Description of area...location about 270km NW from town of Sao Felix do Xingou, pop. 40,000.
Scant, primitive settlements and ranches along roads. Little infrustructue, poor roads, little or no government presense. Pastures are created by burning Rain Forest. Ranching, though, is the backbone of settlement of this region. Only a small fraction of Rain Forest so far has been 'cleared'. Some 20 years ago this area was(and still is) a vast area of virgin Rain Forest undisturbed by human presence. The activity started with some pharmateutical company coming in to extract, I assume, some substance for their drugs. After the drug company left, I dont know the name, some people left behind, saw that the land was good, and laid the basis for today's cattle; ranching activity. Land then was government land.
People laid possession land claims, and government accorded to them a possession title. With this Title owner enjoys most rights, except, he cannot use land for a bank guarantee; and, this land may be subject to government expropriation, if, land area exceeds 25,000 acres, and land lies idle.
Today this area sees scant primitive settlements along an arduous road from Sao Felix do Xingou. Government of Para, sadly to say, is inept, and provides litle support to isolated communities. Though there are schools, and clinics, but roads, electrification, telephones, are bad.
Inspite of no police, nor government presence, I noticed there is peace. Locals respect others property rights.
Joao Henrique, ownes a 17,500 acres farm. He lives in Goiania, but his son is living on this farm looking after 1500 head of cattle. When we met in hotel in January 2005, he proposed I try selling parts of his farm. We agreed to do that. He made available some areas of Rain Forest along River Iriri. This farm has 18km of Iriri frontage.
Description of parcels.....scenery is of thick Rain Foest, with afew-per-acre very large trees, otherwise, many smaller trees, and hundreds of virieties of lush plants. Terrain is flat to gently ondulating; except near riverbank, terrain is slightly inclined. Iriri riverbank, in the begining there is a 50 meter strip high dry bank, then, on some parcels there is a a bit lower strip, 30-50m, that, may, be wet during the rainy season, then there is uninterrupted dry forest. There may be creeks, yet unexplored.
Parcels, 60 acres, are 300 meters wide(also lenght of waterfront), and 800 meters deep. Priced US$14950.
120 acres with river front, US$26,550.
Will consider discounts on larger parcels. Please inquire.
Nearest town...Canopolis, pop. 150 families, 40 km motobike ride from this farm. Town serves as a supply point to nearby ranches, has everything a frontiersman needs, food supplies, hardware, hand tools; though prices are about 30-50% higher then in Sao Felix. Gas, a whopping R$6 a liter!
Town also has a bar, school, clinic, runway, mechanic, and the like... frontier town in 1880's would have had.
Access...Roads are bad. Governemt does not maintain them. To get to the Joao's farm you need first to get to Sao Felix do Xingou, either by bus, or by scheduled flight. Sao Felix is 270km from this farm.
During May-Sept. dry season, there are, probably, buses going as far as Canopolis, not sure about that though.
During the rainy season the only way to get to Canopolis is by rented Cesna, R$800/hour, or rented motorbike, for R$50 a day plus gas.
Hotel owner I can recommend to you can help you arrange transportation.
Once you get to Canopolis, you could probably rent a moto bike there(as a back passenger only).
Another excellent way of transpot there is by horse or burro. These animals, could probably be rented, or puchased, for about $200-$300.
In dry season, June-August, the owner tells me, he drives to his farm 4x4 Toyota pick-up. Otherwise you will have to use a motorbike.
The roads are bad because of errosion, rain cuttting, at places, deep ruts.
Even a bike ride is tough. If you intent to come with supplies, bring a tough backpack.
The bad road is not all. There is Bala river to cross as well.
There are two large dugout canoes, the guys fasten the motobikes into them, and supplies, and cross the river. On horseback, use canoe to ferry supplies first, then swim with a horse across. Just like in Western movies!
There is also a car pontoon on cables. In May 2005 it was still not working. Now Joao tells me he is driving his Toyota right to the farm. So, pontoon might be operational now.
Access by river. Iriri is a major Amazon tributary, and is probably larger then the Mississippi! Consievably, one could enter this property through the Amazon in a small craft. Owner tells me Iriri river has some rapids in dry season, that can be skillfully negotiated.
Access to riverfront lots. Main access road leads to boat launch. Boat launch and a canoe are less then a mile from riverfront lots.
Rain Forest. Brazilian Forest Code dictates that 80% of area be left in natural state. 20% of area can be clearcut and used for plantation. The rest of the area, trees can be harvested selectively. Though this rule is widely ignored. However, clearing this forest is a monumental task! Ocatioanlly, IBAMA cracks down, I have not seen this yet happenning in this area.
Soil. Yellowish clay. Acid, low PH, and low organic matter. To correct PH pulverized limestone needs to be added. However, I observed in people's gardens the following crops florishing without any soil correction: onions, tomatoes, cassava, bananas, coconuts, papayas, mango, pineapples, cacao, oranges, lemons, and other fruits I have no idea of their names. Supplies. The owner's family who lives on this farm, are able to produce and sell: cheeze, milk, lumber, meat, chickens, eggs. Nearby neighbours, may, sell you cassava and bananas.
Communications. Owners have a radio telephone. It is registered and connected to a dispatcher in Sao Felix, who can dial a phone number. The owner will let you have occational use. You can have your own set by purchasing a radio and registering it in Sao Felix.
Water. Riverfront lots have plenty of water. Iriri water seems reasonably clean. To drink it, I would boil it. Water is cleanest in the middle of the river. I drank it.
Less then a mile from boat launch, there is a creek that owner's family uses for washing; water in creek clean enough to drink from.
Fishing. Hunting. Some small fish in creek; many different kinds of fish in Iriri. Few animals to hunt. Locals seem fond of a large, fat creature resembling anteater, called 'anta'. They say meat is good. There are no deer. In the forest there are monkeys, panthers, parrots.
Financing. All properties have owner-financing.
