This book is a compilation of recent developments in land, ecosystem, and water management in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro. The state is located in the biodiversity hotspot of the Atlantic Forest (Mata Atlântica), a biome characterized by high biological diversity and endemism. At the same time the state of Rio de Janeiro emerged to one of the economic hubs in Latin America. This development process has been accompanied by population growth, industrialization, urbanization, as well as consumption and degradation of land and water resources. In the past years many efforts have been made to stop or at least slow down these degradation processes and restore degraded environments with the overall goal to bring together sustainable management of natural resources, nature conservation, and economic development. 

An overview is provided of the different strategies and tools that have been developed in the fields of agriculture, ecosystem management and biodiversity, integrated water management, land restoration, disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, as well as environmental governance and economic instruments. This book covers a wide spectrum from applied research to science-policy interfaces, planning concepts, and technical tools and has a model character for other rural areas in Latin America. Target groups are scientists, practitioners, policy makers and graduate students in the field of environmental management. The different chapters are written by researchers and practitioners of the German-Brazilian project INTECRAL (Integrated Eco Technologies and Services for a Sustainable Rural Rio de Janeiro), the rural development program Rio Rural under the state secretary for agriculture and animal husbandry, as well as invited scientists from Brazilian universities and research institutes. It bridges existing gaps between science, policies, and practice in rural development.

This book provides an overview of recent developments in land, ecosystem, and water management in Rio de Janeiro. The Brazilian State of Rio de Janeiro is one of South America's most important cultural and economic centers and at the same time located in one of the world's most diverse biomes, the Atlantic Forest or  Mata Atlântica . Colonial exploitation of natural resources and modern urban and agricultural development has resulted in large scale deforestation and severe degradation of land and water resources.

In the past years, efforts have been made to improve the socioeconomic and environmental status of the rural landscapes to secure rural livelihoods, to ensure food and water supply for urban areas, and to contribute to biodiversity conservation and ecological stability.

This book provides a portfolio of strategies and tools for land and water management that were developed within the German-Brazilian research project INTECRAL in cooperation with the state program Rio Rural, as well as Brazilian universities and research institutions. It covers a wide spectrum from research to application at the science-policy interface and has a model character for other rural areas in Latin America and beyond.  This volume will be a valuable resource for scientists, practitioners, policy makers, and graduate students in the field of environmental management and sustainable rural development.