Sustainable Success
Restoring nature for our future
Rainforests are often referred to as the “lungs of our planet,” generating a significant amount of oxygen and storing even more carbon. These dense forests have existed for tens of millions of years and are home to countless animal and plant species, but they’re disappearing at a rate of one acre every second. The Mata Atlântica (Atlantic Forest), a tropical forest that once covered more than 330 million acres along Brazil’s Atlantic coast, has been reduced to 12% of its original size due to agriculture, cattle, ranching and urban sprawl.
Instituto Terra, a nonprofit organization located in the Doce river valley in Brazil, is doing critical restoration work: re-creating native forests, which helps restore biodiversity, protects precious soil, and revives and maintains water sources. Founded in 1998 by Lélia and Sebastião Salgado, Instituto Terra’s goal is to achieve environmental restoration and sustainable rural development in Vale do Rio Doce, which was once covered by the Atlantic Forest. Zurich North America, as part of its sustainability initiatives, has partnered with Instituto Terra to help advance its environmental restoration work.
The work that Instituto Terra is doing is inspiring, and it aligns well with Zurich’s commitment to sustainability. Since we announced the Zurich Forest Project, our employees in North America and in other regions have embraced our collective effort to revitalize this large swath of Brazilian forest, which is an important part of the global ecosystem. We are creating a brighter future together.”
Kristof Terryn
CEO, Zurich North America
Called the Zurich Forest Project, these new seedlings will be the third generation of trees to be planted in the Atlantic Forest as part of Instituto Terra’s nature restoration project.
The Zurich Forest Project
Chaud
The Atlantic Forest is home to an incredibly diverse range of plants and animals. Thanks to the work Instituto Terra has already accomplished, this once-barren area of farmland is now home to more than 3,000 native living species, including plants, fungi, and animals.
Supporting biodiversity in Fazenda Bulcão
2M+
Seedlings
1,730
Acres
Native seedlings planted
between 1999 and 2019
Atlantic Forest at RPPN Fazenda Bulcão, in Aimorés, Minas Gerais
By the numbers
1 M
Native trees that will be planted to help create a fully self-sustaining natural ecosystem as a result of Zurich’s grant
8
Years the grant will be in action, during which seedlings will be grown in the reserve’s own nursery and then raised and planted
120
The nu mber of scientifically selected native species of trees being grown as part of this reforestation project
56 K
Number of Zurich employees, all of whom can sponsor and “plant” a tree
Species of flora and fauna
Birds
172
Mammals
33
Amphibians
15
Reptiles
15
Plants
293
Purple-breasted parrot
Robust Woodpecker
Bare-throated bellbird
Macaw
Saffron Finch
Puma
Masked titi
SOURCE: institutoterra.org/atuacao
Endangered species
6 bird species
2 mammal species
The Zurich Forest Project is about more than planting a certain number of trees—it’s about restoring entire ecosystems including wildlife, plants, and local communities so they can thrive for decades to come.
The impact
Geographical impact
Recomposition of soil
Restoration of vegetation cover
Recovery and conservation of water sources
To ensure this important work continues, Instituto Terra also provides education to local farmers, academics, and government officials interested in conservation and restoring other forested regions in Brazil.
Lasting change
Seedlings planted as part of the Zurich Forest Project
Experts trained by Instituto Terra in reforestation
Lives improved by Instituto Terra efforts in the Atlantic Forest
200 K
200
4.1 M
+
SOURCE: Zurich North America (Figures as of January 2022)
Learn more about the
Zurich Forest Project.
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