Large Reforestation Projects and Natural Reforestation
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What can we do to help the environment and fight global warming:
Plant trees and then plant some more trees -Mother Nature, 2009
Maderas Sostenibles strives to be a multi- dimensional wood company. We harvest fallen hurricane wood, process and export tropical hardwoods and hardwood products. But, our passion is planting trees. We are committed to reforestation by both managed plantation and the restoration of the natural forest. Reforestation is the best response to both the environmental damage of deforestation and the regional culture of poverty.
Large Scale Projects
Land Acquisition
MSSA will locate and evaluate land suitable for planting. We maintain contacts with potential sellers and are always accumulating data on potentially suitable properties in the region. Our evaluation includes existing vegetation, prep expense, slope, soil content, plantable area, land title, and price. We will compare, study and report available and suitable parcels with recommendations. When authorized by the client, we negotiate purchase and handle closings. Today, suitable planting land currently sells in the range of 1200 to 2000 dollars per hectare. Additional costs will include survey, testing, registration, commissions, and closing. Obviously, if the client owns suitable land this phase is shortened and our role is primarily to evaluate the soil, topography, and rainfall; and to select appropriate species.
Planting
Years 1-3. MSSA will repair infrastructure (roads, fences, wells), clear land, prepare a planting plan, build and manage nurseries, purchase and germinate seeds, and plant saplings. Replanting is required in Years 2 & 3 to account for mortality and cull loss, which typically occurs in the first years. The plantation will be cleaned several times each year to remove competing vegetation. By Year 4 we will establish approximately 1000 viable trees per hectare. The three-year planting period includes initial annual pruning, tree surveys, plantation registration and the maintenance of all plants. By Year 4 the plantation is established.
Management
Years 4-10. MSSA will contract to maintain the plantation once established. Our comprehensive maintenance contract for Years 4-10 includes all pruning, firebreaks, security, cleaning, pest control, mulching, and thinning to ensure that the trees mature properly. MSSA will employ all persons necessary to properly maintain the plantation and will handle all administrative obligations, including regulatory compliance and plantation certification.
Sustainable Years
Sometime after Year 10 the thinning begin to produce revenue that eventually becomes sufficient to sustain the plantation cost. By Year 12-14 the revenue begins to produce a return that increases until harvest. During these years MSSA is available to manage the plantation on a revenue sharing basis. At maturity we are prepared to sell, harvest, process, and export the hardwood. With a fraction of those proceeds we will be ready to plant new saplings and begin the next cycle of sustainable forestry.
Natural Reforestation.
Each of our plantation projects includes areas of indigenous natural forest. We believe that both hardwood plantations and indigenous natural reforestation have important roles in repairing the effects of centuries of unregulated deforestation. Nicaragua is particularly suitable for large boundary indigenous natural reforestation projects. The devastation caused by Hurricane Felix in 2007 has created an opportunity for massive reforestation projects in the RAAN. The carbon credit market provides great economic incentive for large boundary natural reforestation projects. These projects involve significant front-end capital. MSSA is actively gathering data on this subject and we are available to discuss participation with any serious prospective partner.