How can we conciliate economic and social development with the preservation of forests?
This is an ever present issue in our daily activities. Vale now protects, or helps to protect, more than 10,000 km² of natural habitat across the world. To celebrate World Forest Day, March 21, and stimulate reflection about the theme, we held the first Vale Environmental Excellence Conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
During the event, which took place on March 21 and 22, we launched our Guide to Best Practices in Environmental Licensing and the Environment. This document sets out Vale’s procedures and methods for the company’s environment-related employees to carry out project-licensing studies. The conference also featured debates about biodiversity, forests and development.
The United Nations has declared 2011 the International Year of Forests. Vale is holding various initiatives about this subject over the course of the year.
Our commitment to the planet
Investing in environmental preservation and conservation is part of our Sustainable Development Policy.
In Brazil this commitment can be seen at the Vale Zoo and Botanical Park in Carajás, Pará; the Vale Botanical Parks in São Luís, Maranhão and Vitória, Espírito Santo; and the Vale Nature Reserve in Linhares, Espírito Santo. The latter has been declared an Atlantic Forest Biosphere Reserve by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
In Indonesia we are working in partnership with the government to protect Sorowako Tropical Forest, and in Canada we are helping to protect boreal forests.