Atlas · Licensing
Each Environmental Reserve Quota (CRA) equals 1 hectare of native vegetation
AnswerEach Environmental Reserve Quota (CRA) corresponds to 1 hectare of area with primary native vegetation, secondary vegetation in regeneration, or reforestation.
Reviewed on 2026-10-03 · next review 2027-04-03
Data
| CRA | Value in hectares | Vegetation condition | Source | Data of record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CRA | 1 hectare | Primary native vegetation | Law 12.651/2012, art. 46, caput | 25/05/2012 (original text) |
| CRA | 1 hectare | Secondary vegetation at any stage of regeneration | Law 12.651/2012, art. 46, I | 25/05/2012 |
| CRA | 1 hectare | Reforestation area with native species | Law 12.651/2012, art. 46, II | 25/05/2012 |
Data consulted on 03/10/2026.
Basis
- Law No. 12.651/2012 (Forest Code) (Planalto, in Portuguese): Art. 46 defines that each CRA equals 1 hectare, regardless of the successional stage of the vegetation (primary, secondary in regeneration, or reforestation with native species). §1 establishes that the successional stage is evaluated by the state environmental agency.
How it applies
The equivalence of 1 hectare per CRA is fixed and does not depend on the biome or the location of the linked area. The CRA can be issued for areas with native vegetation at any stage of regeneration or reforestation, provided that environmental viability is proven by the competent authority (art. 46, §2). Issuance requires registration in the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) and annotation in the property deed (art. 45, §3).
Limits
- Exceptions: CRA cannot be issued if regeneration or reforestation of the area is unlikely or unfeasible (art. 46, §2).
- Cancellation: CRA is canceled in cases of irreversible degradation of the linked area (art. 47, I), even if environmental compensation was applied to another property.
- Compensation: Cancellation of CRA used to compensate Legal Reserve is only allowed if the compensated property has its Legal Reserve ensured (art. 47, §1).
- Enforcement: Changes after Law 12.651/2012 (e.g., Provisional Measure 571/2012 or Law 12.727/2012) must be verified directly from the official source, as there is no mention of revisions to the 1 hectare value per CRA.
- Scope: This fiche covers only the hectare value of the CRA; other requirements (such as location, biome, or issuance procedures) are not addressed here.
All sheetsPlain-text version (.txt)
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