Plant 30,000 native trees Costa Rican owned farms

Growing new rainforest trees with communities goes far beyond paying  the collaborating workers to plant and care for them on their own farms.  We have learned that real widespread community commitment and dedication is the only way to grow new forests that are protected long term.  If people connect with the trees we plant, they will value and protect them more. One way to establish connections with the community at large, especially children, is to host regular educational participatory events like Tree Day! 

People of all ages and nationalities come to our tree nurseries and put their hands in the dirt caring for each and every baby tree. Collecting the seeds from mature trees of more than 100 species is a way to help people value the existing rainforest.  Marveling at their beauty while preparing the seeds for germination is part of the fun. Everyone fills bags with fertile soil produced by our women's group and transplants the seedlings one by one. Watering and weeding in the nursery are constant needs.  Every tree needs a lot of care in the nursery over a 2 year period before being transported to a local participating farm for paid planting and long term active maintenance. The stronger and healthier the trees are in the nursery, the better our survival rates and carbon sequestration long term. 

Getting the extended community together for outdoor, hands-on educational experiences is always fun and rewarding. Seeing a child's eyes light up when they find a worm or eat a flower, or shovel in the dirt inspires us to keep creating these opportunities for people to connect with Nature and their own childlife wonder. Awe is a powerful motivator and the more we can connect people to Nature, the more people understand how resilient Nature can be. We can all be part of the solution to give Nature more tools to fight climate change while building resilient communities. Including the young ones in the process just sends more aware people into the world who love rainforest trees, understand what they do for us and   are ready to participate in real and meaningful ways.