OREANDA-NEWS. December 6, 2012. The first archaeological research of Gerdau's Private Natural Reserve (RPPN) located in Ouro Branco (MG) was successfully concluded after seven months of research throughout this area with more than 1,200 hectares. Evidences dating from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries helped the research team to uncover aspects of the region's history, which is covered largely with native forest. Gerdau's RPPN, established in 2008, is recognized by the State Forestry Institute (IEF) of Minas Gerais.

The archaeological research is of great importance for a conservation unit because, together with the RPPN's Management Plan, it makes it possible for a suitable heritage preservation program to be prepared, as well as a public visitation project that are in line with guidelines for valuing this heritage. The next step of the plan is to list its botanical and phytosociological resources by identifying the species of native flora in the area in order to promote the restoration of areas affected by soil erosion.

The RPPN is part of 19,000 hectares of green space owned by Gerdau. Of this total, 5,600 hectares are in areas of Legal Reserve or of Permanent Preservation and approximately 7,700 hectares are native forests.

Gerdau is the leader in the segment of long steel in the Americas and one of the main suppliers of special long steel in the world. With over 45,000 employees, it has industrial operations in 14 countries—in the Americas, Europe, and Asia—which together represent an installed capacity of over 25 million metric tons of steel per year. It is the largest recycler in Latin America; and in the world, it transforms each year millions of tons of scrap steel, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable development in the regions where it operates. Gerdau is listed on the stock exchanges of Sao Paulo, New York, and Madrid and has over 140,000 shareholders.