With an investment of R$ 4.4 million, the initiative will be carried out over the next seven years with a focus on the environment and agriculture
With the challenge of training professionals specialized in the restoration of forest ecosystems, the Sustainable Development Management of the Renova Foundation, and Instituto Terra, are offering the Training of Ecosystem Restoration Agents to young people from all over Brazil. This year, the partnership selected 16 professionals, who will be trained by the Center of Studies on Ecosystem Restoration (Nere), from Instituto Terra, to work in the areas of the environment, agroforestry systems and agriculture, with a focus on the conservation of natural resources.
With a total investment of R$ 4.4 million, the initiative will train, over the next seven years, 80 young people of different ages. The selection is made through a selection process, which can be followed on the Instituto Terra website . Every year, about 20 places are opened, with 2000 class hours, practical activities, free accommodation and food.
Partnership
Since 2016, Fundação Renova and Instituto Terra have been working together on the challenge of reforesting springs and water recharge areas in the Doce River basin. The partnership works through actions to engage rural producers, protection of areas, implementation of social technologies, supply of seedlings and training. According to Leonardo Silva, from the Renova Foundation’s Sustainable Development Management, the work developed with NERE further consolidates this joint work front, which is essential for the repair process. “With the ambitious goal of recovering 5,000 springs and 40,000 hectares in Permanent Preservation Areas (PPA) and Water Recharge (GRA), investing in the formation of human capital is fundamental for the future of the basin, as these young people will soon be the next managers and will have to make important decisions. Many of these students are hired by the Renova Foundation and partners, such as Instituto Terra itself”, he comments.
Graduated by NERE in 2008, Letícia Bernardes, Environmental Engineer at the Renova Foundation, says that training was fundamental in her professional life. “I had access to job opportunities and today I work at the Renova Foundation in one of the largest forest restoration projects in a watershed in Brazil and in the world”, he says.
According to the engineer, future students can expect a complete course with various activities within the institution itself, such as activities in the nursery and planting, and activities outside the community, recovery of springs, cultural activities, mini-courses.
INSTITUTO TERRA
Founded in April 1998 by the couple Lélia Deluiz Wanick Salgado and Sebastião Salgado, Instituto Terra is a non-profit civil organization focused on environmental restoration and sustainable rural development in the Rio Doce Valley.
Center of Studies on Ecosystem Restoration (Nere)
Opened in August 2005, NERE provides post-technical, theoretical and practical training for agricultural, environmental and forestry technicians. The objective of this center is to become a reference in the training of professionals who can work in the recovery of degraded areas, in the restoration and environmental valuation, in addition to making sustainable use of natural resources and alternative techniques to the production, administration and management of rural properties.