Trees for the Future Visit El Salvador
January 25, 2008
I would like to update everyone about our
reforestation project in El Salvador. As I mentioned a few months ago, we
are committed to planting 15,000 trees in El Salvador not only to help
protect the environment within El Salvador but also to engage in the Trees
for Future campaign that plants trees to offset carbon output.
In addition to teaming up with Trees for the Future, we also established a relationship with a local cooperative in El Salvador called UCRAPROBEX, which will host this project. This co-op has 56 members (or groups) of coffee growers. Based on the information provided by its main office, each group has different needs in terms of reforestation. We decided to work with them because we share their commitment to conservation and their vision for producing sustainable coffees.
The first obstacle to initiate this project was Hurricane Felix, which caused severe damages to Nicaragua and Honduras in late October of last year. Fortunately, the destruction and casualties were not as high as expected. Many coffee institutions such as the Association of Coffee Producers of Matagalpa and Anacafe have informed us that land damages have not been very severe in their coffee regions.
The program resumed in December when the
first package of
seeds arrived at the URAPROBEX co-op headquarters from Trees for the
Future. In addition, early this week two representatives from Trees for
the Future, Jeff and Josue, visited the cooperative offices to introduce
the project to 16 community leaders. It was a great meeting to touch base
with the various growers and exchange information and experiences.
We look forward to planting the first seeds, watching the project grow and positively affecting the coffee growing communities in El Salvador.
--Andres Castro
In addition to teaming up with Trees for the Future, we also established a relationship with a local cooperative in El Salvador called UCRAPROBEX, which will host this project. This co-op has 56 members (or groups) of coffee growers. Based on the information provided by its main office, each group has different needs in terms of reforestation. We decided to work with them because we share their commitment to conservation and their vision for producing sustainable coffees.
The first obstacle to initiate this project was Hurricane Felix, which caused severe damages to Nicaragua and Honduras in late October of last year. Fortunately, the destruction and casualties were not as high as expected. Many coffee institutions such as the Association of Coffee Producers of Matagalpa and Anacafe have informed us that land damages have not been very severe in their coffee regions.
The program resumed in December when the
first package of
seeds arrived at the URAPROBEX co-op headquarters from Trees for the
Future. In addition, early this week two representatives from Trees for
the Future, Jeff and Josue, visited the cooperative offices to introduce
the project to 16 community leaders. It was a great meeting to touch base
with the various growers and exchange information and experiences. We look forward to planting the first seeds, watching the project grow and positively affecting the coffee growing communities in El Salvador.
--Andres Castro
