OREANDA-NEWS. Gerdau found in the Xingu river basin an effective technique of planting seeds, which was created by the Ikpengs Indians, for forming a Permanent Preservation Area (PPA) of 1,400 hectares around the hydroelectric power plants of Caçu and Barra dos Coqueiros in Goiás (Brazil). The method known as Muvuca was enhanced by Instituto Socioambiental, a nongovernmental organization in the region, and is used for the recovery of degraded areas in the headwaters of the River.

Gerdau invested in the project in 2012 because it is a way of planting with more advantages than the conventional way due to its low cost and the possibility of planting large areas in less time. By using the technique, about 8,600 plants were sown in the APP per hectare. By the end of the planting work in the area, which is expected to occur this year, approximately 12 million seedlings will have been planted.

Gerdau is the leading manufacturer of long steel in the Americas and a major global supplier of special long steels. The company recently began operations in two new Brazilian markets, with the production of flat steel and the expansion of its iron mining activities, initiatives that are expanding its product mix and the competitiveness of its operations.

With more than 45,000 employees, Gerdau has industrial operations in 14 countries - the Americas, Europe and Asia - with a combined installed capacity of more than 25 million tons of steel a year. It is also Latin America's biggest recycler and, worldwide, transforms millions of tons of scrap metal into steel every year, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable development in the regions where it operates.

With more than 120,000 shareholders, Gerdau's shares are listed on the New York, São Paulo and Madrid stock exchanges.