Professors and researchers in the areas of Biology, Forestry and Environmental Engineering, Agronomy and Chemistry, from partner institutions of the Brazil-Norway Biodiversity Research Consortium (BRC), can submit their research proposals from October 1st to 21st through from the site https://www.brcbn.com/ , where the Consortium's second call can be found. Established in 2013, BRC's partners are: Hydro, the Federal University of Pará (UFPA), the Rural University of the Amazon (UFRA), the Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi and the University of Oslo (UiO). The Consortium was renewed for another five years in 2017 and continues with the objective of creating research programs that strengthen the preservation of the natural biodiversity in Hydro's mine areas.

The second call for proposals will include proposals based on three thematic areas: greenhouse gas flows and carbon emissions; survey and monitoring of biodiversity and restoration of tropical forests, including their diversity and soils. Proposals will be analyzed by the Technical and Scientific Evaluation Committee appointed by BRC and will be evaluated for their quality and scientific contribution to the following research topics: recolonization of mined areas; environmental restoration of waste disposal systems; dispersal of wild fauna due to mining activities; new techniques for monitoring biodiversity and the effects of mining on hydrological resources.

Other institutions can also participate, as long as they meet the criteria established in the notice. Proposed projects must include the participation of at least two BRC members.

ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT

“We have seen several benefits from the continued progress of BRC studies. For example, the opportunity for researchers (Brazilian and foreign) to finish academic work with the scenario of the already mined areas of Mineração Paragominas in search of the State of the Art of environmental restoration and the consequent development of new theses and technologies with practical application in the medium and long term. deadlines ”, comments Gizélia Matos, environment manager at Mineração Paragominas.

She also mentions that, among other factors, the formation of intellectual capital and knowledge can be disseminated from high-quality scientific production (articles, papers, presentations at conferences and doctoral theses), which can serve as a reference for students, academics and even industry professionals. The results of these projects can be applied as a technical and operational benchmark for other industrial segments, which act strongly in similar environmental situations.

At the moment, BRC has 15 projects approved and in progress, which generated the production of 5 master's dissertations and 22 research papers. Discoveries of new species of fish, wasps, bedbugs, fungi and lichen have been recorded. The projects are developed and serve as a subsidy for theses and dissertations for academics from Brazil and other countries, such as Norway and Estonia. About 100 professionals are involved in all of the Consortium's research programs, 59 of which are students for the current year.

BRC has already implemented several new studies, such as: algae, crustaceans, soils, topsoil and mycorrhizal fungi. After completion, these studies will have a strong application in the recovery of mined areas and in their complementary activities, such as: seedling production, topsoil management, area management and development of biological monitoring indicators. So far, forest rehabilitation processes have been carried out in approximately 2100 hectares of mined areas with the support of research projects in the improvement of applied techniques.

Gizélia still hopes that the new studies presented in this second call for proposals - with approaches to dam systems and water resources - will attract research from other branches of engineering, such as sanitary and geology.

“BRC intends to have a dynamic of continuous improvement research that meets the various themes inherent to mining and environmental restoration. In this way, we can consider that the “first generation” (of the first public notice) of projects reached its development cycle. Based on the studies carried out, the BRC Scientific Committee decided to create a “second generation” (second notice) ”, concludes Gizélia.

About BRC:

The Brazil-Norway Biodiversity Research Consortium is formed by the University of Oslo, Norway, and its Brazilian partners Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Universidade Federal do Pará and Universidade Federal Rural da Amazônia, in addition to Hydro.

The scope of the consortium is to create a research program connected to Hydro's mining operations. The objective is to strengthen the company's capacity to preserve the natural biodiversity of the areas where the company mines bauxite. After the establishment of the BRC in 2013, the partnership was strengthened in January 2016 through a new research collaboration agreement between the Research Council of Norway and the state of Pará.

In 2017, during a BRC seminar, held in Belém, Pará, the partners renewed the Consortium's collaboration agreement for another five years.

Hydro Press Office

In Press Porter Novelli

Rodrigo Dutra - (21) 99604-3444

Anderson Araújo - (91) 98871-7523

Daniela Melina - (21) 99101-0248

Jacqueline Breitinger - (21) 99465-9633

Cristina Grillo - (21) 99733-8347