Caring for the Forest is about Renewal and Hope

Since mid-June 2020, when the Forest reopened after Puerto Rico’s first Covid-19 lockdown, visitors have returned in large numbers to the Forest. The completion and launch of our Forest Tour Application project, however, became the primary focus of our efforts at the time, as this project had been amply delayed by Covid and other factors. It has since gotten off the ground. The focus on completing the Tour App also responded to the shortfall in revenue from this campaign; since early November 2020 we had not received any new donations.

To take advantage of #GivingTuesday 2020 (December 1), we decided to revitalize and re-energize the virtually inactive Help us help Nature project.

We reconfigured the campaign and launched the “microproject”, Caring for the Forest is about Renewal and Hope. The core project remained the same, with motivational messaging centered on how the renaissance of the Forest after hurricanes Irma and María can and should inspire us in times of economic and political turmoil and continued concerns about our collective health and well-being (this was November and early December).

We emphasized how contributing to the Forest tree planting project represented an investment in a beautiful, bountiful future.  What better symbol of hope and resilience, we thought, than a renascent Pterocarpus Forest – a survivor of Hurricanes Georges, María and Irma – which can serve as an inspiration to our visitors, and a beautiful symbol of hope, recovery and renewal.

The campaign raised over $3,820 by the end of December 1st, GivingTuesday.  Nearly $10,000 were raised when gifts on other donation platforms, $2,000 in matching fits, cash, and project gifts received through December and January are added to the totals.  With these "GivingTuesday" gifts, with the much earlier gifts to the Help Us campaign, and the collaboration of the Palmas Homeowners’ Association, we were able to meet the goals for this project and purchase and plant the following trees:Almácigo, Caoba Dominicana, Malagueta, Maria, Pterocarpus Officinalis, Roble Rosado, Roble Sabana, Roble Venezolano and Saúco.

As Caring for the Forest is about Renewal and Hope was tied to GivingTuesday 2020, PHA/The Pterocarpus Forest asked GlobalGiving to retire this project.  We are now seeking to replace our remaining projects with an ongoing general operating support, with a portion of the funds to be raised earmarked for a “Forest Endowment Fund”.  The Endowment Fund will serve insure the long-term availability of financial resources for Forest conservation and maintenance and educational programming. We will keep you informed, of course, and hope you will support our extremely important general fund and endowment campaign.

Thank you for your support of the Forest as we join all of our friends and supporters in celebrating Earth Day 2021!