Almost three years ago, Copaíba, in partnership with two rural properties in the Serra neighborhood, in Serra Negra/SP, started the forest restoration of 200,000 m2 of area, through the planting of 10 thousand seedlings of trees native to the Atlantic Forest.

The recovery process continues, and so does the plant care. Maintenance actions are still being carried out in the area and this is the only way to guarantee the success of forest restoration.

The last action carried out in the areas was the replacement planting of some seedlings that died. According to the Copaíba Coordinator, Ana Paula Balderi, seedling losses in forest restoration projects range from 2 to 5%. “This is a low percentage and it is not always necessary to replant the seedlings. Natural regeneration itself occupies these planting failures. However, in this case we made a replacement in order to close some small clearings that still exist in the place. Thus, we hope that, in a short time, the area will be covered by native vegetation”.

After almost three years of planting, the seedlings are now trees and are already doing their job of protecting the soil and the surroundings of the springs, where they were planted. “This project aimed to contribute to the restoration and conservation of the Rio do Peixe watershed and, in a few years, it is already possible to see positive results from this action, such as the presence of wild fauna. Many species of birds have already been observed in the place”, comments the coordinator Ana Paula.

The riparian forests serve as an obstacle to the flow of runoff water. It reduces the speed of water allowing its infiltration into the soil, thus allowing its absorption by plants and the supply of underground water reservoirs. In other words, the riparian forest is essential for the protection of water sources.