Project Report
| Jun 14, 2016
Canisius' Corner - Opening new areas for trees
By Kathleen Weintraub | Partnerships and Programs Coordinator
![Canisus' Corner]()
Canisus' Corner
The SINAL reforesation project continues to expand out into new areas that need reforesting. At the end of May, students from Canisius College in Buffalo New York came to SINAL for a week long learning journey on sustainability in the Mata Atlantica. On day 4 of their journey, they spent the afternoon planting trees in a new area that the SINAL team had recently cleared for planting. For many of the students, it was the first tree they had ever planted, so everyone was very excited. One professor said that she felt it was one of the best and most meaningful experiences of her life because she felt she was truly contributing to something important in the world. Everyone had the opportunity to plant and dig holes. The physical experience of planting is very much a team-building activity, as well as a chance to reconnect students with nature. We made a sign that said "Canto do Canisius" - which means Canisius' Corner in Portuguese. All the students and teachers took photos in front of it and could not wait to come back next year to see how they had grown.
![Share on Twitter]()
![Share on Facebook]()
Mar 18, 2016
Memorial Tree Planting
By Katie Weintraub | Katie Weintraub
![Dalberto's family]()
Dalberto's family
SINAL continues to restore and protect the Atlantic Forest through both our Assisted Natural Regeneration experiment and our group planting days. As we wrote about in our last report, we are experimenting with an innovative, low-cost method for forest restoration. Our experiment continues as we monitor the growth of all our trees and begin to see what works best for reforestation. With the generous support of our donors, we are able to continue to care for our greenhouse and each week we collect and plant native Atlantic Forest trees. Also, by working with local herbal experts, we are augmenting our medicinal plant demonstrative garden. Part of our mission at SINAL is to conserve the local knowledge of medicinal plants that is being lost on the younger generations.
We continue to do group planting days where we plant trees in honor of an event or person. After the sudden death of an environmental leader, Dalberto Adulis, SINAL hosted a memorial tree planting service for him with his family and friends. It was a beautiful day of remembering his life and positive impact he had on so many people. The day was especially meaningful for his children, who were incredibly touched by the experience and could not believe that they helped plant 100 trees. We hope to continue reforestating our land through memorial tree plantings such as this, as a way to honor the lives of the deceased through restoration of a threatened ecosystem.
![Share on Twitter]()
![Share on Facebook]()
Dec 23, 2015
First Field Day for Assisted Natural Regeneration
By Katie Weintraub | Katie Weintraub
![Field day]()
Field day
In the month of December, we had our first exciting day in the field with our new and experimental reforestation project. In collaboration with Eco Atlantica, we are pioneering a new process called assisted natural regeneration. Instead of having to use thousands of dollars for expensive conservation practices that often fail, we are experimenting with a much more practical, scalable and natural approach.
On December 15, the Eco Atlantica team took a field visit to SINAL for the first day of planting trees. The whole SINAL team participated… volunteers, staff, and local workers. One excellent benefit of assisted natural regeneration is that it does not require a complex methodology like many traditional reforestation practices, meaning it can provide ample job opportunities for local workers. One local youth from the town of Santo Antonio will be learning how to track and monitor the reforestation process.
The day of the visit, hiking up and down the rugged hills of the SINAL property, the Eco Atlantica team showed which were the important species for reforestation that should be nurtured and protected, as well as which were key trees for planting. The theory of natural regeneration is to watch, observe and listen to nature — seeing how nature recovers and springs back and then creating a process that replicates this. We are excited that this project will the beginning of a long time recuperation of our land.
![Hiking up the hills]()
Hiking up the hills
![Share on Twitter]()
![Share on Facebook]()
