IUCN, Suzano, Ekos Brasil Institute and Ecofuturo join forces to advance conservation of protected natural areas in Brazil

The agreement establishes a four-party cooperation framework bringing together one of the world's largest eucalyptus pulp manufacturers, two leading Brazilian conservation organisations, and IUCN's global expertise in protected and conserved areas. It marks a significant step in mobilising science-based, externally validated approaches for the effective management of private natural heritage across Brazil's most ecologically sensitive landscapes.

Suzano manages approximately 1.1 million hectares of protected natural areas across Brazil — comprising Legal Reserves, Permanent Preservation Areas, Private Natural Heritage Reserves (RPPNs) and High Conservation Value Areas (HCVAs). Taken together, this estate is comparable in scale and ecological significance to the country's largest public conservation unit complexes.

“In addition to strengthening biodiversity conservation, this initiative represents an important advancement in Suzano's environmental governance, by further qualifying our decision-making and promoting effective integration between conservation, planning and business strategy. The system also expands the visibility of our conservation, restoration, research and monitoring actions, reinforcing the company's role in the sustainability agenda," said Caio Zanardo, Sustainability Director at Suzano.

The Ecofuturo Institute, a non-profit organisation founded and maintained by Suzano, is responsible for the day-to-day management of the company's protected natural areas. Its work — spanning biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration, environmental education and community dialogue — will be a cornerstone of the collaboration.

"The formalization of this partnership represents a fundamental step to ensure the consistency, credibility and applicability of the management system, by bringing together different expertise around a common goal: to strengthen the management of protected natural areas based on science, data and international best practices," said Giordano Automare, Director General of the Ecofuturo Institute.

Under the MoU, the four parties will share knowledge and experiences, engage relevant conservation actors from across Brazil, and consolidate recommendations consistent with Suzano's Nature Strategy, the latest State of Nature metrics and IUCN standards. 

The Ekos Brasil Institute — a long-standing IUCN Member with expertise in protected areas monitoring and evaluation — will lead the methodology for the development of the protected areas system and knowledge exchange, while IUCN will provide scientific guidance building on the expertise of its World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) and the IUCN Green List Standard.

“Instituto Ekos Brasil is enthusiastic about this new partnership, which demonstrates the potential for complementarity between companies and civil society organizations towards the achievement of the Global Biodiversity Framework and Brazil’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan. We see this as an important first step toward many future partnership projects that can become a reference for the management and conservation of private areas,” said Ana Moeri, Director, Ekos Brasil Institute.

“IUCN is pleased to bring its global knowledge on protected and conserved areas to strengthen conservation practice in one of the world’s most biodiverse countries,” said Susanne Pedersen, Director, Centre for Science and Knowledge, IUCN.

“Brazil’s private natural heritage areas play a vital role in supporting landscape connectivity and biodiversity resilience. This MoU gives us an opportunity to help ensure that their management is grounded in the best available science and conservation standards,” added Gabriel Quijandria, Regional Director, IUCN Regional Office for South America.

The collaboration is aligned with the ambitions of the Kunming-Montréal Global Biodiversity Framework, which calls for the effective management of at least 30% of the world’s land and ocean areas by 2030. It also supports Suzano’s long-term sustainability commitments, including the restoration and conservation of biodiversity and the creation of ecological corridors between native vegetation fragments in its areas of operation.

The MoU will run for 36 months and may give rise to specific supplemental agreements for concrete collaborative activities as the partnership develops.

About Suzano S.A.

Suzano S.A. is the world’s leading manufacturer of eucalyptus pulp and one of Latin America’s largest paper producers, present in more than 80 countries. In Brazil, the company operates directly across 8 states and 201 municipalities. Sustainability is at the core of Suzano’s business strategy, with long-term commitments aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Global Biodiversity Framework.

About the Ekos Brasil Institute

Founded in 2001, the Ekos Brasil Institute is a non-profit organisation working on biodiversity conservation, sustainable development and protected area management. Over more than two decades, Ekos has supported governments, private organisations and landowners in Brazil through projects aligned with biodiversity, climate and sustainable development goals. Ekos is a member of IUCN.

About the Ecofuturo Institute

Founded in 1999 and maintained by Suzano, the Ecofuturo Institute is a non-profit organisation responsible for the management of Suzano’s protected natural areas. Its work contributes to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration and the enhancement of natural assets on a landscape scale, integrating scientific research, environmental education and community engagement.

About IUCN

IUCN is a membership Union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organisations. It provides public, private and non-governmental organisations with the knowledge and tools that enable human progress, economic development and nature conservation to take place together. Created in 1948, IUCN is now the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network, harnessing the knowledge, resources and reach of more than 1,500 Member organisations and some 19,000 experts. IUCN is the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it.