![Preserving local biodiversity and culture]()
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Montes del Plata owns 190 000 hectares and leases 72 000 hectares of land, of which 65% is planted with eucalyptus trees. The remaining 35% is reserved for purposes such as cattle grazing and the conservation of native forests and special ecosystems. Five sites with High Conservation Values (HCVs) are monitored by a team of experts.
![Santo Domingo]()
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Santo Domingo, with its wetlands, palm groves, and riparian forests, is one of the five areas on Montes del Plata’s lands that have been identified as having high conservation values. Specific rehabilitation plans have been designed for the area, including palm grove management to ensure the co-existence of young trees and 200-year-old trees.
![Preserving a local caiman species]()
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A special management plan in the Santo Domingo conservation area has improved the reproduction conditions of the yacaré caiman (Caiman yacare) that live in the local lakes.
![Tres Árboles]()
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The stone constructions of Tres Árboles, also identified as having high conservation values, are home to the Uruguay marked gecko (Homonota uruguayensis) which is classified as a priority species in Uruguay. Locally known as the stone gecko, the 40-50 mm long lizard can be found in rocky formations and hilly sandstone areas.
![Local communities and the environment benefitting from beekeeping]()
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Montes del Plata’s Alianzas programme promotes the diverse use of land for purposes such as beekeeping. In 2019, 39 farmers produced honey from 6 100 beehives located on Montes del Plata’s land. The thriving bee populations also help conserve local biodiversity around the eucalyptus plantations.
![A centre for nature education]()
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Bioparque M’Bopicuá is an environmental centre operated by Montes del Plata. In addition to promoting education, the 150-hectare centre aims to breed animals, especially endangered local species, and later introduce them to their natural habitat. The centre hosts about 2 000 visitors annually, enabling them to experience native wildlife first hand.
![Returning peccaries into their natural habitat]()
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Between 2017 and 2019, Bioparque M’Bopicuá released into the wild a population of 200 collared peccaries (Pecari tajacu), a mammal species extinct in the wild in Uruguay, in a conservation area that is located on Montes del Plata’s land. Cameras monitoring the population have captured a new generation of peccaries, making the release a success.
![Natural grasslands]()
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Natural grasslands, a conservation priority in South America, are threatened by poor management and the invasion of exotic species. In 2019, Montes del Plata began cooperation with a national NGO to promote the sustainable management and conservation of natural grasslands. Over 65 000 hectares of grassland coexist with its plantations.
![Yellow cardinal monitoring]()
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The yellow cardinal (Gubernatrix cristata) is an endangered bird species that nests in the forest and feeds in natural grasslands. Montes del Plata has joined forces with BirdLife International through its Grassland Alliance project to monitor the population, habitat use, nesting, and vocalization of yellow cardinals on its lands.
