BAM won the Business Ecoefficiency Award 2011 in the category of natural renewable resources. This distinction is given by the Ministry of Environment MINAM and the Universidad Científica del Sur to companies that successfully drive sustainable development in Peru.
This award recognizes efficient use and sustainable management of the natural resources of our reforestation program, Campo Verde, located in the region of Ucayali, 35 kilometers from the city of Pucallpa. With this program Bosques Amazónicos BAM has recovered, to date, 730 hectares of degraded soils by fertilizing and planting more than 620 thousand highly valuable native trees such as the shihuahuaco or cumarú and the marupa.
The Business Ecoefficiency Award 2011 confirms BAM’s leadership in reforestation projects in the Peruvian Amazon and also reaffirms the importance of private investment in bolstering growth in the forestry sector and ensuring the sustainable development of the forests of Latin America and the world.
More about BAM’s Campo Verde reforestation program
Migratory agriculture, illegal logging and over-exploitation of natural forests had led to the deforestation and degradation of extensive areas of the Peruvian Amazon. In these low value areas, Bosques Amazónicos BAM uses two efficient reforestation models, which have been validated and recognized internationally: reforestation to recover degraded soils and restoration of the secondary forests that have been plundered.
The process begins with a biophysical analysis of the soil to identify the species that are ideal for the area. Next, plants are grown in the greenhouse for subsequent afforestation in the selected area, which has been previously fertilized and enriched with guaba or pacae (Inga edulis Mart.), a native fruit tree that fixes nitrogen in the soil and enriches it with organic material. This trees also suppresses the growth of competing grasses while providing shade and protection to optimize the development of forest species.
“With this scheme, BAM has recovered the forests and the biodiversity of degraded areas while connecting fragmented forests and recreating habitats for wild fauna. Additionally, the project has helped local communities develop their capacities for sustainable forest management by promoting selective, low-impact logging techniques and providing knowledge to manage greenhouses and plantations. This not only contributes to more equitable economic development but also discourages unproductive traditional agricultural practices,” explains Jorge Cantuarias, founder of BAM.
