The ecological restoration project for forest areas degraded by heavy rains in February of this year in São Sebastião began on this Friday (27/10) by the Coastal Conservation Institute (ICC), in partnership with Atlântica Environmental Consulting and Ambipar Group, a leading Brazilian multinational in environmental management. The initiative started in priority areas defined by the ICC and was attended by the governor of the state of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas, accompanied by the mayor of São Sebastião, Felipe Augusto, to inaugurate the new monitoring center and learn about the technology of biocapsules dispersed by high-capacity drones.
The governor got to know the drone and the biocapsules up close and stated that the project is important and significant. “This is a moment of recovery for São Sebastião, so having a project like this is very important. I want to follow the development of the restoration of these areas so affected by the rains,” he said during the visit.
The priority areas, defined by Atlântica Environmental Consulting and the Forest Foundation of the State of São Paulo, are more prone to landslides and invasions. Therefore, drones began to release seeds in about 10 hectares to test the operationalization of the work in different circumstances. These locations are also important to test techniques and technologies that can be applied in other spaces with greater safety and efficiency.
The innovative technology for the ecological restoration of areas affected by the rains in São Sebastião was developed by Brazilian researchers and will be carried out in about 208 hectares, equivalent to 200 football fields. For this, biocapsules developed by Ambipar Group are being used from collagen leftovers from pharmaceutical industries, which have ceased to be used in drug production due to small defects and/or expiration.
After being processed in the company’s laboratory, the biocapsules receive seeds of native trees and are dispersed through high-capacity drones that will allow access to the steep areas of the Serra do Mar, which are inaccessible by land. To restore degraded areas in São Sebastião, more than 20 plant species chosen from the List of Species Indicated for Ecological Restoration for the regions of the State of São Paulo are being used, all of them native to the Atlantic Forest biome and the Dense Ombrophilous Forest.
According to Fernanda Carbonelli, president of ICC, there are several factors that influence seed germination, such as temperature, humidity, light, and dormancy, but it is possible to select seeds from species that can develop in unfavorable conditions. “We will give priority at this moment to tree species called pioneers since they are the first to be able to colonize an area, thus starting the first stage of ecological succession,” she explains.
For Gabriel Estevam, innovation director at Ambipar, the biocapsule technology will benefit the entire population, contributing to the environment. “The project is very important to restore ecological areas in São Sebastião, which will help with long-term climate balance and benefit the entire population of the municipality. In addition, the initiative can be taken as a model to be replicated in various areas to promote ecological restoration, reforestation, and contribute to sustainability worldwide,” he says.
The biocapsules aim to protect and nourish the seeds without the use of chemicals. They also have Ecosolo®, a soil conditioner with Organic Certification and Registration with the Ministry of Agriculture, produced from organic waste from the paper and pulp industries. It is capable of promoting gains in micro and macronutrients in the soil, with a better exchange of nutrients between plants and the soil due to high Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) and better Water Retention Capacity (WRC). The product also provides the necessary organic matter for the development of germinated plants.
Gabriel Estevam explains that, for the restoration project in São Sebastião, the technique used in the biocapsules was adapted to achieve greater efficiency in the process, especially in seeds considered larger. “In this case, the collagen was melted and organic carbon was applied directly to the seeds, fixing it with Ecosolo® to promote nutrients to microorganisms and soil biota,” he says.
In contact with water, the biocapsules quickly melt, forming a gel, nutrients, and biological organisms that activate the seeds, causing a greater probability of germination, especially in degraded and poor soils. Through a seeder drone, developed for this purpose, it is possible to make the aerial release of 20 thousand biocapsules, covering about one hectare per flight.
Initially, the project has an estimated duration of two years, with the first for planting and the second for monitoring, which can be extended. ICC and Ambipar believe that the first results can be seen within two to three months after the launch of the biocapsules. However, this period will also depend on the climatic conditions of the region during the operation.
About the Coastal Conservation Institute
The ICC is an NGO dedicated to environmental preservation and coastal conservation. Co-manager of the municipal conservation unit – APA BALEIA SAHY -, for more than 10 years, it was the NGO selected by the Forest Foundation of the State of São Paulo to lead the reforestation project.
Watch the project video below:
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