09 Sep Canopée plants more than 1000 trees and starts the process of neutralizing its GHG emissions
Canopée joined the Zero Carbon Program of the Federal University of Viçosa and has already kick-started the neutralization of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from its operation. The initiative began with the preparation of an inventory of GHG emissions related to the company’s operation in 2021, based on information collected from Canopée employees.
Based on the estimated emissions, calculations were made and a recommendation was reached on the number of seedlings to be planted, in order to neutralize these emissions within a 30-year horizon.
The calculations showed that it would be necessary to plant 74 trees to neutralize the company’s emissions in 2021, within the proposed horizon.
However, Canopée decided to go far beyond compensation, promoting the creation of a new arboretum that combines the neutralization of emissions with other environmental and scientific benefits. Thus, 1023 seedlings of native species were planted in an area of 7,000 m² provided by the Federal University of Viçosa for this purpose. The area was occupied by Pinus sp., which were severely damaged by the strong storm that hit the campus in October 2019. Now, the place will be a beautiful plantation of forest species native to the Atlantic Forest.
To compose the planting, 9 (nine) species were chosen, among pioneer species and species of diversity. The spacing used was 3 meters x 2 meters (6m².plant-¹) and the proposed planting arrangement was the quincunx system, in which a diversity species seedling is in the center of a square formed by four pioneer species seedlings. This conformation was chosen because the pioneer species present fast growth, thus providing the necessary shading for the non-pioneer species seedlings.
In the planting area, some actions were carried out as: cleaning procedure, fighting leaf-cutting ants, delimiting and squaring, digging holes, liming, placing start-up fertilizer, planting and irrigation.
Combating climate change is part of our commitment to the planet, and for this reason, the number of trees planted by Canopée exceeded that necessary to neutralize the amount of GHG supplied from the company’s activities by more than 13 times.
The GHG neutralization planting area carried out by Canopée in partnership with the UFV will be protected and monitored for the next 30 years, also gaining the attribution of an experimental area, where research and extension activities will be developed.
With the growth and development of the plantation, we plan to involve the academic community of the UFV in the preparation of monographs, dissertations and theses, aiming at scientific production on topics relevant to the ESG theme, such as: analysis of impacts on soil microbiota, potential for carbon sequestration by the species used, genetic conservation of native species, among other lines of research.