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Suzano, a global benchmark in the manufacture of bioproducts developed from cultivated eucalyptus, entered into a partnership with the Serra do Mar Large Mammals Program to monitor fauna species in one of its native forest areas located in Tapiraí, in Vale do Ribeira, in the state of São Paulo. The Suzano area will become part of the most comprehensive large-scale monitoring initiative in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, covering 17,000 km² (1.7 million hectares) in Serra do Mar, between the states of São Paulo and Paraná, and will help create biodiversity indicators for wildlife conservation efforts in the region.
The partnership is part of Suzano’s Biodiversity Monitoring Plan in the locations where the company operates, which aims to generate new knowledge and improve the environmental management of its operations. This initiative reflects one of the company’s public Commitments to Renewing Life, aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which include the goal of connecting, through ecological corridors, 500,000 hectares of Amazon, Atlantic Forest and Cerrado fragments by 2030, thus helping conserve biodiversity in these biomes.
“Together with a network of strategic partners, Suzano has implemented innovative technologies and methodologies for managing natural capital, seeking to improve efficiency, reduce environmental impact, create job opportunities and share specific knowledge about the biomes where it operates. Through this partnership, we will be able to expand knowledge about our activities in the Atlantic Forest, given the vast area covered by the Program’s large-scale monitoring program. For us, it is very important to understand the contribution of this area to the conservation of Serra do Mar wildlife in this region,” said Paulo Ricardo da Silva Rodrigues, Forest Environment coordinator at Suzano in São Paulo.
The Suzano forest area is a strategic ecological corridor for the Serra do Mar Large Mammals Program. “As a large protected area in São Paulo’s Vale do Ribeira, the integration of this property into the large-scale monitoring initiative has the potential to expand knowledge of the status of conservation of large mammals and their habitat in this region,” explained Dr. Mariana Landis, one of the coordinators of the Serra do Mar Large Mammals Program.
Monitoring Effort
To monitor the fauna species, camouflaged cameras (known as camera traps) will be installed within Suzano areas, allowing images of animals to be captured without any direct interference, as the cameras are automatically triggered by heat and movement.
These records will be analyzed by the technical staff of the Serra do Mar Large Mammals Program on an annual basis, making it possible to assess whether the populations of these animals are increasing or decreasing in these areas of Serra do Mar.
“From the installation of camera traps to data analysis, we rely on a strong scientific basis. This data has resulted in relevant biodiversity indicators in the areas where we operate, contributing to the development of more efficient management plans for protected areas, the implementation of innovation and new technologies that have improved the management of conversation units, important scientific discoveries for the Atlantic Forest, and even serving as the basis for the creation and strengthening of public policies to protect species. Given the importance of the Suzano area in the context of Vale do Ribeira, there is great potential for expanding the data and, consequently, improving the results,” added Mariana.
Partnerships are very strategic for the establishment of protected areas and the protection of natural areas, in addition to playing a fundamental role in global efforts to expand conserved areas. “Suzano maintains and protects approximately 1 million hectares of native vegetation, where it carries out monitoring activities and studies of fauna and flora, building an expressive database on Brazilian biodiversity. Therefore, forming this partnership further reaffirms our commitment to the conservation of biodiversity in the biomes where we operate,” concluded Paulo Ricardo da Silva Rodrigues.