A sustainable development reserve (Portuguese: Reserva de Desenvolvimento Sustentável, RDS) in Brazil is a type of protected area inhabited by a traditional population that seeks to preserve nature while maintaining and improving the life of the population through sustainable development.
Key aspects are that the strategy can adapt to changes in the market, private property is maintained, plans are implemented to improve living conditions, and the local people partner with government agencies and NGOs to develop proposals for sustainable use.
A board of directors is chaired by the administrative agency and includes representatives of public bodies, civil society organizations and traditional populations living in the area.
[3] A management plan is created by the administrative agency, which recognises the dynamic balance between conservation goals and the size of the population.
Natural ecosystems may be exploited sustainably, and cultivation of introduced species is allowed, subject to the management plan.