Suzano, the world’s largest market pulp producer, and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, announce a partnership to preserve biodiversity in the Brazilian Cerrado ecoregion by implementing ecological corridors. As a result of this landmark agreement, Suzano and IFC will support rural landowners and rural settlers across approximately 120 hectares of the Cerrado with sustainable restoration and management practices. This area in the Mato Grosso do Sul state will represent the project’s inaugural corridor and enable Suzano and IFC to reach an initial goal of reconnecting 35,000 hectares of currently fragmented native vegetation in the state.
In creating ecological corridors and reconnecting this land, the partnership will reduce habitat fragmentation, a major global threat to biodiversity driven by human activity.
The corridor in Mato Grosso do Sul is a relevant step toward achieving Suzano´s long-term objective of connecting 500,000 hectares of fragmented native areas across three different biomes, Cerrado, Amazonia and Atlantic Forest by 2030.
“We are excited to collaborate with Suzano and support their efforts in preserving, restoring, and monitoring the biodiversity of the Brazilian Cerrado,” said Manuel Reyes-Retana, IFC Regional Director for South America. “This partnership demonstrates the significant potential for balancing environmental conservation with sustainable economic development. That is why one of the project’s main objectives is to work with local communities and rural producers to introduce green economy practices, provide training, and implement native vegetation restoration systems.”
The collaboration with IFC also marks Suzano’s first partnership linked to the Cerrado Project, Suzano’s new pulp mill in Ribas do Rio Pardo. Due to start up later this month, the Cerrado Project will be the world’s largest single-line pulp production facility, and at R$ 22.2 billion represents the largest investment in Suzano’s history.
“Our forest operations cover approximately 2.7 million hectares, 1.1 million of which is dedicated to conservation”, explained Fernando Bertolucci, Vice President of Sustainability and Innovation of Suzano. “We recognize that, in addition to preserving these areas, it is our responsibility to contribute to connecting existing fragments, reverse biodiversity loss and mitigate the risk of species extinction in the biomes where we operate. The ecological corridors this partnership will create will span settlement lands and rural producer areas, emphasizing the need for collaboration with the local people including educating them about the value of this activity and promoting sustainable business and shared value.”