Reforesting

Histórico

"In Brazil, the history of cellulose materials for papermaking starts in 1790, when the Portuguese botanist Frei José Mariano da Conceição Velloso, publishes in Rio de Janeiro his work called "Flora Fluminensis", showing species that could be used in papermaking. In 1809, in a letter sent to the Royal Ministry, Frei Velloso appends a sample of paper made with embira (genera Daphnopsis), and announces plans for a future bleached paper manufacture. This letter and the sample (embira made paper) may be seen at the Imperial Museum in Petrópolis, at the Castel D`eu Archive, with the following legend: The first paper ever made in Brazil on November 16, 1809.

During the 19th century, other references to the use of cellulose material for papermaking indicate the use (successful use) of trunks of banana trees, pita trees (a kind of Mauritius hemp) and gravata trees (Ananas sagenaria) in Bahia and Rio de Janeiro.

The industrial production of pulp in Brazil, from the pine tree, starts to occur in Parana (Southern Brazil), in a town called Monte Alegre, in the beginning of the 1940’s by means of the Sulphite and Soda/Sulphur processes. The first manufacturer using the kraft process was opened during the 1950’s. The large scale production of eucalyptus pulp, by the kraft process, started in the State of São Paulo in 1957. From then on, the path was open for pulp industrialization that, in a little less than a quart of a century, made Brazil rank as the 6th world producer."

The text above is an excerpt of a textbook by Benjamin Solitrenick, called Histórico da Celulose (The History of Pulp) and, together with other articles on the subject may be found at Bracelpa’s library for consultation.

 

Reforestation - 2005 / 2006

In Brazil, planted forests are the main raw material for producing pulp and paper, and are managed according to the most advanced forestry techniques. The pine and eucalyptus that are planted for industrial purposes only occupy areas that were formerly deteriorated by agriculture and heavy cattle raising. Twenty-three of Bracelpa's member companies have forest operations in 390 municipalities scattered throughout 12 Brazilian States.

The forest base for the industry is 1.7 million hectares of planted pine and eucalyptus. The industry's companies recover and preserve another 2.7 million hectares of forest resources, covering all of the permanent preservation areas and the legal reserves, which exceeds what is demanded by Brazilian environmental law.

The exclusive use of forests planted by the pulp and paper industry lessens the pressure on native forests, and protects the water resources. Furthermore, it contributes to preserving biodiversity, by adopting the technique of planting in conjunction with native forests (ecological corridors).

Decades of research and development of forestry and forest management techniques, especially in the area of biotechnology, raised the productivity of the species used. In the case of eucalyptus, the average productivity is 40 cubic meters (with bark) per hectare/year; the pine plantations have 30 cubic meters (with bark) per hectare/year.

Planted Forests

Planted forests are an important source of renewable natural resources which, among several advantages, help preserve our native forests. In Brazil, besides the pulp and paper industry, other segments use planted eucalyptus and pine forests, for a total estimated area of 5.4 million hectares, or 0.5% of the total area. The pulp and paper industry accounts for 33% of the total, representing an important contribution to the nation's economy, by generating jobs, paying taxes, and increasing Brazil's trade balance surplus.

The two main species used as raw materials by the pulp and paper industry in Brazil are eucalyptus and pine, which occupy 78% and 25% of the forested area, respectively. The cultivation of eucalyptus in Brazil for industrial purposes began in the first decade of the 20th century, while the introduction of pine for supplying the productive industries occurred at the end of the '50s. The introduction of these species in areas adequate for their cultivation, and the country's favorable environmental factors for forestry, were essential for reliably supplying raw materials and for developing the Brazilian pulp and paper industry.

Forest Fostering Programs
As an initiative of Brazil's pulp and paper industry, the forest fostering programs has been gaining space and importance in the industry. Through this initiative, the companies offer small and mid-size rural producers an opportunity to plant forests in conjunction with their other activities. The partnership with these producers comprises an important mechanism for developing the industry's business, by expanding planted forest areas and contributing to the process of distributing income and establishing manpower in rural economic activities.

The fostering actions, which are held in many places throughout the country, in a partnership with companies from the pulp and paper industry, are characterized by their agricultural and environmental adaptation. This includes the transfer of knowledge and access to new technologies, so that production is carried out with maximum use of resources and environmental respect, plus minimum waste.

In 2006, the Ministry of the Environment recorded around 627,000 hectares of forest planting, including new plantations and recovery programs for the nation's existing planted forests. It is estimated that 157,000 hectares of this total belong to small and medium-sized properties, supported by forestation projects, generating additional farm income.

Forest Certification
Brazilian pulp and paper industry holds the biggest area of certified forests, among the country's basic forest industries, adopting the two criteria for forest certification in existence and recognized by the sector: the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), of which the Brazilian System of Forest Certification (Cerflor) is an affiliate.

By 2005, both systems certified around 2.9 million hectares of forests, including among them the planted forests, the legal reserve and permanent preservation areas, managed by the pulp and paper industry.

These certifications guaranteed the use of criteria for sustainability in managing forest areas, so as to provide practices that are ecologically adequate, economically sustainable, and socially just.

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