Annual Report - 2023

Activities and Balance of the SOS Mata Atlântica Foundation in 2023

"It's been a productive year where we've strengthened bonds with partners and groups involved in forest restoration. We launched numerous new projects and spread the message about the role of our ecosystem beyond its geographical boundaries. Our highlight was the significant participation in the 2023 Society for Ecological Restoration Congress in Darwin, Australia. This year also marked innovation with the introduction of a pioneering insurance mechanism for forest restoration projects."


Rafael Bitante Fernandes, Forest Restoration Manager

Volunteer Forests of the Future in 2023:

185

hectares mobilized for restoration

435,360

seedlings mobilized for restoration

15

nurseries, including our own, from which we acquired seedlings

Environmental Recovery Commitment Agreement (TCRA) Forests of the Future:

• 60 new contracts and 298,000 seedlings acquired, equating to 119 hectares for new plantings.

• 145,000 seedlings planted in 2023 across 58 hectares in the Piracicaba, Capivari, and Jundiaí (PCJ) and Paraíba do Sul watersheds.

• Prospecting of properties suitable for planting, establishing a robust bank of areas totaling 500 hectares.

Equivalences:


One hectare is roughly the size of a football field.


Based on research, SOS Mata Atlântica plants approximately 2,500 tree seedlings per degraded hectare.

Launch of Carbon Unit Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV):

Developed in partnership with Imaflora (Institute of Forest and Agricultural Management and Certification), the program monitors and verifies forest restoration areas, estimating carbon removal.

 

The MRV aims to enhance the value of forest restoration in Brazil's climate agenda and the UN Decade on Restoration. It offers a cost-effective, credible option for companies seeking to offset greenhouse gas emissions through forest restoration.

 

Check out the launch event, held at AYA Earth Partners.

Event Discusses How Legal Obligations Turn into New Forests in São Paulo

Ecological restoration is a complex process, especially when it aims to recover degraded natural areas or offset environmental damage. This complexity increases due to specific laws, involving more people and bureaucratic hurdles.

 

Therefore, celebrating milestones like the TCRA Forests of the Future's 10-year anniversary is essential for sharing lessons learned. This was highlighted at the Compensatory Forest Restoration Workshop held at our Itu headquarters, attended by

CETESB (Environmental Company of the State of São Paulo) managers, environmental engineers, biologists, consultants, and service providers in the restoration field.

 

See how it went!

New Team and Planting Area in Espírito Santo

Our restoration team expanded in 2023, with 15 new hires for operations in Espírito Santo and one for headquarters in Itu. In Espírito Santo, the project focuses on Pinheiros in the Itaúnas River basin. 

Supported by:

Groundbreaking Insurance for Forest Restoration

In 2021, areas where we had restoration projects were affected by frosts and wildfires, harming tree growth and forest formation. With climate change predicting more extreme events, both ongoing and new projects face severe impacts.

 

In response, we partnered with insurers to develop pioneering forest restoration insurance. Done in collaboration with Swiss Re offices in Brazil, supported by Franca Insurance Brokers, it is Brazil's first insurance dedicated to native forests.

 

This initiative provides greater security for investors in forest restoration, project implementers - whether companies or NGOs - and landowners hosting plantings.

Masthead

2023 Annual Report

 

Coordination

Marcelo Bolzan/Estúdio Verbo

 

Editor

Marina Vieira

 

Contributors

Afra Balazina; Aislan Silva; Carlos Abras; Diego Igawa Martinez; Gustavo Veronesi; Kelly De Marchi; Luís Fernando Guedes Pinto; Marcia Hirota; Maria Luísa Ribeiro; Olavo Garrido; and Rafael Bitante Fernandes 

 

Image Research

Andrea Herrera and Marina Vieira

 

Graphic Design

Karine Costa

 

Editing

Ana Cíntia Guazzelli

 

Translation

Janaína Ribeiro

 

Image Credits 

Ana Paula Guido; César R Santos; Fernando Castro; Fernando Donasci; Gustavo Veranesi; Isabela Lanute; JF Dorio; Léo Barrilari; Loan Barbosa; Matheus Mussolin; Sérgio Barzaghi; Rafael Bitante Fernandes; and SOS Mata Atlântica Archive