With the topic Desenvolver, Proteger, Cuidar e Celebrar (Develop, Protect, Care for and Celebrate), - Apr 18, 2006 - 12:14:00 PM

With the topic Desenvolver, Proteger, Cuidar e Celebrar (Develop, Protect, Care for and Celebrate, Rigesa celebrates the 50th anniversary of its Forestry Division in the city of Três Barras, State of Santa Catarina (Brazil).
Celebrations began on May 16 with a barbecue party for all employees of the Forestry Division. On the next day (May 17) the celebrations continued with a luncheon at the Associação Desportiva Classista Rigesa (the Company Club), located in Três Barras, had as a special guests the State Development Secretary for the Canoinhas region Mr. Wilson Pereira; Mr. Eduardo Pinho Moreira, representing the Acting Governor of Santa Catarina , the President of MeadWestvaco Mr. James A. Buzzard; the President of the Packaging Resource Group of MeadWestvaco Mr. Robert A. Feeser; the Rigesa President Mr.Paulo Tilkian, the Rigesa Director for the Forestry Division Mr. Etsuro Murakami. Also present were authorities, and company customers, suppliers, friends and employees.
In 1956, upon its start-up in Três Barras, Rigesa had 15 employees and not much more than a thousand hectares of land. Today, with its Forests distributed throughout 17 municipalities in the states of Santa Catarina and Paraná, the Rigesa Forestry Division generates approximately 200 jobs. From a total of 53 thousand hectares of land, 20 thousand are strictly preserved areas ( under the Brazilian Forestry Code), with hundreds of native species. The preservation of 37% of total forest areas and other natural ecosystems is focused on the maintenance of the local biodiversity, to protect the soil against erosion, to preserve sources of water and other aquatic habitats. Rigesa takes irrevocable responsibility for the conservation and preservation of the environment.
The company (which was bestowed the CERFLOR (the Forest Certificate)) produces annually more than 10 million seedlings, half of them for the Forestry Development Program and the other half for planting. The pinus tree is cultivated using advanced techniques of genetic improvement and best forestry practices. The Rigesa Forestry Division is success history that makes a significant contribution to the development of the States of Santa Catarina and Paraná.