Indice-Palmito Palm tree heart Home Irrigation
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Sustainable management feasible in São Paulo
 The Jussara palm tree - culture
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 Agro Castanheiras Ltda. founded in 1962,
 which celebrates  its  fiftieth anniversary,
 is the proprietor of the Castanheiras Farm,
its subsidiary maintains around 20 jobs
dedicated to activities related to
 the protection of the environment.
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Process for licensing this Sustainable management

           In January 2011, the company requested at CETESB granting a License to practice the sustainable management plan of Palmito Jussara in the area. It consists specifically of a controlled extraction of one hundred (100) palmitos per month (on average), limited to the maximum of 1,200 units annually.
          Such a claim in São Paulo might be considered "quixotic". But being aware of the real situation there, one comes to the conclusion that the issue deserves quite an attention.
         On Aug 02,2011, the "Plan for exploitation of the Palmito Jussara specie", was filed at the CETESB Agency(Santo Amaro),  presented by "Casa da Floresta Ltda. - Agronomist Klaus Duarte Barreto - Piracicaba-SP.

          On March 20,2012,  D. Stela P.H.Matsuda - Engineer responsible for the analysis of Case #  1.490/2011 (CETESB) conducted a careful survey at the farm.
          On July 30,2012, due to the company's insistence, a "2nd copy" of a correspondence was provided by CETESB, numbering multiple requirements to be attended by the company, within 60 days, under a penalty of the process going to file (means: being discontinued - ignored).
        On Aug 01,2012, a demanded additional fee was deposited to the Permits-sector of CETESB.
        On Aug 06,2012,  were delivered at CETESB several property Certificates as well as some preliminary clarifications, in partial compliance to the demanded requirements.
        On Aug 07,2012, were filed at the Secretary of Environment (Rua do Paraiso, 387) the formal requests on behalf of the issue’s appraisal, requested by CETESB  from:
1) The Managing Committee of the "APA Bororé Colonia"   and  2) DEPAVE-8 (Environment Department of the city);
      On Aug 23,2012 the Engineer Paulo S.N.Camerini and the company's assistant Márcia C.Tolozana met with the Engineer M. Helena Miadaira at CETESB, in order to inquire about specific details requested by the department.
        Then detailed surveys of each of the 27 constructions at the farm, including barns, were proceeded. The engineer prepared individual plans of each construction, enclosing their photos and located them within the general layout (farm's plan).
        On Sep 12,2012, to the surprise of CETESB’s attendant, the whole documentation was surrendered as requested (plans, photos, certificates etc.) Protocol No.. 3310070/12, Register No. Checklist Request: 91006565 - No. Case: 3310070/12 Object: Analysis of Intervention APRM - Billings - Location Permit / Mun., SAO PAULO / SP - CETESB : P0008482 Property : Fazenda Castanheiras- End : Av. Paulo Guilger Reimberg, 12.530, Parque Maria Fernandes.
Indice-Palmito Palm tree heart Home Irrigation
          It is quite understandable that governmental department officers hesitate granting such an unique license in the municipality - The sustainable management of the Palmito Jussara culture, considered an endangered species.
          However, on this specific case, such culture, being seriously practiced, shall generate a new type of sustainable management, becoming a model of culture, of the Environment Department's interest as well as of the private sector. It shall also become an enriching experience to scholars and technicians related to forestry, especially those devoted to the Environment.
         No prospects of immediate profit on the specific case are expected.
Currently the company anticipates a modest revenue by the sale of:
a) 100 palm hearts "in natura"  monthly ;
b) The seeds' pulp (like Assai berries);
c) Seedlings (for customers interested in reintroducing the species);
d) Firewood from the stems of the extracted palm trees ( A new concept );
          An interesting experiment conducted within the property consisted in collecting the palm tree-stems of the "Palmitos" consumed by the owners. These logs were deployed at the sawmill and stored in a barn for drying out. Once completely dry, were bundled as firewood.  Surprisingly it happened that the palm tree stem firewood burns optimally, generating a steady flame, comparable to the Eucalyptus firewood, sold by the company for over 50 years in S. Paulo. Their abundant foliages accumulated along the internal roads are systematically deposited into the compost site for producing organic soil.
          Such a license shall ensure the continuity of an existing culture, using an entire structure created during the last seven decades.     It shall encourage planting more palm trees across the farm, especially among the old Eucalyptus, becoming extremely beneficial to the environment inside the  APA-Bororé-Colonia.    It shall become an example to the private sector on behalf of encouraging what can be done for the environment.
      This, rather than its interruption, which would cause the exodus of workers dedicated to a beneficial rural activity for the environment.
  Finally the license for the Palmito-management was granted in 2014 by the State and by the Environment of the City of Sao Paulo
   Reg. IBAMA nº 51.745 - CETESB - Autoriz. nº 0000023241/2014  -  SVMA - TCA: nº 161/2014.

          p. Agro Castanheiras Ltda.     E. William C. Hering

Indice-Palmito Palm tree heart Home Irrigation
Palmitos plantados às beiras das trilhas para caminhadas

Indice-Palmito Palm tree heart Home Irrigation