchem um formulário e preenchem alguns critérios (baseados nas informações da própria cidade, sem verificação pela fundação). O que eu tentei mostrar é que, baseado nos parâmetros da própria da fundação, a cidade de São José dos Campos NÃO preencheria os critérios para ter o "reconhecimento". A resposta foi simples: a fundação valoriza o ato de preencher os dados e acredita (sem verificar) que os dados preenchidos são reais. E não se importa caso haja desvios no fornecimento destes dados. Não importaria se não fosse importante! Árvores e florestas urbanas são fundamentais para as cidades e São José dos Campos simplesmente negligencia estes temas e se vale de marketing para mostrar o que não é!
E aí: o que vocês acham?
Nenhum comentário:
Postar um comentário