Tangará Reserve, a respite from the forest in the largest megalopolis in Latin America

In the metropolitan area of ​​São Paulo, the largest city in Latin America700,000 square meters of foresta natural refuge for more than 120 species of animals, which in the Tangará Coral Reserve can breathe the purest air in the area and enjoy two springs with crystal-clear waters.

Located in the municipality of Mauá, right next to one of the largest paint and coating production plants in the world, belonging to the Dutch multinational AkzoNobel, the Atlantic Forest, the most devastated and threatened biome in Brazil, found in the neighboring factory a great ally for its recovery and conservation.

The Atlantic Forest asks for help

The Atlantic Forest is the humid tropical forest that extends along the Brazilian coast, precisely the most industrialized area of ​​the country, which puts its conservation in check.

The biome, which also spans Argentina and Paraguay, is home to more than 20,000 species of fauna and flora, almost 2,000 of them threatened with extinction.

Between 2021 and 2022, the Atlantic Forest lost 20,075 hectares of native forests, according to a report by the SOS Mata Atlântica foundation, which uses official data collected by satellite.

To reverse this scenario, the NGO defends the creation of conservation units and private reserves, something that is key, since the 78% of the lands in this biome are private domain.

Only the 10% of the Mata Atlântica territory is protected, but according to calculations by SOS Mata Atlântica, this makes it possible to offset 1.5 gigatonnes of CO2.

Example of sustainable development

An example of this protection work is the work that AkzoNobel carries out in the Tangará Coral Reserve, which represents a 10% of the native forests of the municipality of Mauá.

In the last ten years, the company invested nearly US$480,000 in the reserve, where it has carried out restoration work focusing on the removal of eucalyptus trees to replant native species.

It managed to improve water quality, prevent fires and form a biological corridor, explains AkzoNobel’s sustainability manager, Flávia Takeuchi.

“The changes we have seen have been mainly in terms of biodiversity and water regulation,” says Takeuchi, in an interview with EFE.

As water is one of the main raw materials in the paint factory, Takeuchi argues, it was essential to adopt measures to conserve this resource.

“We know that the quality of the water coming from the eucalyptus trees was not very good, compared to that coming from the native vegetation,” details.

The company also carries out environmental education work with children from local public schools who can take guided tours of the reserve.

Another measure adopted in Mauá was the creation of an effluent treatment plant.

The structure, with a cost of almost US$ 2.6 million, subjects the water to physical, chemical and biological purification processes, which allow its reuse in the production of paints and coatings, which allowed the factory to achieve a rate of reuse of a 100%.

Everyone’s Responsibility

Takeuchi emphasizes that these projects are a great challenge for AkzoNobe. “We had to leave our comfort zone, but we want to show the way and inspire other companies“, Add.

Likewise, it calls on all local sectors to make a collective effort to move towards a more sustainable future.

“Not only the public sector, but also the private sector and the community. “We all have a role to play in conservation”he concludes.

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