In May 2015, the two year Petrobras forest restoration project Guapiaçu Grande Vida (GGV) was completed. REGUA’s Forest Engineer, Aline Damasceno, has been responsible for the design of the planting of this new area.

The Socio Environmental grant allowed REGUA to restore 100 hectares of former pasture land back into forest. The planting started in November 2013 utilizing saplings grown in REGUA’s nursery.

In 2014, seed collecting with REGUA’s rangers was intensified within the reserve’s land. Over 250 kg of native seeds were collected and transported to the nursery where they were carefully grown into healthy saplings. Seeds of over 120 native Mata Atlântica species were collected, grown and successfully planted between 2013 and 2015.

All in all, 160,000 trees were planted in 100 hectares with high survival rates. The final stage of the project is a two year maintenance of the area, keeping the grass around the trees to a minimum, allowing natural wild flowers to gain a hold and some control of leaf-cutter ants to help the trees to develop safely. REGUA has now replanted over 215 hectares with more than 336,000 trees.