Forests4Water Brazil: Community Climate Action

Dear Rainforest Guardians,

After the the record planting season in 2018, where we planted 6,000 seedlings we have now moved on to the next step, Monitoring!

Do you want to know how we are getting on?

Here in the Atlantic Rainforest it has rained more than usual, which has made our seedlings jump for joy!

We are currently visiting the properties in the community where we planted, recording information, such as: mortality, ant attacks, if the plants are being cared for (if not, why), if they require more organic fertilizer, need replanting, development, which species are developing or dying etc. Identifying and addressing any problems to give the seedlings the best chance of success!

We are only at the beginning of monitoring, so there is still a lot of data to collect and analyze. That said, we have already begun to identify some trends.

Of 5 properties we visited there are already some species that stand out such as: Guapuruvu and Adrago, which are seedlings that have adapted really well! (Look at the size of them! This Adrago, was planted in January and is bigger than me!)

You can also keep up with the planting progress via our map: Mapa ArcGIS

It has been so satisfying to visit the properties and see the growth of the seedlings, and witness the beginnings of new forest growth! We cannot begin to express the gratitude that we (the community, volunteers,the Atlantic Rainforest, fauna, flora) feel in being able to make a positive difference to the life of an individual, a family, a spring, a water course, to nature. All this has only been possible thanks to YOU, doing your part, believing in our work and contributing to our cause.

I cannot stress enough how much YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

I wish each and every one of you could visit us and see EVERYTHING that you have helped us achieve. Who knows, maybe you would like to come and give us a hand to plant the next round in Mid-October / November 2019?!

In addition to the good news that the seedlings are doing incredibly well, we have already started planning for this year’s planting.

We are at full force and feeling very inspired in 2019!

The nursery has recently had all its planting tables renovated, and Deivid, our main man in the nursery, has been working hard collecting and germinating many different kinds of seeds! (Let's see if you can guess the trees of the following seeds and seedlings!)

Incredibly, we already have 6,000-7,000 seedlings developing in the nursery for planting later this year!

We recently produced E.M (Efficient microorganisms) which are tiny bacterias and fungi that live naturally in fertile soils and in plants. They can be used in agriculture and animal husbandry and are extremely cost effective and easy to produce. There are several advantages in applying them, such as:

• Increasing crop production;
• Controlling spontaneous plants, diseases and pests;
• Improving soil structure and quality;
• Reducing the need to apply other fertilizers;
• Working in conjunction with green fertilizers to aid in decompacting soil, increasing porosity and water infiltration;
• They can be mixed with other organic fertilizers such as biofertilizers, compost and humus;
• Composting organic matter to accelerate the preparation process of compost or biofertilizer.

We are applying E.M to our seedlings and organic compost in the nursery and have already seen fantastic results in terms of growth!

As you can see, time is flying here in the Rainforest and as it does we become more inspired, growing in both strength and numbers as more and more people join us in our efforts to reforest the Atlantic Rainforest in Brazil!

Our eternal gratitude to each and every one of you!

With much love and gratitude, as always!

Arielle, Ecoleaders, Deivid, Team Iracambi, Volunteers, and of course the Atlantic Rainforest 

Links:

• Forests 4 Water - Monitoring & Reforestation Map
• Project Page

With the generous contribution from BVSA (Bolsa de Valores Socioambiental) and 363 individual donations, 2018 was a fantastic year for the Forests for Water Project and we made great progress.

Iracambi planted 6,000 NATIVE TREES of 65 species in 30 PROPERTIES in 3 municipalities in the Muriaé River Basin and the surrounding Serra do Brigadeiro area to combat water scarcity.

In addition to involving local and international STUDENTS and VOLUNTEERS, the Forests for Water project placed 30th in the water category of the Latin America Green Award, which selects the 500 best socio-environmental projects in Latin America.

New regional partnerships have strengthened the project with the delivery of two courses; "Protection and Recovery of Springs" and  "Water Planters" provided by  SENAR and the We are Water Network, which together trained 33 people.

In local partnerships, DEMSUR (Department of Basic Sanitation of Muriaé) donated 700 fence posts to the local community involved in the project.

In addition, we analysed the water of the springs to be reforested by the project using the following parameters:

• Total Coliforms
• Fecal Coliforms
• Color
• Turbidity
• pH
• Aspect

Of the 30 samples, only ONE SPRING complies with all the safe levels required for human consumption.

Feedback from our project beneficiaries:

"When I was younger, my father did not care much about water, now that the farm is in my hands, I want to protect our most precious resource: water. After the crisis we experienced in 2014/2015 we can see the importance of this natural resource! Without it family farming, animals, plants would simply not exist".
Antônio - Ervália.

"in 2014/2015 our spring dried up! My brothers had to walk 3/4 miles with a wheelbarrow to collect drinking water and water to wash my crochet to sell at the market. Many of our neighbors made artesian wells, but we did not want that. We decided to plant some trees around the spring, and the spring returned and never dried up again! Since then we take as much care as possible to protect the spring, because we learnt the hard way the challenges a lack of water bring".
Maria - Ancorado, Rosário da Limeira.

The challenge for 2019 is to plant CILIARY FOREST (on the banks of the river) that work like eyelashes, preventing flooding, silting, erosion, and has the capacity to retain nutrients and contaminants.

Reducing the pollution of water sources, besides creating habitats, forms forest corridors which facilitate the movement and propagation of wild animals and flora.

Most importantly, WITHOUT YOUR HELP, NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE!

Whether you are donating, partnering, volunteering, promoting our work, encouraging people to be more environmentally sustainable, YOU MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE!

THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH!

With love and Iracambi hugs,

Arielle Canedo, the Iracambi team, young people from R. da Limeira, Belisário, Ervália, farming families and mother nature! (Have you noticed we’re growing?!)

Links:

• Project Page
• Project Maps