By Nikole Cantoara*
To promote conservation and contribute to a climate change mitigation agenda, IPAM (Amazon Environmental Research Institute) has planted 1,249,038 trees since 2005 in the Amazon and Cerrado regions.
This number, shaped by a set of initiatives, reflects the main goal of restoring degraded areas through the implementation of Agroforestry Systems (SAFs). According to the Institute’s data, 1,714.52 hectares have been restored.
Led by Lucimar Souza, Director of Territorial Development at IPAM, the strategy of planting SAFs to recover these areas allows for greater profitability in income generation and environmental regularization of rural properties.
“In the Amazon, the average number of trees planted per hectare reaches 1,100 plants. In the Cerrado, this average is lower, and we’ve been working with approximately 320 plants per hectare, always aiming for species diversification. This diversity enables ecosystem conservation through crops such as cacao, andiroba, cumaru, Brazilian mahogany, açaí, baru, and other varieties,” explains Souza.
Restoring these degraded areas is a crucial part of mitigating the effects of climate change and reducing deforestation in the Amazon and Cerrado.
Deforestation remains one of the main causes of greenhouse gas emissions in Brazil, impacting not only the biodiversity directly affected but also local populations who depend on these resources to survive, and the entire country, which increasingly suffers from extreme climate events.
Over the years, 1,891 families have supported the tree planting efforts, contributing to the planting and raising awareness about conservation in regions of the Amazon and Cerrado. The mobilization of these groups shows that collective actions can result in positive impacts for a more sustainable future.
“This combination of efforts between the families involved, our technical team, and institutional partners has enabled contributions to the restoration agenda. In the end, it’s advantageous to work with restoration, especially through SAFs, and to see people genuinely interested in the topic and expanding their areas,” comments Lucimar Souza.
*Communication Intern