Good Plantation Management Issues

Amazonia Reforestation and CO2 Tropical Trees have had 3 excellent years of tree planting, with 2011  promising to be even more exciting and rewarding. The tropical trees we have planted to date are doing extremely well. We have lost significantly less than 1% of the trees we have planted, thanks to good forest management practices. At present we have some 300,000 trees in the ground and we are planting 425,000 more trees this year (340 hectares or 815 acres). That means that as of August 2011 we will have over $50 million dollars’ worth of fast-growing tropical hardwood trees growing in our plantations.

Some people think that planting trees simply involves sticking them in the ground and they will grow, without more. Many are astonished to learn that it costs approximately $1 million dollars to plant 1,000 hectares (2,470 acres) of tropical trees properly. The reality is that there are a lot of steps that need to be taken for success. This article sets out 10 of the early steps we take at Amazonia Reforestation:

1. One needs to have a good source of seeds. Seeds with bad genetics or seeds taken from the wrong climate will often not grow or produce poor results and gimped trees.
2. The tree nursery needs to be professionally managed. Planting bags that are not stuffed firmly with soil  allow too much air around the roots of the seedling, causing the roots to dry out or the soil to fall away when the seedlings are planted. Due to the hot climate we need to provide shade for the seedlings, with just enough light for good photo-synthesis. Our irrigation system needs to spread a fine mist of water vapor so as to not harm many of the seedlings, while they set roots. The tree nursery needs to be fenced to stop wildlife from munching on the tender little seedlings. There is much more to say about nurseries, but that is for another day.
3. Good soil preparation is extremely important. We plough the soil to a depth of 75 cm and sometimes as deep as 90 cm, depending on the species. That is because tropical trees set deep roots in the soil. Good soil preparation allows the trees to grow faster, because then they are not struggling to break through compacted soil. Deep roots prevent losses due to high winds or wet swampy soil.
4. Most tropical soils are infertile, which means we need to provide the trees with proper nutrition if we want fast and good results. At La Pedregoza we use a special mix of forestry fertilizer that contains nothing but elements, no chemicals and no inert matter. This allows the trees to grow quickly, after which they become self-sufficient using photo-synthesis, carbon capture and recycling to grow. Virtually all rain forest trees are perfect recycling systems, which is why soils in Amazon deforestation areas are often poor after the trees are removed.
5. Our fertilizer mix also contains calcium or lime. The tree doesn't need the lime directly, but it is required in order to balance the PH levels of tropical soils, which are often acidic due to thousands of years of pounding tropical rains, that leach the soil, leaving it acidic. The lime also softens the soil, which might otherwise bake into a cement-like hardness, allowing the roots of the seedling to quickly spread in the soil. Most tropical trees prefer a balanced PH soil.
6. The tropical trees we plant are known to be good for land reclamation projects, because they can survive in poor or infertile soils. In fact, because of their ability to fix nitrogen and carbon in the soil, they allow us to improve the soil in the first cycle of planting, so that we can plant more demanding and sensitive tree species in the second planting cycle. This means that harvesting plantation species allows us to plant native tree species for better bio-diversity in the future.
7. Forest planting has to occur in mid-rainy season. If we plant too early the seedlings might get  swamped and drown. If we plant too late, they may not be able to build up sufficient water reserves to survive the dry season. Tree planting in mid-rainy season means that we become a large employer of temporary workers, who do nothing but plant trees for a solid month. Usually we employ our workers for 4 months, from nursery through soil preparation to planting and clean-up. Tree planting is an important source of socio-economic development in the region.
8. We establish good fire breaks all around and throughout the plantation. This prevents grass fires and forest fires from damaging the new trees or from spreading. Once the trees become more than 3 years of age most of them act as natural fire breaks against grass fires, because hardwood trees do not burn as easily as softwood trees.
9. La Pedregoza usually does 3 fertilizations of the trees, one when planting, another in 12 months and  the final one at 24 months. The fertilizer is mixed into the soil so that it goes to the roots when it  rains and is not washed off by the rain. Surface fertilization does not work. This is more labor intensive, but well worth the results.
10. Fast growing tropical trees reach a peek at about 24 months of age, after which they continue to grow  more slowly as they build up biomass in the tree trunk. This is the point at which some species require  pruning for better wood quality, or where they have bifurcated trunks that may retard their overall growth. This is also the point at which the trees start to provide enough shade so that there is no longer any undergrowth, reducing fire risk and creating a tropical forest canopy effect that in turn helps to cool the Earth.

Edmonton Family Saves Rainforest article in Edmonton Journal

Amazonia Reforestation and the Reserva Natural La Pedregoza were reported in the Edmonton Journal today, January 31, 2011, and appeared in their on-line edition as front page news. Here is a link to the article:
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Edmonton+family+saving+part+Amazon+rainforest/4193648/story.html

The Edmonton Journal article also includes some pictures. The article quotes Dexter Dombro, Kochurani Dombro, Dilmun Dombro and Fernando Trujillo of the Omacha Foundation.

Dexter Dombro     with just planted Acacia mangium.

Canadian Family Creates Natural Reserve in Colombia

January 24, 2011 Press Release

Bogotá - Three members of a Canadian family from Edmonton have successfully  created a natural reserve in the Orinoco River basin of Colombia. The reserve, known in Spanish as the Reserva Natural La Pedregoza, is located some 57 km from the Orinoco port city of Puerto Carreño in the eastern Colombian department or state of Vichada. The reserve is some 10 square kilometers in size and features 3 old growth inundation and gallery forests along the banks of the Rio el Bita river.

Dexter Dombro    , a former Alberta lawyer, his wife Dr. Kochurani Dombro    , an Edmonton dentist, and their eldest son Dilmun Dombro    , a science student, have been engaged for the past 3 years in tropical tree afforestation and reforestation efforts in the Orinoco River basin of Colombia. “When the opportunity presented itself to conserve and protect this very special area, we put our money where our mouths are!” said Dexter Dombro, “It seemed completely self-evident that this was the right thing to do.”

Colombian law allows private people to acquire land and to then apply to have it declared a protected area. The Colombian agency entrusted with this is called Resnatur. Resnatur has formally accredited the Reserva Natural La Pedregoza as a member of the Colombian Network Association of Civil Society Natural Reserves (Asociación Red Colombiano de Reservas Naturales de la Sociedad Civil). Lourdes Peñuela Recio, V.P. of the Green Horizon Foundation (Fundación Horizonte Verde) of Colombia has welcomed this natural reserve among protected areas in what is called the Orinoco node.

The main objective of the Reserva Natural La Pedregoza is the conservation and  preservation of Orinoco River basin flora and fauna. Colombia is estimated to have up to 8% of the planet’s biodiversity within its borders, making it hugely important. The natural reserve helps protect that biodiversity with three key programs: 1. the collection, germination and propagation of native tree species, many of which were recklessly logged in the past, 2. a dedicated large river turtle rescue effort with an endangered river turtle egg hatchery and release program, and 3. the construction of an Interpretive Centre to educate locals and international visitors alike on the importance of the inundation and gallery forests in the Orinoco River basin.

Fernando Trujillo, Ph.D., managing director of the renowned Omacha Foundation (Fundación Omacha), stated: “La Pedregoza is important, because it adds to the protected corridor for endangered wildlife travelling to and from the El Tuparro National Park (Parque Nacional Natural El Tuparro). In addition, their native tree program will help expand habitat for endangered wildlife.” Dr. Debra Davidson of the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences has visited Reserva Natural La Pedregoza and was one of the instigators for the U of A to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Dombro family for U of A researchers to use the natural reserve as a research area.

Jatropha curcas – Part 2: 101 Reasons for Planting

Plantation owners often make lists of the benefits, uses and advantages of planting certain species of tropical trees. More often than not the list of benefits vastly exceeds the perceived negatives. It is with that in mind that this list of Jatropha curcas benefits and uses has been adapted from a Brazilian plantation by Amazonia Reforestation in Colombia, together with the addition of some extra comments. This is a typical example of why tropical trees hold such promise. Hopefully it will address some of the questions people may have about adopting this tree for large scale biodiesel and renewable energy production.

1. Jatropha curcas is a perennial plant, meaning that it can live for many decades and does not need to be replanted on an annual basis. This makes for economic efficiency.
2. This tree can survive in infertile and marginal soils and can be used for land reclamation, including in near desert-like conditions, while improving soil fertility. This means that Jatropha curcas survives in soils that are not suited to food production.
3. In contrast to African oil palms, Jatropha curcas is a social plant that does well with other species, making it suitable for agroforestry, analog forestry and permaculture cultivation, without affecting its own oil production.
4. The tree will grow in hard conditions, making it useful as a rural hedge or boundary plant.
5. Due to its size, it is easy to harvest the fruits and seeds of Jatropha curcas.
6. Cultivation of this tree requires only low-skill labour, making it ideal for creating employment in developing countries.
7. The maintenance of Jatropha curcas cultivations is relatively simple and is not labour intensive.
8. The employment created by Jatropha curcas retains labour in rural areas, so that people do not migrate to the slums of big cities.
9. The primary product from Jatropha curcas is oil ideally suited to bio-diesel production, at a fraction of the cost of diesel fuel from non-renewable sources.
10. The mulch or cake left over after oil extraction from the fruits is rich in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, making it an excellent fertilizer.
11. The mulch or cake can be readily used as compost and substratum.
12. The mulch or cake can also be placed in bio-digestion tanks, producing a gas that can be used to generate heat or electricity.
13. Planting Jatropha curcas can reclaim and upgrade degraded soils.
14. The first harvest of oil seed fruits can occur as early as 180 days after planting.
15. Jatropha curcas is highly resistant to plagues, diseases, pests and fungi, eliminating the need for costly pesticides and the environmental problems they entail.
16. Harvest times in dry areas can be regulated by having a fixed irrigation schedule for the trees.
17. Because of its deep roots, irrigation need only occur once every 20 or so days in a managed setting, though that is not relevant in areas with high rainfall.
18. Six months after planting, Jatropha curcas becomes resistant to attacks by ants and termites.
19. The tree can be co-planted by market garden operations for pest control.
20. It will grow in mixed plantations with popular Syringa trees (Melia azedarach), a mahogany family tree that is often toxic to other species.
21. Jatropha curcas does not require the clearing of other species in order to be cultivated.
22. Jatropha curcas cultivation does not compete with plants cultivated for food production.
23. The cost of its oil on a per gallon basis is less than the price of petroleum oil.
24. The tree grows rapidly and vigorously, but does not exceed 6 meters in height.
25. This tree can produce even larger harvests in more fertile soils.
26. Jatropha curcas is an excellent cash flow generator for small farmers and rural land dwellers.
27. The oil from Jatropha curcas can be used as an organic pesticide when sprayed on other cultivations.
28. The oil from Jatropha curcas has been successfully used to combat the horn fly (Haematobia irritans), a serious livestock pest.
29. The tree can be easily planted in areas where mechanical cultivation is difficult or impossible.
30. There is no requirement for agricultural equipment in order to cultivate Jatropha curcas, making it very affordable for socio-economic development projects.
31. The tree produces an average of 5,000 seeds per hectare (2.47 acres).
32. Average oil production by Jatropha curcas is 1,650 liters per hectare (435 gallons).
33. This tree also produces some 3,200 kg (7,040 lbs) per hectare of mulch or cake from the fruits and the seed residue after oil extraction.
34. The bulk oil of the Jatropha curcas tree can render over 94% esters, a chemical compound used by industry in numerous processes.
35. This tree can be effective for erosion control, because of its deep roots, quick growth and minimal requirements.
36. Planting Jatropha curcas helps to stop desertification of the planet in poor and marginal soil zones.
37. Jatropha curcas can tolerate brackish water, an important planting issue in many marginal areas.
38. The oil of this tree can be used in the manufacture of stains, tints and varnishes.
39. The tree’s oil can be used as a purgative or contraceptive remedy, though caution is in order due to its highly toxic nature.
40. Jatropha curcas will kill a toxic weed known as Tiririca (Cyperus rotundus), which kills other plants around it.
41. The gas produced from the anaerobic fermentation of Jatropha curcas is a recognized source of heat.
42. The methane gas produced by the mulch or cake can be used to operate electrical generating equipment.
43. Jatropha curcas oil transformed into bio-diesel is 80% less contaminating than petro-chemical diesel.
44. Bio-diesel made with Jatropha curcas oil does not contain any sulphur.
45. Bio-diesel from this tree is ecologically sound and carbon neutral.
46. The cultivation of Jatropha curcas is not known to affect any other type of cultivation.
47. This tree can be easily included in gardens, acreages and small homesteads, without large space requirements.
48. Every Jatropha curcas tree that is planted can sequester some 8 kg (17.6 lbs) of carbon per year. In a commercial cultivation plants may be 2 meters X 2 meters apart, for 2,500 plants per hectare (2.47 acres). This means that a typical plantation would be able to sequester 20,000 kg (44,100 lbs) of carbon per year per hectare. This makes the tree of interest to CO2 Tropical Trees.
49. The oil can be used to make soaps and detergents.
50. The oil can be used as fuel in oil lamps and kerosene lanterns.
51. The oil does not smoke when burnt in oil lamps, improving the quality of life for rural dwellers.
52. When planted at 20 cm intervals (7.5 inches) Jatropha curcas makes an excellent fence for a pig corral or sty.
53. The trees can serve as a windbreak.
54. The trees can be planted as hedges or fences, eliminating the need for barbed wire. Cattle won’t eat Jatropha curcas because they know it is toxic.
55. Birds will not eat the seeds, so there are no losses before harvest.
56. Wildlife will not eat the seeds, so there are no losses before harvest.
57. Jatropha curcas will happily co-exist with Mamona shrubs (Ricinus communis), another plant with toxic oil seeds planted in developing countries.
58. Jatropha curcas will happily co-exist with Lead trees (Leucaena family), popular for firewood, charcoal, fodder and other uses in developing countries.
59. Jatropha curcas will happily co-exist with Moringa trees (Moringa oleifera), important food and medicinal trees in developing countries.
60. Jatropha curcas will happily co-exist with Sisal plants (Agave sisalana), important providers of rope, twine and other products used in developing countries.
61. Folk wisdom has it that planting this tree on the left hand side of the door protects the inhabitants against the evil eye.
62. The shells around the oil seeds can serve as animal feed, as they are not toxic.
63. The shells around the oil seeds can be burnt in small boilers or heaters as a heat source.
64. A tea made from the leaves of Jatropha curcas has been used to fight the effects of malaria in developing countries.
65. The tree can be propagated using cuttings instead of seeds.
66. This tree produces fruits in less than a year, making for frequent harvests.
67. Jatropha curcas does not mind being pruned.
68. The Jatropha curcas tree flowers between 3 to 5 times per year.
69. There is a bifurcation of shoots on the tree after every flowering, so that branches stay healthy and productive.
70. Beehives can be established next to the Jatropha curcas cultivation.
71. Every hectare of Jatropha curcas will render 20 to 40 kg (44 to 88 lbs) of honey per year.
72. Keeping bees in the proximity of a Jatropha curcas cultivation increases oil production thanks to the bees’ pollination efforts.
73. Cash flow improves with honey sales from frequently flowering Jatropha curcas trees.
74. Jatropha curcas can be planted with goats present, as the goats will leave the trees alone.
75. Honey from Jatropha curcas cultivations is believed to have medicinal properties, upping its value.
76. The albumen or seed protein of this tree contains starch which can be used to produce alcohol.
77. The fallen leaves and twigs of the Jatropha curcas serve as useful ground cover against erosion and for retaining moisture.
78. As fallen leaves and twigs decompose they turn into rich organic material that improves soil quality.
79. The pruned branches and twigs of the Jatropha curcas tree can be converted into cellulose.
80. The branches, once chipped, can be used to produce methane gas.
81. Jatropha curcas oil sprayed in apple orchards as an organic pesticide gets rid of fruit flies.
82. This tree can be planted in the vast marginal and infertile areas of Colombia’s llanos orientales (eastern plains), in over 90% of Brazil, and in large areas of Argentina, without affecting food production or other species of trees and plants. The plantations of Amazonia Reforestation are located in the llanos orientales of Colombia.
83. Jatropha curcas thrives in hot climates, yet requires little humidity.
84. This tree’s sap has been used as a remedy for cuts and injuries.
85. It is considered a heliophile tree, in other words it can withstand large amounts of sunlight and does not require shade.
86. Jatropha curcas is not an invasive species, and can easily be controlled.
87. Diesel from non-renewable petroleum is more expensive than Jatropha curcas oil.
88. This tree can be an important element in any renewable energy project, and has proven energy potential and uses.
89. Some have suggested that Jatropha curcas could be the real herald of the agro-energy movement.
90. Jatropha curcas can grow along side of Pejibaye or Chantaduro Palms (Bactris gasipaes), an important food source in Latin America.
91. Jatropha curcas does well along side of the American Oil Palm or Palmera Real (Attalea butyracea), traditionally very important as a source of roofing and construction materials in Latin America.
92. The Jussara Palm (Euterpe edulis) can grow along side of Jatropha curcas without problems. This palm is important for its fruits and for its heart of palm, a popular food in Latin America.
93. Jatropha curcas can grow along side of dairy operations, as milk cows will leave the tree alone.
94. Jatropha curcas can be grown as a garden plant close to homes, where it also has an insect repellent effect.
95. A single worker or farmer can manage 15 hectares (37 acres) of Jatropha curcas.
96. Planting Jatropha curcas requires only a small investment in seeds and fertilizer.
97. In Brazil, Jatropha curcas is cultivated along side of the Acai Palm (Euterpe oleracea), famous for its berries.
98. Despite its short size, the tree is considered by some to be proud and elegant, adding aesthetic value when planted.
99. Jatropha curcas is a non-food bio-diesel crop, so it does not take food crops away from people.
100. Oil can be extracted from Jatropha curcas seeds using simple, hand operated equipment compatible with socio-economic development goals in poor countries.
101. Air New Zealand flew a successful test flight with a Boeing 747 running one of its four Rolls-Royce engines on a 50/50 blend of Jatropha curcas oil and jet fuel. Houston based Continental Airlines and Japan Air have also run successful tests, so besides bio-diesel this tree has an aviation future.

Jatropha curcas – Part 1: A profitable solution for pool soils

One of the biggest complaints about growing crops for biodiesel or fuel is that they take away from arable land needed to grow crops for food. However, there are numerous places in tropical and desert zones where the soil is for all practical purposes infertile and unsuitable for growing food crops. This is where Jatropha curcas steps into the picture. This tropical tree is tolerant of very poor soils, gravels, sand and salinity, producing large amounts of oil suitable for biodiesel, while serving to reclaim and improve the poor soil in which it was planted. It also offers the attraction of producing cash renewable energy crops in a short time frame, with a long perennial life span and the promise of socio-economic development opportunities in developing countries. The point this part 1 article wishes to make is that investing in tropical trees is not limited to just lumber profits. Part 2 will be a list of some of the numerous and profitable benefits of growing Jatropha curcas in tropical and semi-tropical locations.

Jatropha curcas grows as a small tree reaching heights of 6 meters or 20 feet. While the tree is known to live for up to 100 years, its productive span for oil production is considered to be between 30 to 40 years. As mentioned it is resistant to aridity, but starts to thrive with as little as 250 mm or 10 inches of annual rainfall. The more rain, the larger the oil crop will be. The oil seeds are encased in an outer fruit that makes excellent fertilizer rich in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Fruit production starts within 9 months of planting, but best yields start to occur in the 2nd or 3rd year after planting. The yield is amazing: measured on a per hectare basis (2.47 acres) the plantation owner can anticipate average yields of 5000 kilos (5 metric tons) of oil seeds, rendering on average 1,650 kg (1.65 metric tons) of oil and 3,200 kg (3.2 metric tons) of compostable fertilizer. The tree can be propagated both by seed and by cuttings, and the plantation looks for good branching or ramification, as that increases seed yield.

Depending on rainfall, the seeds will render between 27 to 40% oil that can be easily processed to produce  biodiesel for standard diesel engines. The oil cannot be used for human consumption, because the oil and the fruits are highly poisonous, containing both HCN (Hydrogen cyanide or Prussic acid) and toxalbumin curcin, a compound similar to Ricin. However, this is not a bad thing, because it makes Jatropha curcas trees resistant to all sorts of pests and fungi. The said compounds are also a very valuable precursor for pharmaceutical and polymer production. Jatropha curcas is a social tree and can be planted with other trees and plants, in which case it will act like a natural repellent, protecting its neighbours. Seed extraction is low tech, requiring the use of a nut shelling machine or mill and then the use of an oil press, providing employment to local people. Some combustion engines can be modified to use the oil directly, or the oil can be transesterified into biodiesel, which is also a simple and relatively cheap process.



At Amazonia Reforestation we are planting Jatropha curcas as part of our 2011 cultivation schedule. The idea is to make our entire operation energy independent (tractors, trucks, generators) using renewable energy, while creating economic opportunities for local workers. Doing this also fits in with our CO2 Tropical Trees program, as renewable energies like biodiesel and wood pellets can be considered carbon neutral, especially when processed on site.The carbon released is equal to the carbon absorbed by these amazing tropical trees and their oil seeds.

Why Plant Tropical Trees?

Many people have probably never given much thought to why one would plant tropical trees, or any tree for that matter. A recent blog comment asked “Why plant trees? Is it just for carbon sequestration?” Before answering, it seems like a good idea to point out that this blog is about tropical trees for a reason. Their amazing diversity and therefore their wonderful and numerous uses not only answer the question with an endless list, but once again emphasize why tropical trees are such a profitable green investment. This article is a summary of some of the 25 principle reasons for planting and using tropical trees, with no effort being made to distinguish between plantation and native tree species. No doubt many other uses and reasons exist. Let’s review the 25 most common reasons.

1. Lumber: Tropical trees are an important source of the world’s hardwood supply. Hardwood trees are used in everything from fine furniture to building materials and from pulp and paper to renewable energy and firewood. World demand for tropical hardwood increases year after year. We plant tropical trees because it is better to have our coffee tables made with plantation wood, as opposed to natural rain forest wood.

2. Construction: It may seem strange to separate this from the general description of lumber, but people plant tropical trees for a range of applications, from flooring to cement boards, from plywood to roofing materials. Ironwood species like Congrio (Acosmium nitens) are used for utility and telephone poles, railway ties and heavy construction. Some of these hardwoods can be left untreated in the ground for decades without suffering from insect, fungus or moisture damage.

3. Musical Instruments: Many of our favourite musical instruments would not sound the same if we didn’t have tropical trees planted to provide the exotic woods used in their manufacture. Have you ever given thanks for ebony (Diospyros dendro and ebenum) piano keys or purpleheart (Peltogyne purpurea) guitar frets, or Brazilian Biriba wood (Rollinia mucosa) for berimbau sticks and Jacaranda wood (Jacaranda brasiliana) for atabaque drums?

4. Boat Building: Tropical trees have been essential for boat and ship building since before recorded history. Numerous species are excellent for their durability in water, their flexibility when being bent to shape a hull, or for their properties as canoes or dugouts. Teak is a well know ship and yacht building wood in Asia, but consider that where Amazonia Reforestation plants tropical trees in the Orinoco River basin there are 14 acknowledged boat building species, like Algarrobo (Hymenaea courbaril), Ceiba (Ceiba pentandra) and Sassafras (Ocotea cymbarum).

5. Carbon Sequestration: Tropical trees are the most efficient trees on the planet at removing CO2 from the atmosphere, especially in the first 10 years of their lives. CO2 isn’t just absorbed into their woody biomass, but is also deposited into the soil along their roots and due to deadfall around the tree. The average tropical tree planted by CO2 Tropical Trees sequesters as much as 50 lbs or 22.6 kg of carbon a year, compared to the best boreal tree at 2.2lbs or 1 kg a year.

6. Medicine: Some 7,000 commercial medicines currently in everyday use are based on tropical trees and the flora that depends on them. Science and researchers have barely scratched the surface, with new compounds and new cures originating from the rain forest all the time. Many indigenous people and naturopathic medicines like Ayurveda place great reliance on tropical trees for cures and treatments. Planting beneficial species is a no-brainer. At the Reserva Natural La Pedregoza in the Orinoco River basin they have 73 tropical tree species with known medicial properties.

7. Land Reclamation: A large number of tropical trees have proven themselves ideal for reclaiming old mine sites, for preventing erosion and landslides, or for stopping desertification. The trees rebuild top soil destroyed by mining or that was lost due to extreme erosion. Many tropical trees are good at nitrogen-fixing in the soil. Some of those same trees are able to absorb pollutants other than carbon from the atmosphere and from the soil, such as heavy metals like lead and mercury. Acacia mangium has a proud history of being planted for land reclamation purposes.

8. Soil Improvement: Some tropical trees can be planted to improve soils that are otherwise infertile, thanks to the ability of leguminous tropical trees to fix nitrogen and carbon in the soil. Many areas that have suffered from bad deforestation or mining in the past can be made productive again using careful species selection and permaculture or analog forestry processes. Better soil allows for a wider variety of tree species to be planted in future cultivation cycles. At Amazonia Reforestation Acacia mangium is planted for its recognized nitrogen-fixing capacity.

9. Infertile Soils: It may seem ironic, but many rain forests are perfect recyclers, and therefore do not need to rely on the soil. They get their energy from the air, the sun and their own deadfall. This means that many tropical tree species can be planted in rocks or sand, and with a little help can start a forest in what might otherwise seem like hopeless locations and conditions.

10. Wind Breaks: Fast growing tropical trees can be planted to prevent erosion or crop damage due to wind. Tropical trees set deep roots, so they can be very effective quickly. Eucalyptus pellita and other Eucalypts are often used to establish rapid wind breaks.

11. Fire Breaks: Numerous tropical tree species can act as a natural fire break. Due to the canopy effect there is little under growth that can burn, and because of the nature of hardwood trees areas planted with tropical trees are hard to ignite. Savanna wild fires will often peter out and die when they hit areas planted with tropical trees, while damage due to lighting strikes will be confined to one or two tropical trees hit directly inside a planted area. Two examples are Saladillo Rojo (Caraipa llanorum) or Moriche palms (Mauritia flexuosa).

12. Flood Resistant: People are often not sure what to do with low lying areas prone to flooding. Lots of tropical trees species will happily grow in very moist or flood conditions. Riparian and inundation forest species can survive in flood conditions for months on end. This means low lying areas can be productive for lumber, fruits or wildlife habitat once planted with appropriate tropical tree species. In the Orinoco River basin species like Congrio (Acosmium nitens), Saladillo Rojo (Caraipa llanorum), Saladillo Blanco (Vochysia lehmanii), Sassafras (Ocotea cymbarum) and many others thrive in very wet or flooded soils.

13. Wildlife: Tropical trees expand endangered wildlife habitat, providing food and shelter. This is especially true when native trees are planted, as many fauna species are niche dependent. Tropical trees are an important element in the conservation of biodiversity and the preservation of our natural world. Tropical rain forests are the most bio-diverse land areas on the planet.

14. Fruits and Seeds: Tropical trees bear an astonishing variety of fruits and seeds that feed humans, birds and animals. This variety includes species that do well in wet conditions, dry conditions, and at various elevations, or in conditions where soils are acidic or saline. The trees become an important element in local socio-economic development. A typical example would be Amazona Reforestation, where they plant mango, cashew, tamarind, lemon, merecure, almond and other fruit and nut trees for both human and wildlife use.

15. Water: Planting tropical trees helps hold ground water by preventing runoff and erosion thanks to their root systems. Holding ground water occurs even in places where the soil is porous and where water would otherwise drain away or sink out of sight. Perhaps even more importantly, trees are able to clean contaminated ground and runoff water by removing pollutants, solvents and fuels from the ground water.

16. Transpiration: Transpiration is similar to evaporation, but involves the sweating or release of water by plants. Tropical trees actively seed clouds thanks to the transpiration process. The clouds then reflect sunlight away from the Earth, cooling the planet. Transpiration is responsible for climate cycles relied upon by farmers to grow crops, making civilization possible. This is not just a local effect; for instance, the Amazon rain forest determines weather patterns as far north as Texas. Planting tropical trees for transpiration is another element in the struggle against climate change and for a cooler planet.

17. Cooling: Tropical trees cool our planet by 0.7º C per annum thanks to their canopy effect. The more rain forests we cut down, the hotter the planet becomes. This may be among the most important reasons to plant tropical trees.

18. Sap Products: Tropical tree saps supply raw materials for many valuable products, such as the latex from the rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) for products ranging from tires to condoms. Tropical tree saps are also used to make syrups, tonics, beers, liquors, sugars and medicines. A large number of tropical trees yield glues and pigments, as well as organic poisons used by indigenous peoples for hunting and fishing.

19. Honey: Tropical trees have flowers and extra-floral phylode stems that produce nectar for honey production. Some species, like Acacia mangium, can produce as much as 100 kg of honey per hectare of trees per year. This makes planting tropical trees important for local socio-economic development programs.

20. Air: Tropical trees sequester carbon and release oxygen, so that we can all breath. The more trees we plant, the better the air quality. The Orinoco River and the Amazon River basins are considered the green lungs of our planet because of the oxygen they release into the atmosphere.

21. Shade: Tropical trees provide shade for humans, cattle and others in extremely hot climates, like for example the majestic Guanacaste trees (Enterolobium cyclocarpum) of Costa Rica. This type of shade is also important for numerous crops beneficial to humans. Farmers will deliberately plant leguminous tropical trees for shade and nitrogen fixing in permaculture and analog forestry settings, such as Erythrina spp. trees to shield coffee shrubs for better production rates.

22. Other Products: The wood, bark and fruits of many tropical trees provide soaps and detergents, insect repellents and specialty oils like safrole, almond and eucalyptus oils. Some species, like Yopo (Anadenanthera peregrina) have hallucinogenic properties important to indigenous peoples. Yet others produce tannins and dyes used by industry or used in folkloric and artisan manufacture, while yet others provide fibres for ropes and linens.

23. Oil: Some tropical trees are planted because they have oil fruits suitable for human consumption as cooking oils. Yet others are planted because they have oil fruits that are ideal for the production of bio-diesel and other fuels. Jatropha curcas is reputed to yield 1.6 metric tons of oil for bio-diesel per hectare planted, while African oil palms (Elaeis oleifera) may yield over 3 metric tons per hectare per year, making these tropical trees important renewable energy sources.

24. Renewable Energy: Planting many species of tropical trees makes sense, because they are fast growing and offer an excellent renewable energy source. The woods of numerous tropical trees like Acacia mangium and Eucalyptus pellita have high calorific values that boost heat and power production, or that can be used in low-tech applications like charcoal. Tropical trees are also a very important source of bio-diesels for renewable energy purposes.

25. Development: Tropical trees are an essential element in socio-economic development programs using permaculture or analog forestry practices to assist developing countries to become emerging green economies. It should be stressed that planting tropical trees yields multiple results with just one species. While some tropical trees do indeed seem to grow “slowly”, virtually all tropical trees outperform the growth rates of boreal and temperate zone trees. For instance, the plantation woods planted by Amazonia Reforestation go from seedling to mature harvestable tree in just 10 year’s time, while an equivalent boreal tree would take from between 80 to 120 years to produce similar results as a softwood tree. This amazing diversity means that developing countries can benefit more from planting and maintaining their tropical rain forests and tropical tree plantations, than they ever could from deforestation for subsistence agricultural purposes.

Arbolito the Saladillo children's book

My children's book Arbolito the Saladillo has been published and is now available for purchase on-line in bundles of 10 books each just in time for Christmas gift shopping. Please visit my Arbolito the Saladillo book purchase page. The book is 24 pages long and in full color. It tells the story of Arbolito, a little Saladillo tree growing up on the edge of the inundation forest (riparian forest) in our Reserva Natural La Pedregoza in Vichada, Colombia. Arbolito has a steady stream of exotic animal visitors in both the dry season and the wet season. Very few books tell a story from the point of view of a tree, so children will definitely enjoy this. The book includes a detailed glossary and cast of characters with their scientific names and interesting facts, making Arbolito the Saladillo an educational book as well as a great bed time read.

The foreword was written by Canada and North America's most famous wildlife artist, Robert Bateman. I would like to  express my deep gratitude for Mr. Bateman's well-known support for all things to do with nature, especially the conservation and preservation of endangered wildlife. Needless to say that conservation and preservation of biodiversity depends in large part on maintaining and expanding our forests with afforestation and reforestation programs involving native trees, such as that of Amazonia Reforestation. This is also a great opportunity to mention the support and encouragement I received from our partner organizations and institutional friends, like the renowned Omacha Foundation in Colombia, the Swiss and Belgian NGO Weforest, and the wonderful scientists and researchers at the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada.

I have saved the best for last. Every purchase of a bundle of 10 Arbolito the Saladillo books allows us to plant up to 100 tropical trees in the Reserva Natural La Pedregoza and at other locations and other natural reserves in the region. The book was published to be both educational and a fund raiser for our natural reserve. So even if you think you don't know that many kids, please buy a bundle of books and donate any extras to your local children's Christmas Gift charity or to a local orphanage. School libraries are also most appreciative of donated children's books. Remember, every purchase puts trees in the ground, so if you believe in the benefits of afforestation and reforestation, then help us to root out the problem of deforestation! And start thinking about coming to visit Arbolito the Saladillo one day...