Seedling Nursery
Our seedling nursery is capable of producing more than 5 million seedlings per year, serving both the establishment of the company's production forests and the sale of seedlings to the external market. We control the entire production process, from seed collection to the shipment of seedlings, ensuring the highest quality standards for forest restoration. Each seedling we cultivate is a step toward the desired future.
Genetic Improvement, Research & Seedling Development
Symbiosis' genetic improvement program aims to develop varieties or clones of native species adapted to the conditions of our production areas. In addition, we strive to continuously improve efficiency in seedling production processes, silviculture, and wood quality.
Our production forests combine exotic and native species of the Atlantic Forest. This diversified consortium minimizes economic and environmental risks, resulting in a variety of timber products. The main species cultivated include Ipê, Jequitibá Rosa, Louro, Vinhático, and Jacarandá da Bahia, as well as African Mahogany as an exotic species.
The heart of our work is to find the best trees through genetic improvement techniques, using both traditional and modern methods to produce clones of specific tree types. We have more than 45 species in our plantations and maintain good genetic diversity in 13 of them, such as Jequitibá Rosa and Ipês. We conduct progeny and clonal tests as part of a short, medium, and long-term improvement program, in collaboration with institutions such as UFRRJ, UFVJM, and Embrapa.
We have base populations to improve more than 15 species. We observe these trees to identify the healthiest and most productive ones, as well as their seeds and seedlings. The goal is always to cultivate trees that grow well and produce quality wood.
We use cloning techniques to multiply trees with special characteristics. This means we can create new plants that have the same desired qualities as the parent tree. We use methods such as cutting (taking a piece of the plant to root), grafting (joining parts of different plants), and micropropagation (growing cells in a laboratory). We have a clonal mini-garden where we care for these new plants, testing different spacing and conditions to ensure they grow healthy and productive.
Genetic improvement begins with the careful selection of mother trees, which we collect from different states of the Atlantic Forest, such as SE, AL, and SP. The seeds are transformed into seedlings that can be planted on a large scale or used in tests. We analyze the best trees to guide our crossings and cloning efforts. We are constantly experimenting with nutrition and temperature, aiming for the recovery of degraded areas and large-scale production. Our research and development are an essential part of every stage, ensuring that the wood quality and efficiency of our operation continue to grow.