▁the ▁Inter - American ▁Development ▁Bank , ▁World ▁Bank , ▁and ▁U . S . ▁Congress ▁to ▁support ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁extract ive ▁res erves . ▁ ▁M endes ▁won ▁several ▁awards ▁for ▁his ▁work , ▁including ▁the ▁United ▁Nations ▁Environment al ▁Program ▁Global ▁ 5 0 0 ▁Roll ▁of ▁Honor ▁Award ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 , ▁and ▁the ▁National ▁Wild life ▁Federation ' s ▁National ▁Conserv ation ▁Ach iev ement ▁Award ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 8 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁a ▁man ▁named ▁Dar ly ▁Al ves ▁da ▁Silva ▁bought ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁rub ber ▁reserve ▁called ▁C ach oe ira , ▁where ▁relatives ▁of ▁M endes ▁lived , ▁and ▁which ▁was ▁affili ated ▁to ▁the ▁local ▁R ural ▁Work ers ▁Union ▁in ▁X ap uri . ▁While ▁the ▁sale ▁of ▁the ▁section ▁was ▁disput ed ▁by ▁the ▁family ▁of ▁the ▁vendor , ▁who ▁claimed ▁he ▁had ▁no ▁legal ▁right ▁to ▁sell ▁it , ▁Silva ▁tried ▁to ▁drive ▁them ▁off ▁their ▁land ▁and ▁increase ▁his ▁ran ch ▁hold ings . ▁The ▁rub ber ▁t app ers ▁of ▁C ach oe ira ▁stood ▁firm ▁and ▁set ▁up ▁road ▁blocks ▁to ▁keep ▁Silva ▁out . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁M endes ▁launched ▁a ▁campaign ▁to ▁stop ▁Silva ▁from ▁logging ▁the ▁area ▁that ▁its ▁inhabitants ▁wanted ▁dem arc ated ▁as ▁an ▁extract ive ▁reserve . ▁M endes ▁not ▁only ▁managed ▁to ▁stop ▁the ▁planned ▁def or est ation ▁and ▁create ▁the ▁reserve , ▁but