The Caratinga Biological Station (CBS) is an important preserve of the Brazilian Atlantic Rain Forest, defined as a national priority for the conservation of this highly fragmented biome and shelter to the largest existing population of the northern muriqui, the critically threatened largest monkey species of the Americas. Extensive research on the demography of this population has indicated favorable conditions for growth, pointing out the importance of promoting expansion of the locally available habitat. In the present study, rural establishments neighboring the CBS were involved in a participatory program for wildlife corridor restoration, by means of the application of a 'System for Weighted Environmental Impact Assessment of Rural Activities' (APOIA-NovoRural), which consists of 62 indicators integrated in five sustainability dimensions: i) Landscape ecology; ii) Environmental quality; iii) Socio-cultural values; iv) Economic values; and v) Management and administration. Results regarding the Landscape ecology indicators (those most related with fauna protection) attested to the adequate performance of productive activities in the studied establishments, while pointed out the need for improvements in natural habitats conservation. The Environmental Management Reports issued to the farmers included mapped recommendations for forest restoration and wildlife corridors implementation, favoring the connection of the main preserved area of CBS with the second largest forest fragment in the region.

Agriculture and livestock have a strong participation in the Brazilian economy, and since the 70s improvements in the sector's production pattern, through the intensification of the use of technologies in the production process, have led to a significant increase in productivity. Given the need to keep the farmer in the field, and given the degradation of pastures, the management of rural property, seeking to reconcile production with the conservation of natural resources is essential for the sustainability of the activity. The ISA tool - Sustainability Indicators in Agroecosystems - is an integrated system that verifies the socioeconomic and environmental performance of rural properties, is in the public domain, and was institutionalized in the state of Minas Gerais, in 2012. This work aimed to evaluate sustainability cattle, through a diagnosis of social, economic and environmental balance of two rural properties, located in the city of Malacacheta-MG, using the ISA tool. With the results obtained, it is intended to assist the rural producer, pointing out critical points to be corrected immediately and comparing the results by assessing which activity is more sustainable, dairy or beef cattle. The study presented for the livestock and beef cattle properties the sustainability indexes 0.50 and 0.53, respectively, where there is a range from 0 to 1, considering 0.7 the reference value for the proper functioning of the agroecosystem and to define it as sustainable. Based on the data collected, this paper aims to show how to maintain a sustainable property in an environmentally sound manner.

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led to numerous initiatives to provide management options to farmers, aiming to repair some of the environmental damage caused by agricultural intensification, ensure a more sustainable exploitation