Making Money with Rubber Trees

The world consumes in excess of 18 million tons of rubber annually. Rubber is either natural or synthetic. Natural rubber provides nearly half of the world rubber market. Natural rubber is produced from rubber trees, grown in tropical areas by over 30 million small landowners and farmers, making it an important source of employment and socio-economic development. In contrast, synthetic rubbers all have one problem in common: they depend on the price of crude oil and are a petro-chemical industry product. The Pará rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) is originally native to the Amazon basin, but grows well in a variety of tropical climates. Amazonia Reforestation is planting rubber in the Orinoco basin of Vichada, Colombia. Rubber tree latex production starts within 5 to 6 years of planting.

As the standard of living improves around the globe, the price of rubber has been rising. There is increasing demand for rubber products, with 70% of natural rubber being used in automotive and motorcycle tires. Items like medical gloves, tubing and hoses, condoms and mats are other typical examples of other everyday rubber products. Just like wood, rubber plantations face the same pressures from urbanization, high land costs and short term demand for other commodities that are sometimes planted instead of rubber. Reflecting the world’s increased demand for latex, it is interesting to note that China has reduced its import tariffs on natural rubber, confirming China’s intention of becoming more aggressive in the global automotive industry.

Natural rubber is unique in that it is produced as an agricultural product but consumed as an industrial raw material. This has prompted some producing countries, like Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, to set up a rubber cartel, much like OPEC for crude oil, to try and control natural rubber sales and withhold stocks in order to maintain price levels. Vietnam, which has doubled its production in the last 10 years, may join. This opens up considerable opportunity for plantations outside of those countries to benefit from relatively high prices and growing demand. Amazonia Reforestation also benefits from parawood or rubberwood having a verified international market for the manufacture of furniture. It is a hardwood with a dense grain, attractive color that accepts a variety of finishes, and is subject to only minimal shrinkage. Rubber wood is considered "environmentally friendly", because latex production causes the tree to sequester a lot of carbon, while productive use of the tree’s wood can be made at the end of its latex-producing years.

Permaculture Design in Tropical Forestry

The socio-economic benefits of tropical tree plantations can be greatly enhanced by including a permaculture design in the process. Permaculture means permanent agriculture, a system in which food is raised for human and animal consumption in a bio-diverse framework. Since tropical afforestation and reforestation usually includes soil reclamation, it can lend itself to an integrated permaculture design. The idea is to include vegetable, root and herb plants with farm animals for manure, all placed in strategic locations with fruit trees and shade trees, possibly using recycled water, and with each element within the design performing several functions. At the end of the day, the goal is to use the least amount of space for the largest amount of food production with the lowest possible labour requirements. Low maintenance, but high productivity, is the buzzword!

There are 3 significant philosophical objectives that underpin permaculture design. The first is environmental  and ecological. Look after the Earth by implementing biodiversity in the design, while restoring or reclaiming damaged land, so that the impact is one of conservation coupled with an ethical use of resources. The second is to create a design that can look after a large number of people within the system. This is what we mean by socio-economic benefits, as people can meet their basic needs and generate some income, all within a sustainable development framework. The final and third objective is to perfect one’s environmental and people permaculture design, so that one can start to reach out and help others to achieve their goals with the least impact and in a sustainable manner.

It should come as no surprise that permaculture design tries to copy natural eco-systems. Natural eco-systems are usually bio-diverse, recycle, and do not depend on man-made chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics and hormones for success. Good permaculture may include micro-climates within the overall design, such as using the heat reflected off a wall for areas that need warmth, or using shade trees for areas that perform best with less sunlight. Trees can act as windbreaks or firebreaks. Composting reduces the need for external additions to one’s food production. The bottom line is that no two permaculture designs are alike, as each is based on local conditions, preferences and human requirements. Amazonia Reforestation is happy to be associated with Weforest for the purpose of developing good permaculture designs within their afforestation and reforestation areas.

Fertilizing Tropical Soil

A multi-disciplinary group of Corpoverde (“Green Orinoco”) experts have developed a special forestry fertilizer for use in plantations in the eastern plains or llanos orientales of Colombia. This special forestry fertilizer mix meets the needs of tropical trees planted in infertile ground and in high rainfall conditions. These conditions definitely apply to many of the areas in which Amazonia Reforestation and CO2 Tropical Trees do their planting. Tropical trees are the ultimate recyclers, but to achieve rapid growth and best results it is important to provide the right mix of minerals and elements during the early stages of the planted trees’ growth. Proper fertilization in the early stages of an afforestation and reforestation project can have an important impact on soil quality later on.

Tropical soils are often infertile because of the heavy rainfall that occurs for 8 months of the year, leaching most nutrients out of the soil. That is why subsistence farmers have such poor results after indiscriminately cutting down rain forest. One subsistence crop later the soil is depleted and they are cutting down another area of rain forest in hopes of better conditions. This is, of course, the definition of insanity, doing the same thing over and over again anticipating a different result every time. Unfortunately, subsistence use of organic fertilizers like biochar by campesinos is often misunderstood, making conditions worse, because they fail to deactivate the biochar before use. Biochar may also be the cause of further deforestation, as subsistence farmers cut down trees to produce the charcoal component of their homemade fertilizer when they plant those subsistence crops.

An ideal tropical tree fertilizer mix consists of the following: 5% nitrogen (N), 17% phosphorus (P2O5), 2.5% potassium (K2O), 16% calcium (CaO), 12% magnesium (MgO), 22% silicon (SiO2), 0.5% zinc, 0.7% boron (B), 2% Sulphur (S), 0.005% cobalt Co) and 0.01% molybdenum (Mo). When applying this special forestry mix to tropical soils, the following quantities should be used on a minimum to maximum basis per hectare (per 2.47 acres): 50 - 250 kg of nitrogen (N), 25 - 100 kg of phosphorus (P), 40 – 160 kg of potassium (K), 140 – 200 kg of calcium (Ca), 10 – 15 kg of magnesium (Mg), 20 – 30 kg of sulphur (S), 5 to 10 kg of zinc (Z), 1 to 4 kg of boron (B), 2 – 3 kg of iron (Fe), 2 to 3 kg of manganese (Mn), 2 to 3 kg of copper (Cu) and 0.1 to 0.3 kg of molybdenum (Mo). The above translates into approximately 140 grams of fertilizer applied at a depth of 5 to 8 cm around each young tree, just before or just after the rainy season. Amazonia Reforestation uses this mix in the areas that are most devastated and in need of reclamation.

Trends Supporting Tropical Tree Investments

Wood is a renewable biological resource that has appealed to humanity since time immemorial. Its value is based on its many positive characteristics, including hardness and durability, insulating properties, weight, ease of use, ease of harvest, appearance and calorific value. Needless to say these qualities have been one of the main reasons why wood has been integral for construction, furniture, fuel and packaging, to name just a few uses. Going beyond lumber, the inherent properties of wood allow for the manufacture of numerous value-added products, such as dyes, resins, rubbers, syrups, paper, cellulose, fibreboard, plywood, concrete additives, food, animal fodder, medicines and oils. Best of all, many tropical trees are fast growing, meaning that there replacement cycles are short, on average no more than 10 to 15 years, depending on the species.

Besides cash values, there are environmental values to consider. For example, the Consortium for Research on Renewable Industrial Materials (“CORRIM”) has found in studies that construction using wood has a significantly smaller negative environmental impact than does construction using concrete or steel. A building using steel has a 36% greater chance of contributing to global warming through CO2 emissions than does a building made of wood. Preparing concrete requires 312% more water than does preparing lumber for use in construction. To produce 1 ton of steel requires 24 times more energy than does producing 1 ton of solid wood. To produce 1 ton of cement requires 5 times more energy than does producing 1 ton of solid wood. Using wood products provides a unique opportunity to store carbon from sustainable tree plantations like Amazonia Reforestation. The carbon stored in wood products offsets the emissions from the processing of the wood and also from the emissions of other products used in construction. Using wood is a real substitute for fossil-intensive non-wood materials, because it can offset their emissions.

In 2009 the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (“FAO”) suggested that the number of trees being planted worldwide needed to increase by 33% every year for the next 20 years if there was to be any hope of meeting the global demand for wood. It is a sad fact that at present over 65% of wood production for all uses is coming from natural forests, an amount equivalent to 1.2 billion cubic meters. Since access to natural forests is becoming more and more difficult due to increased protection of natural areas and tougher environmental regulation, the opportunities for private woodlot and forestry investments have never been better. It is another sad fact that at present all the tree planting in the world accounts for less than 30% of what is being harvested on an annual basis. Add to this the fact that humans continue to procreate at an alarming rate, and it is small wonder that demand for wood will continue to grow exponentially for decades to come. Buying trees with Amazonia Reforestation offers you an opportunity to participate in this very “green” and financially rewarding investment.

I am very pleased to announce the launch of the web site for our Reserva Natural La Pedregoza in Vichada, Colombia. The founders are Dexter Dombro, Dr. Kochurani Dombro and Dilmun Dombro. At present this natural reserve consists of two old growth forests, both of which are inundation forests (riparian forest), being naturally flooded for almost 5 months a year. The natural reserve also features considerable river bank along the Rio el Bita, as well as two beautiful morichals (heavily treed drainage ways across the savannah). This is the first part of the reserve, with plans to add further areas in the near future, once proper surveys and legal title issues allow La Pedregoza to expand. We regard La Pedregoza as the anchor to our afforestation and reforestation efforts around the natural reserve.

La Pedregoza Natural Reserve is dedicated to the conservation of native tree species and the preservation of endangered wildlife using those native trees for expanded habitat. To that end there are plans to establish native tree seed collection programs and a native tree nursery. On the wildlife side we have exciting plans to build a river turtle hatchery. Using boats we will collect turtle eggs up and down the river before poachers can get to them and then bring them to the natural reserve where they will be hatched and then released into a magnificent, protected river inlet within the park boundaries. Besides jungle trails ending at dry season beaches, we are also going to erect platforms for nature observers and artists wishing to sketch or paint the inundation forest during the wet season.

The other significant element we have planned is an Interpretive Center providing locals and visitors alike with knowledge regarding the importance of the gallery and riparian forest, the rain forest, the savannah and the wildlife that depends on them. Reserva Natural La Pedregoza is meant to protect a unique eco-system while providing endangered wildlife with a refuge while moving along the Rio el Bita and on to the El Tuparro National Park. Completing the picture are our partnerships with the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences, who will no doubt make use of this natural reserve when conducting their research and studies, and with the world renowned Omacha Foundation, who are our partners in the turtle hatchery program and for doing a biological inventory of the natural reserve. Please visit http://www.pedregoza.org/.

Tree Ranching instead of Tree Farming...

One of the practical problems associated with tropical tree plantations is tree maintenance and value enhancement. Though not official terms, I like to call the act of planting trees and letting them grow tree farming. However, to really maximize one's opportunities with tropical trees requires a more hands on, diligent approach, something I call tree ranching. This secondary approach is much like a rancher looking after the calves in a herd, it requires that a lot of tender loving care is directed towards each tree in the plantation. In contrast, tree farmers take a "let it be", let nature take it's coarse approach. The difference between the two can cause a sigificant impact on the bottom line over a 10 year period.

Tree ranching includes the following actions for maximizing returns on investment: (1) using tractors and deep ploughs to loosen the soil before planting, as tropical trees set deep roots, (2) liming the soil to balance pH and to soften it for planting, (3) applying boron for healthy tree growth, and (4) fertilizing as required. In the nursery, tree ranching starts with (5) the use of certified, climate adapted seeds, not just any seeds one happens to get at liquidation world, and (6) the use of misting sprays as opposed to large drops or heavy sprays that may damage seedlings. (7) Seeds are sprouted before being transplanted into planting bags, allowing for early deletion of poor quality seedlings, meaning that once planted there is a very high rate of survival and a healthy plantation.

As the trees grow, (8) some species require pruning in their first year of growth. Acacia mangium, much like teak, needs to have all secondary branches pruned within 10 to 12 months of planting, so that only the principal stem is left. This allows the tree to grow with a nice trunk that isn't full of knots, greatly improving the value of the wood at harvest. Some species, like Eucalyptus pellita, do not require pruning as they grow naturally with a tall, knotless trunk. (9) A foreman inspects every tree in the plantation at least once a month, and if (10) a tree is leaning or crooked ropes or cords can be applied to try and straighten it. Inspection also allows other problems to be identified early, (11) including pests or disease, or trees that (12) have fallen or are affecting the growth of others. All of these points are just a small sampling of what it means to be a tree rancher for better profits and more valuable wood. Please visit Amazonia Reforestation at http://www.myreforestation.com to find out how you can help with our tree ranching efforts.

Why plant native tree species?

Several people have asked me what value there is in growing native tree species instead of common plantation species. At first blush common plantation species lend themselves to a quick turn around and a fast buck. The question obviously ignores the environmental impact of not conserving native tropical tree species, the loss of which would be disastrous to our common genetic heritage on this planet. There seems to be no shortage of people who are happy in the shallow end of the gene pool. Those of us engaged in tropical tree afforestation and reforestation efforts initially grow common plantation species like Acacia mangium because they fix nitrogen in infertile and depleted soils, but we always have an eye on the native tree species that have evolved to make the most of their environment. Many native trees offer not only exquisite wood with excellent commercial potential, but also a myriad of other wonderful by-products that are of great benefit to humans and animals alike.

Since most wildlife is niche dependent, native tree species are part of the habitat that sustains that niche. The fruits, nuts and seeds of numerous native tree species sustain endangered and other wildlife and insects. There loss is not just a disaster for the trees, but also for the animals that depend on them. However, by commercializing various native tree species, we are able to expand habitat for endangered wildlife, as well as reap an almost endless list of other benefits and by-products, not to mention their valuable cyclical harvest and the replanting of those trees for wood and fuel. It is this use of native tree species that often supports the concept of community forest. So what are some of the other benefits besides wood, fuel and charcoal?

This is not an exhaustive list, but many of the tropical native tree species that Amazonia Reforestation works with provide directly or indirectly a large variety of natural medicines, cures and treatments, for both humans and domesticated animals. The trees or their saps can be used to make effective natural insecticides and pesticides, tannins for curing leather, soaps that are environmentally friendly, tonics and fermented drinks, sugars and syrups, chewing gums and candies. They can provide renewable roofing products, ropes and woven materials for textiles, baskets, mats and other uses. Many native tree species provide an amazing array of dyes and colors used in cosmetics, paints, foods and folkloric art. Their fruits, nuts and seeds feed people and animals, but also find use in jewelry, musical instruments, kitchenware, decorations and more. Some produce gums and resins for glues, tars, boat building, sealants and other everyday uses. Their leaves and twigs often provide fodder for domestic animals, or they can act as living fence posts, wind breaks and erosion controllers.

Perhaps one of the most popular uses is shade, not just in villages and around homes, but to protect crops that would otherwise suffer from too much direct sunlight. The concept of agro-forestry is all about growing food crops between native trees adapted to local environments. Needless to say there is also the benefit of carbon sequestration, something virtually every tropical tree is very good at doing. Think about that the next time you rev up your SUV! Programs like CO2 Tropical Trees, designed to help consumers make their car carbon neutral by planting tropical trees, don't care what tropical trees they plant as long as they sequester carbon effectively and quickly. I could keep on going, but I think you get the idea.