More than 400 species of wild animals have been recorded in Grupo BBF palm cultivation areas in Pará and Roraima

Areas of the Amazon previously degraded by deforestation now have reptiles, amphibians, birds, mammals and fish

São Paulo, June 5, 2024 - What was once a vast, lifeless expanse of deforested land in the Amazon rainforest is now a green space, with reclaimed soil, retained carbon and wild animals roaming around. This is what happens in the oil palm cultivation areas of Grupo BBF (Brasil BioFuels) in Pará and Roraima. In the more than 75,000 hectares cultivated by the company, around 5,000 records have already been made and more than 400 species of wild animals have been identified in the latest monitoring campaigns. These include reptiles, amphibians, birds, mammals and fish, some of which are classified as rare and even threatened with extinction.

Despite the technical limitations in carrying out the studies, Grupo BBF 's sustainability team has already observed a diversity of more than 85 species of reptiles and amphibians, 270 birds, 25 mammals and 40 fish in the company's cultivation areas. "We believe that this number could be much higher, considering the richness of Brazil's biomes and the benefits generated by our activities. Bioindicator species of good environmental quality were found, which attests to the effectiveness of the actions taken to preserve the environment in the company's region of influence," says Milton Steagall, CEO of Grupo BBF.

Among the endangered species are the giant armadillo(Priodontes maximus), the giant anteater(Myrmecophaga tridactyla), the spider monkey(Ateles paniscus) and the peccary(Tayassu pecari). We also found golden monkeys(Saguinus midas), ocelots(Leopardus pardalis), tapirs(Tapirus terrestres) and others that are normally seen in highly conserved environments.

Oil palm cultivation by Grupo BBF follows Brazilian legislation to the letter, which is considered to be one of the strictest in the world. According to the Agroecological Zoning of Oil Palm (Decree 7.172), its cultivation recovers areas that were degraded until 2007 in the Amazon. In a robust study carried out by Embrapa (the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation), more than 31 million hectares were identified as suitable for oil palm cultivation in the Amazon."

"We planted oil palm in anthropized areas that were bare and lifeless, a plant that recovers degraded soil and contributes to the connectivity between natural environments, mitigating impacts associated with the fragmentation of ecosystems, which contributes to the preservation of biodiversity in the region. In addition, oil palm generates employment and income for the local population and its final destination is the generation of renewable energy and biofuels. It's an example of a bioeconomy and a model for generating wealth in the region, which makes it possible to keep the forest standing," explains Steagall.

Grupo BBF is considered the largest palm oil producer in Latin America. The company cultivates 60,000 hectares of the plant in Pará and approximately another 15,000 in Roraima. Around 800,000 tons of carbon are captured annually in these areas: 729,000 tons in Pará and 71,000 tons in Roraima. In addition, the company takes care of more than 60,000 hectares of Legal Reserve areas, which annually store around 26.6 million tons of carbon in Pará and 3.1 million tons of carbon in Roraima.

Reduction in deforestation

Another positive influence of the company's operations is the reduction in deforestation hotspots. Areas close to Grupo BBF 's operations in São João da Baliza (RR) have 85% fewer deforestation alerts than areas further away in the same region, according to a survey carried out using the "MapBiomas Alerta" monitoring platform.

According to a survey carried out in November 2023, more than 21,000 hectares with deforestation alerts were identified within a radius of 50 km from the area where Grupo BBF grows sustainable oil palm. Reducing this radius to 15 km from the company shows a reduction of approximately 85% of the alerts, reinforcing that where there is employment and income, there is a reduction in deforestation and protection to keep the forest standing.

About Grupo BBF

Grupo BBF (Brasil BioFuels), a Brazilian company founded in 2008, is the largest palm oil producer in Latin America, with a cultivated area of over 75,000 hectares and a production capacity of 200,000 tons of oil per year. The company is a pioneer in creating sustainable solutions for generating renewable energy in isolated systems, with thermoelectric plants powered by biofuels produced in the region. Its agricultural activity recovers areas that were degraded until 2007 in the Amazon, following the Oil Palm Agroecological Zoning (ZAE), approved by Decree 7.172 of the Federal Government, of May 7, 2010.

Grupo BBF has created an integrated business model in which it operates from the beginning to the end of the value chain - from sustainable oil palm cultivation, crude oil extraction, biofuel production, biotechnology and renewable energy generation. Grupo BBF 's operations are located in the states of Acre, Amazonas, Rondônia, Roraima and Pará, comprising 38 thermoelectric plants (25 in operation and 13 under implementation), 3 oil palm crushing units, a soybean extruder and a biodiesel industry.