Biomas, a Brazilian reforestation company backed by major corporate investors including Vale, Marfrig, Suzano, Santander Brasil, Itaú, and Rabobank, has initiated its first large-scale environmental restoration project in Bahia state. The Mucununga Project, representing a $9.7 million investment, will plant over 2 million native trees across 1,200 hectares of the Atlantic rainforest, one of the most biodiverse yet endangered ecosystems in the world.
“The Atlantic rainforest is a biodiversity hotspot,” said Fabio Sakamoto, CEO of Biomas. “This region’s established infrastructure and secure land titles make it an ideal location for the first phase of our reforestation efforts.”
The project’s primary goal is to restore a portion of the rapidly vanishing Atlantic rainforest, which now covers just 12% of its original expanse, despite once spanning areas now home to two-thirds of Brazil’s population. Through this initiative, Biomas aims to generate 500,000 carbon credits over the next 40 years, each representing the offset of one ton of carbon dioxide emissions.
In addition to its carbon benefits, the Mucununga Project is designed to deliver broader ecological and social impacts. It incorporates activities such as land restoration, community engagement, and the development of sustainable land-use practices. Local communities are being actively involved from the outset, ensuring that the project generates long-term social benefits, including improved agricultural productivity and enhanced environmental quality.
Biomas plans to scale its efforts, focusing on both the Atlantic rainforest and the Amazon, with aspirations to restore millions of hectares of degraded land over the next two decades. The Mucununga Project is just the beginning, marking a crucial step towards the company’s vision of integrating ecological restoration with social and economic development.
“The return of the forest will help stabilize local temperatures, purify water, and boost agricultural output, benefiting people, plants, and animals,” Biomas emphasized in its announcement. With a long-term vision for sustainable restoration, Biomas is setting a new standard for reforestation efforts in Brazil and beyond.
