Brasília - Today president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will sign a law creating the Brazilian Forest Service (Serviço Florestal Brasileiro) and the National Fund for Forest Development (Fundo Nacional de Desenvolvimento Florestal) (FNDF).

Under the new law, it will be possible for concessionaires to manage public forests for periods of up to 40 years. The objective is to control the sustainable exploitation of forests, while combating land fraud and the illegal commerce of publically owned land.

Translation: Allen Bennett