Brazil: Paragominas

Hydro is the first bauxite mining company in Brazil to invest in innovation to intensify environmental rehabilitation using drones in the Brazilian Amazon. The company hired our Franco-Brazilian startup MORFO for its restoration initiatives.

Located in Paragominas, in the Brazilian state of Pará, this 50-hectare project is one of MORFO's first large-scale forest restoration pilot projects, involving in-depth diagnosis , planting and monitoring until 2028.

"This initiative will contribute to and reinforce Hydro Paragominas' rehabilitation objectives. We are constantly looking for innovative solutions on the market for the mine's initiatives, working on the sustainability of our operations through technology. Hydro Paragominas is positioning itself as the first mining company to use drones to plant native tree species in the Brazilian Amazon," said Jonilton Paschoal, Environmental Director at Hydro Paragominas.

It's crucial that companies take forest restoration seriously, and the level of dedication and commitment evident in the Hydro team's efforts is inspiring for us at MORFO. This new restoration project has been overseen by Pará's Secretary of State for the Environment and Sustainability.

We hope that, in a few years' time, this project will be recognized as a model example of forest restoration on mine sites.

CHALLENGES

Areas of this former bauxite mining site have different use cases, meaning that they display different properties. 25 hectares in an area with exposed soil, where we will be testing our solution in several different soil types, while the other 25 hectares have benefited from enrichment thanks to previously planted seedlings.

DEPLOYMENTS

Planting will take place in two stages in 2024, with the first phase in April and the second in December. The first planting in April will involve 25 hectares for forest cover rehabilitation and 25 hectares for enrichment of the secondary tree stratum and biodiversity. In December, the second phase will focus on 25 hectares for the secondary tree stratum and biodiversity.