Partnership expands forest nursery and supports scientific initiation

A strategic partnership between PLS and the Federal Institute of Northern Minas Gerais, Salinas Campus (IFNMG), has enabled a major investment in the restoration and expansion of IFNMG’s forest nursery production capacity, as well as scholarships to encourage scientific initiation through university extension activities.

The ceremony marking the beginning of the partnership was held on Wednesday, 1 April, at the Salinas Campus, bringing together representatives from PLS, IFNMG, the municipal government and students from the Forestry Engineering course. During the event, the expanded nursery was inaugurated.

The facility will now have the capacity to produce 20,000 seedlings of native Atlantic Forest and Cerrado species with an emphasis on strengthening technical capacity through scholarships for forestry engineering professionals and students.

The Secretary of Agriculture and Environment of Salinas, Maria Araci Magalhães, said the partnership between PLS and IFNMG is important so that students, “with quality laboratories, can effectively produce science and, above all, apply this science through extension activities in the practical field”.

Vitor Sandim, PLS Communities and Environment Manager said the new forest nursery structure will contribute to the training of new generations of professionals and support environmental initiatives that PLS intends to carry out in Salinas, which will be implemented with the participation of IFNMG students.

“This is an investment in science, in people and in building a legacy for Salinas,” Vitor Sandim said.

Marisa Cesar, PLS Director of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, said the work being developed jointly has a very clear objective: to give students at IFNMG’s Salinas Campus the opportunity to expand their learning capacity. She also highlighted that students will be able to make the most of this opportunity to deepen their knowledge.

Guilherme Mendes, Director-General of IFNMG’s Salinas Campus, acknowledged the importance of the partnership with PLS.

“I would like to publicly highlight PLS as our main partner, as a third-sector organisation that opens up and recognises an educational institution — one that is often not considered a priority partner — as a strategic partner in carrying out your activities."

With the support of PLS in the construction of the structure and donation of seedlings, the space now contributes directly to environmental preservation and to the technical training of students in the region.