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Brazil - 2006
Hydro Project Employed Simultaneous Construction, Rehabilitation
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More than 230,000 native trees are already rooted in the area surrounding the new Barra Grande hydropower plant and dam in Brazil because of a forward-thinking plan that combined environmental recovery with construction.
Before construction began on the 708-megawatt plant in July 2001, BAESA-the owner's consortium that includes Alcoa Alumínio-prepared a flora monitoring and rescue program that included the following major activities:
- Inventory and classify all species of vegetation;
- Construct a laboratory and research center;
- Preserve seeds and seedlings for future rehabilitation work; and
- Prepare a reforestation program.
By doing rehabilitation work simultaneously with construction, the project team decreased the visual impacts of the construction phase, began the formation of a permanent conservation area along the reservoir border areas, reduced erosion, and accelerated the return of wildlife.
Under the supervision of BAESA, a team of biologists and forest engineers conducted all environmental recovery efforts. The experts even developed ways to replace and naturally fertilize the soil, making it possible to accelerate environmental recovery.
Upon completion of the hydroelectric plant's construction in February 2006, BAESA began vegetation maintenance and replacement activities for the creation of a permanent conservation area. The consortium is also developing environmental education activities for community members.
Raising the concerns of some stakeholders was a 2005 BAESA vegetation inventory that indicated the existence of certain native trees in the reservoir area, among them Brazilian pine, that had not been identified in the environmental impact report prepared under the auspices of the Brazilian government as part of the permitting process and before BAESA's involvement in the project. The compensation measures include funding for the purchase and maintenance of the conservation areas and the planting of 1 million trees.
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