Aware of the water crisis that is severely impacting Brazilian hydroelectric reservoirs, FURNAS – one of the largest electricity generation and transmission companies in the country – is developing, in partnership with the municipalities surrounding the Furnas Power Plant dam (MG), known as Mar de Minas due to its size and water volume, a program to recover the riparian forest around 400 springs in the lake's Area of Direct Influence.
The Nascentes de Furnas project started in December 2017 and will reforest 50.4 hectares by the end of this year, an area corresponding to about 70 soccer fields, in 40 municipalities. The seedlings to be planted are of natural species in the region, cultivated in the Horto Florestal of Usina de Furnas.
Planting is the responsibility of the company, while maintenance will be the responsibility of each rural owner. Due to the partnership with the Association of Municipalities of Lago de Furnas (Alago), it will be up to the city halls to identify the springs in a georeferenced way and register the rural producers interested in participating in the program.
In this way, we intend to increase the water supply to the hydroelectric reservoir and increase the flow available for collection at the springs, reducing the risk of water shortages in the municipalities.
By joining forces with the public authorities and civil society, FURNAS seeks once again to ensure sustainability in the locations where it operates and raise awareness among the population about the benefits of environmental conservation.
