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EUCALYPTOLOGICS brings you today a video depicting an impressive feat of naval, chemical, mining, agricultural, civil and forestry engineering in the mouth of the Amazon River. The birth of Monte Dourado (El Monte Dorado, The Golden Forest) of Pará and Amapá, and the development of Eucalyptus cultivation in Northern Brazil.
Projeto Jari: Shipping a Built Pulp Mill From Japan to the AmazonAn American in the Amazon
By 1930... a young North American entrepreneur from Michigan (USA) with practical expertise in shipping industry received the first commissions to build a new type of transport vessel. Soon a prosperous fortune was fueled as oil tankers first and supertankers later became a vital piece for successful worldwide trade.
In 1967... the Invisible Billionaire, Daniel K. Ludwig envisioned some of the catastrophic environmental effects of uncontrolled global population growth, and decided to do his part to reduce the rate of defforestation of natural woodlands tied to an increasing demand of pulp and paper products. An thus, Projeto Jari was born.
In 1967... the Invisible Billionaire, Daniel K. Ludwig envisioned some of the catastrophic environmental effects of uncontrolled global population growth, and decided to do his part to reduce the rate of defforestation of natural woodlands tied to an increasing demand of pulp and paper products. An thus, Projeto Jari was born.
From 1967 to 1981... more than 750 million dollar investments by Ludwig included the purchase of 1,200,000 hectares of very sparsely inhabited land at both shores of the Jari River; starting 100,000 hectares of Gmelina arborea timber crops to sustain a renewable source of raw fibre; building the port of Munguba for prospective exports plus a connected network of roads and railroads; founding the city of Monte Dourado and providing it with hospitals, schools, nurseries and housing; and launching agricultural schemes for rice cultivation and cattle production.
Projeto Jari: The Floating Pulp Mill Video
Arrival of the pulp mill to Jari after 25,000 km of trasoceanic towing. Video courtesy Edda Narciso
In 1978... the shipping magnate received a fully built ship-shaped pulp mill factory previously commissioned at Japanese Kure dockyards and towed it in 85 days accross the Pacific, Indic and part of the Atlantic to the mouth of the Amazon River, and up the river to the Jari. Just as we are due its 30th anniversary, you can watch the arrival and installation of the travelling factory in the video above. A combined feat of naval, chemical and civil engineering. Not to mention a costly venture even at such latitudes.
Unfortunately, establishing tree farms in the tropics is not an easy task. Neither for trees nor for people. Timber yields of Gmelina were poorer than anticipated in these conditions of soil and climate, operating costs were high, volume of investment astronomic, and short term returns modest. However all the needed pieces were set up for future profit, except the suitable trees. And then...
Unfortunately, establishing tree farms in the tropics is not an easy task. Neither for trees nor for people. Timber yields of Gmelina were poorer than anticipated in these conditions of soil and climate, operating costs were high, volume of investment astronomic, and short term returns modest. However all the needed pieces were set up for future profit, except the suitable trees. And then...
Eucalyptus based pulp & paper industry keeps Jari afloat
In 1981 Ludwig transferred his interests in the Projeto Jari to Brazilian investors and bounced back to his already well diversified entrepeunerial emporium. Soon afterwards, 75 years after Navarro de Andrade started industrial planting with the Australian trees in Southern Brazil, Eucalyptus started replacing Gmelina as major timber crop at Jari, and became a good example of the adaptability and good growth of these wonder trees to the extreme environmental conditions of the tropics when suitable forest management is implemented.
Jari Celulose - World Class Eucalyptus Cellulosic Pulp IndustryToday... Monte Dourado is inhabited by 20,000 Brazilian citizens, the port of Munguba exports over 300,000 tonnes of Eucalyptus cellulosic kraft pulp per year, Jari's pulp mill uses state-of-the-art low environmental impacting ECF technologies for bleaching, and its renewable raw fibre supply (70% Eucalyptus, 20% Gmelina, 10% Pinus) has been certified by FSC for its sustainable forest management.
In addition to the Eucalyptus based industry, one of the finest sources of kaolin clays in Brazil exploited under sensible practices (including habitat restoration) comes also from the Jari and provides raw materials for a multitude of final uses.
Industrial procesing of CADAM (Caulim da Amazonia SA) Jari Kaolinite. Video courtesy Edda Narciso
Among these final products, coated paper. So one of the finest short fibre cellulosic pulps and one of the finest coating materials are both exported from the Jari to become some of the highest quality printing papers in the world.
Not bad as a result for the crazy dream of an American in the Amazon!
Daniel K. Ludwig died in 1992 at age 95. His legacy includes a share of profits in the Jari until 2026.
Daniel K. Ludwig died in 1992 at age 95. His legacy includes a share of profits in the Jari until 2026.
Simple Math for People Worried About "Evil" Eucalyptus Propaganda
JARI CELULOSE= +1,000,000 hectares = 350,000 tons of pulp per year
- Eucalyptus plantations = 52,000 hectares (-3% of their landbase)
- Environmental recovery & preservation = +1,000,000 hectares (+90% of their landsbase)
States of Pará & Amapá = 139,050,409 hectares
Jari Eucalyptus plantations = 0.037% of Pará & Amapá; 0.06% of Brazil
Jari Eucalyptus plantations = 0.037% of Pará & Amapá; 0.06% of Brazil
Brazil = 851,487,700 hectares
- Soybean= 22,949,000 ha ( 2.69% of Brazil)
- Corn = 11,559,000 ha ( 1.36% of Brazil)
- Sugar Cane = 6,172,000 ha (0.72% of Brazil)
- Rice = 3,916,000 ha (0.46% of Brazil)
- Wheat = 2,361,000 ha (0.28% of Brazil)
Combined major agricultural crops = 46,957,000 ha (5.5% of Brazil)
Eucalyptus plantations = circa 4,000,000 hectares
(0.5% of Brazil, LESS THAN 1%!)
(0.5% of Brazil, LESS THAN 1%!)
Do You Still Believe "the evil " Eucalyptus monocultures are taking over the world??
Related Articles
Navarro de Andrade, the man who planted 24 million Eucalyptus trees... or more.
KLABIN Industrial scale clonal Eucalyptus nursery: VIDEOTOUR
GIT's Eucalyptology Topics
© 2008 Gustavo Iglesias Trabado. Please contact us if you want to use all or part of this text and photography elsewhere. We like to share, but we do not like rudeness.
Navarro de Andrade, the man who planted 24 million Eucalyptus trees... or more.GIT's Eucalyptology Topics
© 2008 Gustavo Iglesias Trabado. Please contact us if you want to use all or part of this text and photography elsewhere. We like to share, but we do not like rudeness.
