Eucalyptus in brief

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  Eucalyptus is a tree, like any other in nature, but a very special one. It produces wood to meet society’s needs, and also helps preserve native forests.

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  Similar to other crops that are widely cultivated in Brazil — coffee, corn, soybeans, sugarcane, and others — the eucalyptus is not native of the country.

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  In the areas where studies have been conducted, the belief that eucalyptus trees dry up the soil proved groundless. Its water consumption was similar to that of native forests and its roots are far from the water table.

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  Eucalyptus trees take about seven years to reach harvesting age for pulp production and required little human action on the land during this period. They can be cultivated in areas of low natural fertility and do not demand a great deal of nutrients and agricultural chemicals when compared to other crops.

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  When appropriately handled, eucalyptus planting supports the protection and conservation of biodiversity. The belief that it creates a green desert is therefore unjustified.

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  With its rapid growth, eucalyptus helps to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and return oxygen to the atmosphere. The role of eucalyptus forest plantations is fundamental to our efforts to neutralize the effect of greenhouse gases responsible for the warming of the Earth.

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  The contribution of eucalyptus trees to the sustainable development of Brazil is increasing. Activities of the forestry sector represent a significant portion of our country’s GDP and generate millions of direct and indirect jobs. In addition, eucalyptus trees help protect the environment.