Biodiversity
We are committed to preventing habitat destruction as a result of our activities
Why Biodiversity Matters
Losing land of high ecological value destroys habitats, has knock-on effects for climate change, adversely affects water retention and can disrupt local communities.
Such land is vital to the health of our global ecosystem, and it is our company policy to preserve it to ensure the conservation of biodiversity.
What We Do
Protecting the biodiversity of natural habitats surrounding our facilities is a priority, both in the expansion and daily operation of our global asset network. We strive to do so by:
- Defining and following biodiversity protection and conservation plans at all the citrus farms we manage directly in Brazil
- Implementing our Soy Sustainability Policy, which opposes the conversion of native vegetation and encourages expansion onto existing pasture land
- Influencing our palm oil supply chain to comply with our No Deforestation, No Peat, No Exploitation (NDPE) policy
Case Study
Planting Trees in Indonesia
Our East Indonesia plant refinery is located on the coast of the Tempadung River, where mangrove trees are an important part of the local ecosystem. Mangroves have strong roots that help protect this coastline from erosion caused by large waves, including tsunamis. In 2020, the employees and management of LDC’s East Indonesia refinery helped to plant 1,000 additional mangrove trees here.
Apart from the practical benefits of protecting the local ecosystem, and therefore the welfare of coastal communities, this initiative helped increase public awareness of the importance of the mangrove forest and demonstrated LDC’s willingness to support and advance local wisdom about conservation.
Case Study
Biodiversity Protection & Conservation Plans at our Brazilian Citrus Farms
In 2020, we increased the geographic area covered by our Biodiversity Protection and Conservation Plans in Brazil to include the three farms newly verified by the SAI Platform, bringing the total area mapped for conservation at our farms to some 9,600 hectares. In the same year, we planted some 49,000 native seedlings across these farms.
Each farm’s bespoke plan contains detailed measures to control invasive species, reduce road traffic, conserve soil, educate employees, monitor emissions and create ecological ‘corridors’. These have great benefits for local wildlife, creating feeding and breeding areas for animals. This is frequently confirmed by employee sightings of wild animals such as the ocelot kitten pictured below, photographed at Fazenda Morrinhos, São Paulo State, Brazil.