Forests4Water Brazil: Community Climate Action

Good afternoon, dear supporters! 

And greetings from the rainforest, with an update to what is going on at Iracambi in terms of the forest restoration project. 

We are finally moving into fall, and able to catch our breath after the hectic planting season. But there's no time to rest on our  laurels, because there are all the dry season jobs to be done.

As you may know, we have the constant and most welcome presence of students, researchers and volunteers from throughout Brazil and across the world, and we're lucky enough to have a student with us right now who has volunteered to help us tidy up our GIS database.

This is where we store project data from maps of the planting sites to locations of the springs, information about the numbers and varieties of tree species planted, data about the forest nursery, and all the housekeeping tasks that help us keep track of every stage in the restoration process, from soup to nuts, or, as in this case, from seed collection to healthy young forest.  

While our coordinator Luiz and his student helper are hunched over the database, Deivid our nursery man is supervising seed collection, preparation and and propagation. As the rains tail off he has to ensure that the irrigation equipment is in working order, that the shade cloths are in position, and that there is a constant supply of organic compost to give the young seedlings the best of starts in life. Soon the team will be heading to the planting sites, to plan the process of clearing unwanted vegetation, fortifying the soil and digging the holes in preparation for planting. They'll also be checking on the last year's planting to ensure that the young trees are kept free from the weeds that can smother them and the ants that can strip their leaves in a matter of minutes. 

To coin a phrase, a forestry team's work is never done.... But it's worth it as we see previously barren fields with young forests flourishing. 

Thank you for your support. We're in this together!  

with love and appreciation, 

Luiz, Deivid, data processor Moritz and the Iracambi team 

Luis, 

Dear donors, 

We hope you are doing well?  

It's spring in the northern hemisphere, season of hope and renewal. And here, in the south, we're moving into fall. The end of a busy planting season. 

But that doesn't mean that we are sitting on the beach, taking a well earned break. 

Because now's the time for seed collecting, to ensure a good supply of seedlings for the next planting season. Trees give seed at different times of year according to their own timetable, so our nursery manager has to be on the alert if he is going to get to the seeds ahead of all his competitors. The mammals and birds who gobble up the fruit and pass the intact seeds through their digestive tracts. The bats who are the night dispersal agents. The rodents who cache seeds for their food supply. And the trees themselves who take advantage of the wind to ensure that their parachute seeds find enough space and sunlight to be able to germinate. 

There's always a demand among restoration projects for high quality seeds of native forest trees. But seed collecting is not for the fainthearted. The seeds have to be identified, collected, cleaned and safely stored  before they can be sold or traded. And nursery manager Deivid and his team are run off their feet, scouring the forest for seeds. Which is why this year we are setting up a network of seed collectors - to supply our nursery and generate additional income for farm families. Some seeds can fetch high prices - in fact one kilo of this showy tree Tibouchina granulosa can fetch almost two thirds of the minimum wage. (The seeds are tiny and hard to spot!) 

So as you see, the work of forest restoration never ends. Lucky that we enjoy it! 

And lucky for us that you are right there supporting us. We couldn't do it without you - thank you! 

with love and appreciation from 

Binka, Forestry Manager Luiz, Nursery Manager Luiz and the Iracambi team