Pulp Matters 1/2022

“We will plan for the whole cycle of the tree, from using recycled water in our nurseries down to details such as where the roads are most optimally located to minimise the impact of our activity. We follow UPM’s global biodiversity programme and work with local NGOs to protect the ecosystem.” Eucalyptus trees act as important carbon sinks and are therefore one part of preventing the advance of climate change. Compared to the previous land use for cattle grazing, trees have much higher biomass and therefore act as more effective carbon storage. Although deforestation and erosion are problems affecting several South American countries, the number of tree plantations and natural forest in Uruguay has in fact grown. LONG TERM WORK Around 40% of UPM’s land in Uruguay is not used for plantations. Apart from small areas needed for logistics, the rest is either in its original use as pastureland for cattle or conserved for natural habitat for local animals and birds. No natural forest has been cleared for the UPM plantations. Valuable ecosystems, such as wetlands and grasslands, are protected. There are buffer areas around the plantations and conserved corridors for animals. These actions also help to maintain biodiversity in the area. The local people even use the plantations and buffer zones for beekeeping and mushroom picking. Although Álvaro Fitipaldo now has responsibility for the big picture, he still enjoys staying as close to the operational side as possible. Sustainability means taking many steps along the way, and it is always important to see where things can be improved, he says. “We have been developing the sustainability of our eucalyptus plantations since the beginning and it is a central part of our working culture.”

The seedling nurseries employ people from nearby rural communities – the majority of them women.

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