Improving lives with value added wood, Costa Rica

Happy new year! We have not stopped planting trees!  Often we are so exposed to bad news but at ASIREA we continue our reforestation efforts with local farmers every day. We are using very fast growing trees but in agroforestry so people are also cultivating food for their families and for the local market. 

For example, one local farmer; Don  Olivier,   has begun his third reforestation project on his farm, where he also has cattle and subsistance agriculture for his familiy. In the photo you can see trees that are only 3 months old and the 1 year old trees in the back ground. He´s planted 8,500 trees total. They are melina, which are also very efficient at taking carbon from the atmosphere. 

If he is successful when he harvests this wood, he will continue to plant trees and tell his neighbors and friends to do the same. The harvested wood becomes furniture, made by local families, which holds carbon. Wood IS carbon. If he recieves a low pay for his wood, he will not only not plant more trees, he will probably tell his neighbors not to risk their few resources. 

ASIREA- an organization of farmers such as don Olivier-  will assist him in his effort by finding the best-paying markets for his wood. We will do this by drying it, where it will go from 60 colones the unit to 900 colones. As an environmental organization we reach out, to ask your help for funding to achieve this goal. We need everyone´s help to buy a solar wood dryer. If we can do this: in Central América there will be a super positive experience of farmers adding value to our wood. 

Help us by sharing this information and talk about our proyect to others. Hopefully, soon, we will send you a report with the photo of the solar wood dryer itself! And of furniture made from these forests...which in turn---protect native forests from being cut. We are all connected. 

Have a great year!