Apr 28th Transformation in progress: check out the state of the area restored by Canopée almost two years after planting more than 1,000 seedlings

Two years ago, Canopée joined the Carbon Zero Program of the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV) and began the process of neutralizing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from its operations. It all began with the preparation of a detailed inventory of GHG emissions related to the company's activities in 2021, based on information collected from Canopée employees.

After identifying and measuring Canopée's CO₂eq emission sources in the inventory, we determined the ideal number of seedlings to be planted to achieve neutralization over a 30-year period. Initially, we calculated that 74 trees would be needed. However, Canopée decided to go beyond offsetting, exceeding this number by more than 13 times, and opted to create an arboretum that would offer additional benefits for the environment and science.

With this goal in mind, 1,023 seedlings of native species were planted in an area of ​​8,000 m² provided by UFV for this purpose. This specific area was previously occupied by Pinus sp. trees, which were severely damaged by a strong storm that hit the campus in October 2019, leaving the soil bare of vegetation. Currently, the site is transforming into a beautiful plantation of native forest species from the Atlantic Forest.

After 24 months of planting the seedlings, it was time to evaluate the growth and survival of the plant species, obtaining the first data from this project that will be part of a study on forest restoration and carbon sequestration, in addition to offsetting Canopée's carbon emissions.

The first forest inventory of the Canopée Neutralization Plantation was carried out on a total area of ​​0.8 hectares. The decision was to use a 100% inventory (census), which means that all trees present were sampled. To obtain the necessary measurements, a graduated rod and a tape measure were used, which made it possible to measure the total height and circumference at ground height (CAS), respectively. The information collected for each tree was the common name, the CAS and the total height. The botanical identification was carried out based on the technical knowledge of those involved in the activity.

During the inventory, a total of 717 individuals were recorded, of which 485 were pioneer species, 220 were secondary species and 12 were unidentified. The failure rate, which corresponds to approximately 30% mortality, can be considered relatively high, but is justified by the dry planting season.

The most common species in the plantation was the Angico-vermelho, with a total of 132 individuals. Their heights varied between 25 and 300cm, while the circumference at ground height (CAS) varied between 1.5 and 15cm.

In second place, we found the Ipê-tabaco, which was also the most frequent species among the secondary species. 102 individuals were counted, with heights varying from 15 to 250cm and CAS between 2 and 16cm.

The third most common species found in the plantation was the Cutieira, with a total of 93 individuals. Their heights varied between 30 and 480cm, while CAS varied between 2.5 and 39cm.

Guapuruvu stands out, as it presented the largest height and CAS measurements, with 625cm and 43cm, respectively. A total of 79 individuals of this species were recorded, with heights ranging from 70 to 625cm, and CAS between 3.5 and 43cm.

Collecting information from all individuals required three days of work. The team proved to be efficient in making decisions when faced with challenges, such as displaced lines due to the area's relief and the presence of pine stumps. It is important to identify the individuals and lines to facilitate future activities on site. The placement of pickets during planting will be planned.

It was observed that secondary species had a greater representation in the mortality rate, which was expected. However, surviving individuals tend to develop better from this planting stage onwards.

In summary, the inventory of the Canopée plantation provided valuable information on the growth, survival and distribution of plant species in this forest restoration area. This data will be an integral part of a groundbreaking study on forest restoration and carbon sequestration, as well as contributing to the offsetting of Canopée’s carbon emissions. Based on these results, it is expected that the plantation will continue to thrive, promoting ecosystem recovery and contributing to a more sustainable future.