There is much to be grateful for at La Reserva: the life-sustaining rains that have begun to fall once more, the recent planting of the Increasing Tenorio Volcano Forest project, the creation of new projects that will help us move toward our goal of planting as many as 100,000 trees this year.
We find much joy in our work. Every time a new species of plant, bird, or animal is found within the La Reserva property our dedication to reforestation is reaffirmed. We have seen first hand that “if you plant it, they will come!” But we also know that we could be more efficient in our work with an up-graded computer and better software. Our 7-year old Mac has served us well, but it’s time for it to be retired. We’re well aware that there is greater appeal in supporting the projects that directly plant trees and preserve species, but the work behind the scenes, the work done everyday at the computer is a crucial part that helps us accomplish our mission. Having better equipment as well as having the ability to pay for the tech support we need occasionally will make us even more effective in our goal to Keep On Planting!
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The rains have begun in Costa Rica. It’s the perfect time for planting trees. Unfortunately the 8 hectares in this project can’t be planted until something is done about the African grasses that dominate the pasture. One option would be to spray the whole field with herbicides, but that would have a negative environmental impact on the area, including inhibiting the growth of newly planted trees. In addition, there are any number of animals who have made their homes in the dense matt of grasses. We don’t want to wipe out their entire habitat with poisons.
The alternative, therefore, is to use manual labor to clear multiple swaths across the field wide enough to allow young trees to grow to the point where they will out-compete the grasses. This tactic allows for a period of transition in which the species populating the area will gradually shift. It is also labor-intensive and time-consuming. We estimate it will take over a month to create enough clear space that the trees planted will be able to thrive. Of course, it will also create much-needed jobs for locals. (As in the United States, the down-turn of the economy has left many local people searching for work.)
Your help with this project will accomplish two goals. It will help provide jobs and it will begin the transformation of the last large open field on the La Reserva property back to native forest. HEADS UP! Next Wednesday, June 16th from 12 midnight to 11:59pm Global Giving will be matching all donation up to $1000/donor/project. Give a generous donation to Project Hometree on that day and remind your friends as well. Just think if you can only afford to donate $10 that donation will be $15, plus we don’t have to pay GG the 15% commission on these matching funds.
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This project has a bittersweet story. Chocüaco was the nickname of Jose Luis Villalobos, a much loved local farmer, attorney and bus company owner. Many of you won’t remember LRFF’s participation in the global Giving Open Challenge last year. By receiving over $4000 from a minimum of 50 unique donors we won a permanent place on the GG philanthropic website. Thus, you are reading about our work here. The initial project we posted for the Challene fell through due to a family problem. We scrambled around to find another, small biological corridor project that we could replace it with. Ana Cecilia Villalobos (Chocüaco’s wife) had expressed her interest in participating in a corridor project with LRFF. We call her and set up an appointment with Jose to have a look at his farm. Jose (Chocüaco) met Daniel and I at the farm on Friday afternoon. He showed us an area that he felt would make a perfect corridor, connecting two forest patches on his property. We decided to meet again the following week to firm up the plan. Sunday, less than two days later, Tilarán’s beloved Chocüaco, died suddenly of a massive coronary. Shocked and hurt, missing him and wanting to do right by him, we postponed our pans for the corridor out of respect for his great family. We settled on the David Alvarez property for the corridor, http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/connecting-forest-islands-in-costa-rica/ and that has now been planted for eight months. The next time I saw Ana Cecilia, now Chocüaco’s widow, a few months later she was enthusiastic about continuing with his dream of conserving his property. Please help us to make this families small corridor the first of many on this beautiful farm. Donate this coming Wednesday, June 16th. All donations will be matched by 50%, from 12 midnight to 11:59pm (EST). LET’S GET PLANTING CHOCÜACO’S PLACE!!
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