Tree planting slows erosion and prevents riverbeds from sinking
Reforestation
Reforestation is the cornerstone of all our activities. It lies at the heart of our commitment to the environment.
Starting with the need to replant trees around the Pedra Talhada Biological Reserve to bring it out of its isolation, our reforestation work has spread to other parts of Brazil, such as the central south-eastern and north-eastern states of the Amazon.
The reforestation process takes the form of ecological corridors, the formation of new forests, planting around water sources or even the planting of trees in cities.
Trees are seen as a major remedy against global warming. In addition to their well-known benefits, they store carbon dioxide. It is estimated that a tree can trap up to a ton of CO2 during its growth.
Trees attract rainfall, slow soil erosion and encourage water infiltration to replenish the water table. Trees are also important carriers of biodiversity, including insects and birds.
A forest corridor represents an avenue of movement for fauna and flora
This corridor links together the various forest remnants.
Our tree nurseries
Our first historical nursery
Our very first nursery was set up in Quebrangulo in 1989, on the edge of what is now the Pedra Talhada Biological Reserve.
It included 10,000 native trees, to be planted in the form of a corridor along a river flowing out of the reserve. The initial plan was to extend the future corridor over 12 kilometres, towards the village of Quebrangulo.
The aim was to bring the reserve out of its isolation and link it to other existing forest areas. The corridor will also encourage the movement of flora and fauna and enhance genetic exchange.
The current Quebrangulo nursery
Today, our primary nursery continues to expand on the edge of the Pedra Talhada Reserve, with 500,000 seedlings of 130 native species, including 21 endangered species(UICN list 2).
The nursery supplies the tree seedlings needed to regenerate native mixed forests. For the formation of such forests in tropical zones, a minimum of 50 species is required, or more if possible.
A mixed forest of a wide variety of species will be much less exposed to forest fires. For one thing, their life cycles vary greatly. They won't all shed their leaves at the same time, which would expose them to the elements. On the other hand, some of these species store large quantities of moisture.
Mixed tree groups are also less exposed to disease, as the screen trees will slow down insect or fungal pests.
Every tree comes from a seed!
We harvest the seeds ourselves directly from the native trees. Several climbers will collect them from the treetops and transport them to our cold rooms.
Several seed species are recalcitrant and do not tolerate desiccation. In these cases, we plant them within hours of collection.
Every tree comes from a seed!
We harvest the seeds ourselves directly from the native trees. Several climbers will collect them from the treetops and transport them to our cold rooms.
Several seed species are recalcitrant and do not tolerate desiccation. In these cases, we plant them within hours of collection.
Pedra Talhada Biological Reserve
This reserve is located in the northeastern region of Brazil. It covers approximately 50 km2 and spans the states of Alagoas and Pernambuco.
Pedra Talhada is part of the Atlantic Forest but also contains elements of the Caatinga and Cerrado biomes. This is due to its hilly and mountainous formation, which presents several micro-climate zones.
From the outside, the Pedra Talhada Reserve appears as a large mountain covered with dense and uniform vegetation, except for the granite cliff eroded by time. This cliff has given its name to the place, "Pedra Talhada", which translates to "Carved Stone."
In reality, this environment is not a homogeneous forest entity but rather the juxtaposition of a multitude of biotopes, each occupying a specific ecological niche.
From the inside, notable differences appear in terms of landscapes and flora. The visitor entering the reserve is immediately confronted with a steep slope, which has protected the forest from rapid exploitation. At the entrance to the forest, sunlight is very present, perfectly visible through the branches, but these bright openings through the foliage decrease as one progresses into the forest.
Emerging from the forest, rocky outcrops are mainly located at the summit. The bedrock, a light gray granite gneiss eroded by precipitation, is almost bare.
The climate of Pedra Talhada is marked by two seasons: the dry season from September to February and the rainy season from March to August.
Overall, the region's climate is humid tropical to dry tropical.
The rich biodiversity of this forest
The richness of biodiversity, both animal and plant, is mainly due to three determining factors:
First, this mountainous relief allows flora and fauna to diversify according to altitude, as there is a difference of 800 meters between the valley floor and the rocky summit.
Second, the geographical location of this forest benefits from the climatic and biological influence of three very different zones: the Atlantic Forest, the dry Caatinga, and the Amazon Rainforest.
Finally, in the bottom of the valleys where water is abundant, swamps develop with particular fauna and flora that are not found in other forest strata.
Thanks to this exceptional climatic and geological situation, there are about a hundred different species of trees per hectare, as well as many mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, and fish species, not to mention snails, insects, and spiders. Several dozen species are endemic, meaning they are found only in this forest.
Observation: It is important to note that in this small massif of 50 km2, 22 bird species mentioned on Brazil's endangered species red list, which includes 227 species, have been recorded and observed. This shows that a forested island alone can shelter 10% of endangered birds from the Brazilian subcontinent.
