Biodiversity is an intrinsic and essential aspect to our business. Therefore, we are committed to discover
and monitor the regions in which we operate, manage the risks and impacts associated with our business
activities, and be transparent to society about our practices.
Our initiatives include researches focused on knowledge about territories and improvement of knowledge about
threatened species, recovery of degraded areas, innovation, technology development, and maintenance of
protected areas, which are important remnants of the biomes where we operate.
Environmental Conservation
Nature and People
Research and Development
Commitment to recover areas in Brazil
Brazil’s commitment to the National Plan for Recovery of Native Vegetation (Planaveg, Política
Nacional de Recuperação da Vegetação Nativa) aims to promote the environmental regulation of
Brazilian rural properties through recovery of 12 million hectares of native vegetation in permanent
preservation areas (APPs, Áreas de Preservação Permanente), legal reserves (RLs, reservas legais),
and degraded areas with low productivity. This policy adopted by the Brazilian government also aims
to contribute to the Paris Agreement on climate change. To help reach those goals, Vale is committed
to recover 100,000 hectares of degraded areas by 2030.
Recovery of 100,000 hectares of degraded areas by 2030
Vale Natural Reserve
One of our main protected areas is Vale Nature Reserve (RNV, Reserva Natural Vale) in Linhares. The
reserve extends across 23,000 hectares that are home to the largest continuous remnant of Tabuleiro
Atlantic Forest in the southeast of the country. RNV is an important area for biodiversity
conservation and research, and has been recognized by UNESCO as an Outpost of the Atlantic Forest
Biosphere Reserve. In addition, it has public open areas for greater integration of communities and
general public with nature, including trails, exhibitions, an event venue, and a hotel.
Visit Vale Nature Reserve page:
Access the page
+30 mil
visitors per year
241
research projects developed
Biodiversity Conservation in the Iron Quadrangle Region of Minas Gerais
Vale currently maintains 21 Private Natural Heritage Reserves in the Iron Quadrangle region of Minas
Gerais. These areas play an important role in the conservation of representative and characteristic
remnants of transitional areas of the Atlantic Forest and Brazilian savanna biomes, home to
endangered species of flora and fauna. Combined with other areas protected by third parties, these
Private Natural Heritage Reserves form vital ecological corridors that promote the dispersal of
species of fauna and flora.
Visit the website to learn more about Mata do Jambreiro RPPN
Access the page
Conservation of more than 70 endangered species of flora and fauna
More than 12,800 hectares of protected area
Carajás National Forest and other protected areas form Carajás mosaic and represent one of the
largest blocks of native vegetation of the southeast region of Pará. This sustainable conservation
unit is managed by Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio, Instituto Chico
Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade), which also invests in biodiversity conservation and
research in partnership with Vale.
Vale Institute of Technology and Emílio Goeldi Museum signed a public-private partnership in
December 2014 to strengthen the botanical base focusing on sustainable mining in Carajás National
Forest. Implemented in record time, the initiative has substantially increased the estimated number
of species of hardpan vegetation in Carajás. The knowledge generated by this project has been
applied to advanced studies that can confirm factors such as the categories of local endangered
species.
Botanical Garden
Vale currently manages three botanical gardens located in Vitória (Espírito Santo), São Luís
(Maranhão), and Carajás (Pará). The sites are open to visitors and are home to hundreds of tree
species and a variety of animals. In Carajás, the park also houses a zoo with several species. These
parks offer visitors several educational activities aimed at environmental preservation, such as
workshops, events, and ecological trails. To learn more about each of the parks, visit the pages
below.
Vale Fund
Vale Fund is a Public Interest Non-Governmental Organization (OSCIP, Organização da Sociedade Civil
de Interesse Público) created in 2009 as part of Vale's sustainability strategy for contributing to
the conservation of threatened biomes and improving the living conditions of local population. Until
2019, 54 initiatives for conservation and sustainable use of Amazon received support from this Fund,
with allocation of R$120 million in the following three work programs: Strategic Monitoring,
Protected Areas and Biodiversity, as well as Green Municipalities. Vale Fund has consolidated itself
among the main sponsors of the biome, ranking among the top 10 (the only one from the private
sector) according to a study conducted by Moore Foundation.
The experience gained by Vale Fund showed that conservation of the Amazon depends on an economy that
thrives by protecting the standing forest. Thus, since 2015, Vale Fund has been strengthening its
strategy to support forest-based and sustainable production chains. Since 2017, its strategy is
focused on fostering a social and environmental business ecosystem. The idea is to create a more
thrilling sustainable business environment with measurable positive impacts and financial
instruments that enhance forest and low-carbon chains.
To learn more, visit the Vale Fund website
Access
Contributions from Vale Fund:
Implementation and consolidation of more than 279,000km² of conservation units in six Amazonian
states
Creation of the country's first community protocol for fair and equitable sharing of benefits
from the use of biodiversity
Support to training on land management and a business vision for socio-biodiversity products
from Extractive Reserves in Pará
Sustainable Fishing on the Amazon Coast
An important cooperation between UNESCO and Vale Fund on the Amazon coast aims to develop and
strengthen the sustainable productive chain of artisanal fishing.
Learn more about UNESCO’s Sustainable Fishing on the Amazon coast project
Access the page
30
communities in 10 municipalities of the Amazon coast have been benefited
271
youth leadership workshops, providing continued training for almost 300 young people in
three states.
22
technical training workshops, benefiting more than 800 people
44
institutional partners including public and private entities, educational and research
institutions, NGOs, and community associations.
Amigos da Jubarte
The coast of Espírito Santo boasts one of the largest concentrations of humpback whales in Brazil,
but the lack of studies on the feasibility of whale observation tourism prevented promotion of this
local attraction. Thus, Vale became a partner of the Amigos da Jubarte project, which aims to raise
social visibility of humpbacks in Espírito Santo through environmental education, scientific and
cultural activities, in addition to influencing related public policies.
To learn more, visit the project website
Click here
Project Milestones:
Mapping, training, and certification of boat captains and tour
operators
Creation of Jubart.Lab platform – unprecedented scientific laboratory
in the state that compiles data, a collection of photos, and videos produced in the maritime
expeditions
More than 6,000 people engaged in the project’s initiatives
Vale Institute of Technology
Vale Institute of Technology was created in 2009 in Belém (Pará), aiming to develop and organize
knowledge for the responsible use of natural resources in the mining industry. ITV comprises a team
of almost 100 researchers dedicated to issues, such as biodiversity, ecosystem services, water
resources, socio-economy, land occupation and use, climate change, and genomics of the landscape.
To learn more about its initiatives, visit ITV website
Access
Researches
DNA Barcodes
Impact of Climate Change on Fauna Species
Bees in Carajás
Pollination in Protected Areas
DNA Barcodes and Genomics: Basis for Biodiversity Conservation and Licensing
Climate change and forest fires are a threat to Amazonian biodiversity. To reduce this impact,
Vale Institute of Technology has been conducting a scientific work to map the flora and fauna
of this biome. The research uses the DNA barcoding methodology, which consists of implementing
a DNA barcode and uploading it to a digital platform for identification of living beings. The
use of molecular technology streamlines the identification of plants and animals as well as
enables studying some species that are difficult to identify. Due to this work, the Amazon can
be considered the only Brazilian biome with a reference genetic library.
Production of more than 10,000 DNA barcodes for almost 5,000 specimens
This is the only region in Brazil whose flora has been fully classified
with DNA barcodes
Climate Change: Potential Impact on Ecosystem Service Providers in Carajás
Climate change also affects the dispersion of bats, birds, and bees in Carajás National
Forest. Therefore, this study aimed to identify which species are most sensitive to climate
change and the priority areas in Pará that protect the largest number of species in this
condition. The study concluded that bats, frugivorous birds (seed dispersers), as well as
small and large bees will be potentially the most affected animals. The areas best suited for
these species are located in the north and west of Pará, and are classified under several
levels of conservation.
Native Bees of Carajás: Diversity, Biomonitoring, and Income Support for the Local
Population
Did you know that bees can be important environmental monitoring allies? Through this work
with the native bees of Carajás, researchers conducted annual surveys on visited flowers,
networks of interaction between bees and native formations, analysis of food collected by
the animals, analysis of the geographic distribution of species, and impact of climate
change in the future. Another line of research focuses on the feasibility of breeding these
bees in large scale for use in agriculture and communities to generate income and
development.
Valuation of Pollination Services in Protected Areas: Case of Serra da Bocaina and Mata do
Jambreiro Reserve in Brazil
Pollination is the process that enables fertilization of several plant species and production
of seeds and fruits, hence its importance to biodiversity. This research consists of valuating
the pollination carried out by animals in two protected areas – Serra da Bocaina, located in
the National Park of Campos Ferruginosos in Carajás; and Mata do Jambreiro RPPN, located in
the Iron Quadrangle region of Minas Gerais. The monetary evaluation is based on a methodology
that considers the contribution of pollination in crops produced in the region. For the
non-monetary evaluation, Vale used a software that considers the area of pollinators, the
plants visited by them, and the spots available for nest construction.
US$3.6 million is the estimated value for pollination service in Serra da
Bocaina.*
US$1 million is the estimated value for pollination service in Mata do
Jambreiro.*
*figures for 2016
- Environmental Conservation
-
Commitment to recover areas in Brazil
Brazil’s commitment to the National Plan for Recovery of Native Vegetation (Planaveg, Política
Nacional de Recuperação da Vegetação Nativa) aims to promote the environmental regulation of
Brazilian rural properties through recovery of 12 million hectares of native vegetation in permanent
preservation areas (APPs, Áreas de Preservação Permanente), legal reserves (RLs, reservas legais),
and degraded areas with low productivity. This policy adopted by the Brazilian government also aims
to contribute to the Paris Agreement on climate change. To help reach those goals, Vale is committed
to recover 100,000 hectares of degraded areas by 2030.
Recovery of 100,000 hectares of degraded areas by 2030
Vale Natural Reserve
One of our main protected areas is Vale Nature Reserve (RNV, Reserva Natural Vale) in Linhares. The
reserve extends across 23,000 hectares that are home to the largest continuous remnant of Tabuleiro
Atlantic Forest in the southeast of the country. RNV is an important area for biodiversity
conservation and research, and has been recognized by UNESCO as an Outpost of the Atlantic Forest
Biosphere Reserve. In addition, it has public open areas for greater integration of communities and
general public with nature, including trails, exhibitions, an event venue, and a hotel.
Visit Vale Nature Reserve page:
Access the page
+30 mil
visitors per year
241
research projects developed
Biodiversity Conservation in the Iron Quadrangle Region of Minas Gerais
Vale currently maintains 21 Private Natural Heritage Reserves in the Iron Quadrangle region of Minas
Gerais. These areas play an important role in the conservation of representative and characteristic
remnants of transitional areas of the Atlantic Forest and Brazilian savanna biomes, home to
endangered species of flora and fauna. Combined with other areas protected by third parties, these
Private Natural Heritage Reserves form vital ecological corridors that promote the dispersal of
species of fauna and flora.
Visit the website to learn more about Mata do Jambreiro RPPN
Access the page
Conservation of more than 70 endangered species of flora and fauna
More than 12,800 hectares of protected area
Carajás National Forest and other protected areas form Carajás mosaic and represent one of the
largest blocks of native vegetation of the southeast region of Pará. This sustainable conservation
unit is managed by Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio, Instituto Chico
Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade), which also invests in biodiversity conservation and
research in partnership with Vale.
Vale Institute of Technology and Emílio Goeldi Museum signed a public-private partnership in
December 2014 to strengthen the botanical base focusing on sustainable mining in Carajás National
Forest. Implemented in record time, the initiative has substantially increased the estimated number
of species of hardpan vegetation in Carajás. The knowledge generated by this project has been
applied to advanced studies that can confirm factors such as the categories of local endangered
species.
Botanical Garden
Vale currently manages three botanical gardens located in Vitória (Espírito Santo), São Luís
(Maranhão), and Carajás (Pará). The sites are open to visitors and are home to hundreds of tree
species and a variety of animals. In Carajás, the park also houses a zoo with several species. These
parks offer visitors several educational activities aimed at environmental preservation, such as
workshops, events, and ecological trails. To learn more about each of the parks, visit the pages
below.
- Nature and People
-
Vale Fund
Vale Fund is a Public Interest Non-Governmental Organization (OSCIP, Organização da Sociedade Civil
de Interesse Público) created in 2009 as part of Vale's sustainability strategy for contributing to
the conservation of threatened biomes and improving the living conditions of local population. Until
2019, 54 initiatives for conservation and sustainable use of Amazon received support from this Fund,
with allocation of R$120 million in the following three work programs: Strategic Monitoring,
Protected Areas and Biodiversity, as well as Green Municipalities. Vale Fund has consolidated itself
among the main sponsors of the biome, ranking among the top 10 (the only one from the private
sector) according to a study conducted by Moore Foundation.
The experience gained by Vale Fund showed that conservation of the Amazon depends on an economy that
thrives by protecting the standing forest. Thus, since 2015, Vale Fund has been strengthening its
strategy to support forest-based and sustainable production chains. Since 2017, its strategy is
focused on fostering a social and environmental business ecosystem. The idea is to create a more
thrilling sustainable business environment with measurable positive impacts and financial
instruments that enhance forest and low-carbon chains.
To learn more, visit the Vale Fund website
Access
Contributions from Vale Fund:
Implementation and consolidation of more than 279,000km² of conservation units in six Amazonian
states
Creation of the country's first community protocol for fair and equitable sharing of benefits
from the use of biodiversity
Support to training on land management and a business vision for socio-biodiversity products
from Extractive Reserves in Pará
Sustainable Fishing on the Amazon Coast
An important cooperation between UNESCO and Vale Fund on the Amazon coast aims to develop and
strengthen the sustainable productive chain of artisanal fishing.
Learn more about UNESCO’s Sustainable Fishing on the Amazon coast project
Access the page
30
communities in 10 municipalities of the Amazon coast have been benefited
271
youth leadership workshops, providing continued training for almost 300 young people in
three states.
22
technical training workshops, benefiting more than 800 people
44
institutional partners including public and private entities, educational and research
institutions, NGOs, and community associations.
Amigos da Jubarte
The coast of Espírito Santo boasts one of the largest concentrations of humpback whales in Brazil,
but the lack of studies on the feasibility of whale observation tourism prevented promotion of this
local attraction. Thus, Vale became a partner of the Amigos da Jubarte project, which aims to raise
social visibility of humpbacks in Espírito Santo through environmental education, scientific and
cultural activities, in addition to influencing related public policies.
To learn more, visit the project website
Click here
Project Milestones:
Mapping, training, and certification of boat captains and tour
operators
Creation of Jubart.Lab platform – unprecedented scientific laboratory
in the state that compiles data, a collection of photos, and videos produced in the maritime
expeditions
More than 6,000 people engaged in the project’s initiatives
- Research and Development
-
Vale Institute of Technology
Vale Institute of Technology was created in 2009 in Belém (Pará), aiming to develop and organize
knowledge for the responsible use of natural resources in the mining industry. ITV comprises a team
of
almost 100 researchers dedicated to issues, such as biodiversity, ecosystem services, water
resources,
socio-economy, land occupation and use, climate change, and genomics of the landscape.
To learn more about its initiatives, visit ITV website
Access
Researches
DNA Barcodes and Genomics: Basis for Biodiversity Conservation and Licensing
Climate change and forest fires are a threat to Amazonian biodiversity. To reduce this impact,
Vale Institute of Technology has been conducting a scientific work to map the flora and fauna
of
this biome. The research uses the DNA barcoding methodology, which consists of implementing a
DNA barcode and uploading it to a digital platform for identification of living beings. The
use
of molecular technology streamlines the identification of plants and animals as well as
enables
studying some species that are difficult to identify. Due to this work, the Amazon can be
considered the only Brazilian biome with a reference genetic library.
Production of more than 10,000 DNA barcodes for almost 5,000 specimens
This is the only region in Brazil whose flora has been fully classified
with
DNA barcodes
Climate Change: Potential Impact on Ecosystem Service Providers in Carajás
Climate change also affects the dispersion of bats, birds, and bees in Carajás National
Forest.
Therefore, this study aimed to identify which species are most sensitive to climate change and
the priority areas in Pará that protect the largest number of species in this condition. The
study concluded that bats, frugivorous birds (seed dispersers), as well as small and large
bees
will be potentially the most affected animals. The areas best suited for these species are
located in the north and west of Pará, and are classified under several levels of
conservation.
Native Bees of Carajás: Diversity, Biomonitoring, and Income Support for the Local
Population
Did you know that bees can be important environmental monitoring allies? Through this work
with the native bees of Carajás, researchers conducted annual surveys on visited flowers,
networks of interaction between bees and native formations, analysis of food collected by
the
animals, analysis of the geographic distribution of species, and impact of climate change in
the future. Another line of research focuses on the feasibility of breeding these bees in
large scale for use in agriculture and communities to generate income and development.
Valuation of Pollination Services in Protected Areas: Case of Serra da Bocaina and Mata do
Jambreiro Reserve in Brazil
Pollination is the process that enables fertilization of several plant species and production
of
seeds and fruits, hence its importance to biodiversity. This research consists of valuating
the
pollination carried out by animals in two protected areas – Serra da Bocaina, located in the
National Park of Campos Ferruginosos in Carajás; and Mata do Jambreiro RPPN, located in the
Iron
Quadrangle region of Minas Gerais. The monetary evaluation is based on a methodology that
considers the contribution of pollination in crops produced in the region. For the
non-monetary
evaluation, Vale used a software that considers the area of pollinators, the plants visited by
them, and the spots available for nest construction.
US$3.6 million is the estimated value for pollination service in Serra da
Bocaina.*
US$1 million is the estimated value for pollination service in Mata do
Jambreiro.*
*figures for 2016
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