On January 30th, a planting ceremony with donors and company representatives marked the start of IPÊ’s work on the restauration of three hectares with more than 6,100 trees at the Cantareira System.
These trees are a result from donations and partnerships.
Collaborators in this planting act maintained the designated social distancing measures, used masks and were always in open spaces, as a precaution to COVID-19. The planting took place at different times in order to avoid any kind of agglomeration.
Partnership to Restauration: Tourism
The Egencia Global Alliance (EGA) a company from Expedia Group, which has Tour House as their Brazilian partner, made a choice to join efforts with the challenge we have on planting 35 million trees at Cantareira System. They made a campaign during Tourism Fair in London, at 2020, where at each visit at Egencia stand, a tree would be planted by the company. And this result is 6.000 trees!
The president of Tour House comments: “We are very happy with the result, as well as to contribute with such important area for water protection. It is the second time we participate at an action like this, and, this year, we counted with the strength of our international group. I feel fulfilled being able to do this and be at a company that collaborates with environment”.
Andrea Peçanha, IPE’s Business Unity Coordinator, tells that planting are the highlight, but also a part of this medium/long term partnership. “Corporations has the opportunity to contribute, a lot, with the region. Just like business, to plant a tree also requires planning, since pre-planting until the two year period, in average, after performing and finish planting. The species’ and year season selection, and also the area monitoring are fundamental to the result of the forest restauration. Atlantic Forest seedlings planted by Tour House Group/Egencia Global Alliance (EGA) join efforts with more than 370 thousand seedlings already planted at Cantareira System by IPE, among a series of partnerships”.
Cause Marketing
Simone Nunes, fashion designer and partner of Serpentina Bikini’s brand, also planted a seedling, symbolizing the partnership with IPÊ. The swimwear brand returns 5% of value from each sold unit to IPE in to produce the seedlings at a hatchery located in Nazaré Paulista (Sao Paulo state), and now is also sold by IPÊ’ store.
“Our product has a direct relation with water, being that fresh or sea water, so I wanted to make a project out of it, where it supports initiatives of water conservation. Here in Brazil, we partnership with IPÊ and this will expand through the word, supporting similar projects”, tell Simone.
Individual Donors
Who also started the year making a dream come true was Silvio Luiz Tonietto (picture left). Silvio Luiz get to know IPE by a story exhibited in December at a national TV News about the biggest restored corridor in Brasil, at Pontal do Paranapanema (SP). Silvio made contact with the Institute and donated 100 trees.
“It is a retribution to all that nature gives, and we know how important this is to water conservation in a region as São Paulo. I am really glad to be able to plant with my bare hands”, Silvio commented.
The seedlings were planted at Atibainha reservoir surroundings, one out of five that constitute one of the biggest water supply systems in the world.
According to a study from Atlas of Cantareira System, an IPÊ publication, 21 thousands hectares need to be restored at the permanent preservation areas, at the river springs, rivers and streamlet vicinities. These are areas that should be covered by forests, but aren’t. This scenario harms Cantareira System’s resilience, one of the biggest water supply system in the world; responsible for the water going to 7,6 million people from metropolitan region of Sao Paulo, besides 5 million at Campinas and Piracicaba regions.