15,000 more trees Plus 180,000 Hectares for the PEUGEOT-ONF forestry carbon sink in the Amazon
In line with the commitments made during the “Kick it to Brazil” operation, the brand campaign carried out by PEUGEOT in March and April 2014 that followed the journey made by a football from France to Brazil. This is passing through many countries and several continents on the way. So these 15,000 new trees are to be planted at the PEUGEOT-ONF forestry carbon sink at Fazenda Sao Nicolau. Because the site of the project, in the state of Mato Grosso region in Brazil. These saplings will join the 2 million trees of more than 50 different species already introduced to the project site, a project that started in 1998 and is planned to continue until 2038.
PEUGEOT ONF CARBON SINK
ALTHOUGH, the 16th Meeting of the PEUGEOT-ONF Carbon Sink Scientific and Technical Committee was held in Sinop (Mato Grosso, Brazil) from 14 to 16 March 2016.
Therefore they took a lot of steps forward in the project. In addition to including in carbon sequestration. This biodiversity, forestry and local development were reviewed or approved by the steering committee and by the Scientific Committee.
The Environment Ministry of the State of Mato Grosso, SEMA, authorized the development plan of the Private Reserve of Natural Heritage comprising 1,800 hectares of natural forest. All with high biodiversity value (created in 2009) and the corresponding research program.a
The Scientific Committee applauds the decision. Because as the study of biodiversity is placed on the same footing as that long held in the project by the sequestration. One for atmospheric carbon in a recreated forest ecosystem.
Thereby on the carbon front, a change is in for methods favorable to the project. Also its sustainable development. All with a view to storing 550,000 tonnes of CO2 in the ecosystem.
Two factors will play a favorable role in the carbon performance of the project: the doubling of the land area with Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) certification together with Brazilian Social Carbon certification. Because this last helping to ensure that the project is as robust socially as it is environmentally. Nearly 1,970 hectares of plantations and restored land are currently in the certification process. Thereby accounting for a quantity of carbon sequestered in the biomass and soil of almost 555,000 tonnes of CO2 eq. according to VCS estimation methods.
Private Reserve of Natural Heritage (Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural or RPPN): development and research plan approved by SEMA
Then at the 16th Meeting of the PEUGEOT-ONF Carbon Sink Scientific and Technical Committee helped. So the Environment Ministry of the State of Mato Grosso (SEMA) presented the official document authorizing the implementation of a development and research plan for the 1,800 hectares of high-biodiversity-value land. All set aside for scientific research and created in November 2009.
With this authorization in hand, preparations for the RPPN research program may begin in 2016. That’s with the physical marking out of the reserve. Because the appointment of individuals to monitor the reserve and the introduction of an initial financing plan came out. All for the first research topics developed at the reserve.
Also in 2016, experimental plots for monitoring the natural forest dynamic will be brought into operation in the reserve. That’s home to a remarkable level of biodiversity with over 250 species of trees per hectare. The plots will form part of the network of plots implemented by Brazil in the Amazon basin. This is all part of the PPBio program. It’s complying rigorously with the standard and protocol developed by Brazil. Also at the international level too. They will integrate the network of experimental plots coordinated by the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development, CIRAD. CIRAD is a long-standing scientific partner of the project.
Biodiversity returns to the plantation area: fundamental markers identified by experts
At both ends of the biodiversity chain, from termites to couples of jaguars, researchers have observed that animal life is reclaiming its rights in the plantation area, recreated from scratch two decades ago. The development demonstrates the robust health of the restored forest ecosystem. The success also owes to the unique initiative, as part of a reforestation project aimed at carbon sequestration, of planting over 50 local species.
With insects accounting for over 50% of terrestrial biodiversity, the termites are a particularly important and concrete marker of the increase in biodiversity, as they are responsible for structuring soils and recycling nutrients for the forest ecosystem. They have returned in large numbers to the recreated forest biotope. At the other end of the chain, jaguars have been photographed (using camera trapping) in and around the planted plots in the ecosystem, proof that the initiative also, and remarkably, serves as a biodiversity corridor.
Further new animal species have been discovered, including an Amazonian fish, baptized Hyphessobrycon peugeoti, in the Juruena River contiguous to the project, as well as a new species of beetle, Hansreia peugeoti. The Peugeot brand has written its name in the history of biodiversity.
The PEUGEOT-ONF carbon sink project as a pilot site for the implementation of high-resolution satellite imaging techniques
On the leading edge of technology, the project is using the latest optical satellite sensors and radar, including Sentinel, SPOT6 and Pléiade, to monitor the evolution of biomass and develop innovative plantation monitoring tools with precision levels of up to under one meter. These tools, used on a testing basis from 2016, will help to enhance the remote and practically real-time monitoring of the project plantations.
HOW BIG IS A HECTARE?
So what is a hectare as Kelowna Now reports:
As well and with all the forest fires currently burning in British Columbia and Alberta, the word hectare is used more often than not to measure the size of a fire. Many of us just don’t know how big a hectare is, so here’s a visual comparison to provide you with a better understanding.
Most sports fields are one hectare in size.
So combined over 1,900 plus hectares of Stadiums saved in the Amazon
The Apple Bowl in Kelowna for instance is a 400 m running track and the grassy area inside is 1.12 hectares. The international rugby field pictured above is very close to one hectare in size, it is actually 1.0008 hectares. A perfect square is 100 meters by 100 meters is a hectare.
It’s a start!