Paracel, a leading company in responsible and sustainable forest management
Paracel, as a company, is an engine of social, economic and environmental development for the northern region and for Paraguay, promoting responsible practices that respect their environment.
In a recent survey, conducted in different parts of the country, 69% acknowledged having little knowledge about eucalyptus — its raw material — and noted that the information they handled came mainly from “neighbors, friends or social networks”. In this context, Paracel reaffirms its commitment to informing the general public about its operations, through spaces for active dialogue, providing reliable information on the forestry sector.
Eucalyptus is a genus of trees that has more than 600 species and has multiple uses such as in the wood industry, medicine, cellulose and energy generation.
“At Paracel we work with species genetically adapted to soil conditions (Eucalyptus grandis and Eucalyptus urophyllalo) and with wood certified under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standard,” said José Conti, Research and Development Manager of the company.
FSC certification guarantees that processes meet the highest standards of responsible forest management, generating environmental, social and economic benefits.
Paracel has a key tool called MATES (Social Economic Technical Environmental Microplanning) that establishes criteria for balancing planting areas with natural landscapes. This planning makes it possible to conserve water resources, in compliance with current environmental regulations.
With regard to water resources management, Paracel implements the Hydrographic Microbasin Monitoring and Modeling Program (PROMAB), which makes it possible to evaluate the effect of forest management on water resources by measuring water balance at the microbasin scale, during the production cycle and in the long term. This monitoring makes it possible to develop forest management alternatives with less impact on water resources.
“At Paracel, we are aware that the sustainability of our business in economic terms depends on the sustainable use of resources, primarily water, otherwise our profitability will be affected in the short term,” said Latifi Chelala, Director of Communication and Sustainability at Paracel, recently.
It should be noted that the company has one of the largest private sector conservation areas in the eastern region of Paraguay, allocating around 87,000 hectares to the conservation of native ecosystems in the Cerrado.
In its conservation areas, the company protects more than 1,300 animal and plant species thanks to its net profit strategy, which seeks to improve the state of biodiversity in its area of influence, compared to what would have happened in this landscape without the company's presence.
Paracel's forestry operations are developed with a landscape approach to integrate plantations with ecosystems, promoting the conservation of biodiversity, the reduction of emissions and the responsible management of natural resources. Its forest model not only generates economic value, but it also actively contributes to the development of its environment, positioning itself as a benchmark in socio-environmental sustainability in Paraguay.
About Paracel
Paracel is the first Paraguayan cellulose forestry company, created to generate a positive impact on society and promote an increase in demand for biodegradable products. This Paraguayan company, the largest private enterprise in the country's history, has 199,000 hectares of its own land.
It is led by three companies: the Zapag Group, Heinzel Holding GmbH and Girindus Investments, all committed to sustainable development and the creation of social, economic and environmental value.
