REFORESTATION
Most of the Azuero peninsula has been deforested and is
now used for cattle farms. The farmers have only left the trees along streams, rivers and lakes. The living
fences around farms consist mostly of frequently pruned trees. The ecological value of these fences is limited
and the biodiversity of the last remnants of Pacific lowland forests are decreasing because of their increasing isolation.
We have started our farm-to-forest project on the property that we bought in October 2006. Our goal was to reforest this
farm and with all the support since then, the trees are growing. You can still assist:
1) Come and
stay at our farm. At least 25% of our profit is used for further investment in the
reforestation and maintenance of the botanical garden.
2) Stay with
us as a volunteer and work 4 hrs per day.
Planting trees is only the beginning of bringing back a diverse tropical forest.
We appreciate extra hands for other small and big jobs such as weeding (grass and
other invasive non-rainforest species that enclose on tree seedlings), pruning,
nursery work,
and also scientific research and monitoring progress.
3) When you
rather stay at home, sponsor a tree,
or “buy” several to reduce your carbon footprint.
We have planted over 4000 trees but still continue planting the
understory shade lovers and more rare trees.
When you sponsor 50 USD worth of trees,
we issue a certificate and a list of trees planted in your name. If you sponsor trees for more than
250 USD we send you a hand-painted T-shirt. If you buy trees for more than 300 USD, you will get a
voucher for one free night in a double room at our hotel. There is no limit to your donations,
but we have to limit the number of free nights to 5 per year!
4) Contact
us if you would like to know more on how to support us with a donation.
We are willing to acquire more land to reforest a larger part of the Azuero.
For more
details and conditions click here.
REDUCE YOUR CARBON DIOXIDE FOOTPRINT
Reforestation
in the humid tropics is a very good way to help counter the greenhouse
effect. Here in Panama, trees grow three times as fast as in temperate
climates! Each tree sequesters 22 kg of CO2 per year during the
growth phase, its first 50 years. Thereafter, carbon sequestration
continues but slows down. One hectare (2.47 acre) of growing tropical
rainforest contains about 425 trees and thus sequesters 9,350 kg
CO2 per year during the growth phase.
Depending
on their life style, people in Europe produce about 10,000 kg of
carbon dioxide from non-renewable resources per year and Americans
about 23,000 kg/year. Reforesting 1 hectare is thus enough to offset
about 45 years worth of carbon production of the average European
and 20 years carbon production of the average North American.
Reforestation
with natural forest has many more advantages. Trees evaporate large
amounts of water while they grow, and this increases cloud cover
and cools down the environment. This cooling is just as important
to counter global warming as carbon sequestration. A natural forest
as opposed to a plantation also provides a place to live for many
other plants (that also evaporate water) and endemic animals. And
note that many North American migrant birds also depend on tropical
forests in Panama for their survival!
We started
to reforest the farm we bought, and we intend to buy and reforest
more land in the future. We are discussing projects with the people
from Malena and Palo Seco to reforest wider corridors along local
streams and around community boreholes. We intent to connect our
forest to both the Malena Beach and to the Palo Seco mangroves in
the Gulf of Montijo (a RAMSAR wetland and buffer zone of the Coiba
Island World Heritage Site). It is our long term dream to link the
coastal forests with the Montuoso forest reserve, 40 km away in
a crow´s flight, to facilitate altitudinal bird migration.
We cannot
do this alone! If you are interested contact us and we work out
the best way for you to support us.
|
