Reforesting the Atlantic Rainforest of Brazil

This week we expanded our agroforestry project with a new species, moringa! Moringa is a plant that comes from Asia and Africa and has been discovered as a superfood for its amazing benefits like vitamin B and C, iron, Magensiam, and Zinc. Its seeds can actually filter water to make it potable. Moringa Oleifera grows in virtually all countries where malnutrition is widespread and may be a great part of a comprehensive plan to alleviate malnutrition throughout the world. Moringa is a tree that grows extraordinarily fast in environments where most other plants can’t survive — dry, semi arid places like Darfur and southern Ethiopia, in addition to tropical climates like Brazil. 

Here at SINAL, we are experimenting with different ways in which to regenerate the Mata Atlantica, including productive systems such as agroforestry. We want to find ways the reforesting the ecosystem can also bring economic benefit to local landowners, otherwise we believe we will never be able to recuperate the forest. We had American students from Canisius College - who were participating in a learning journey here at SINAL - that were able to particpate in our reforestation and they were extremely touched by the planting. Many said it was their favorite moment of their time at SINAL, knowing they were participating in the restoration of this endangered ecosystem.

The college come every year - so the idea is that each year they can plant more trees time they come and eventually reforest the whole hill. 

SINAL has earned itself a new guava orchard! Last month, Sydney and Jorge - two local Brazilian workers who both have quite the green thumbs - planted 150 guava trees. Half are white guavas and half are red guavas. Guavas are a very typical fruit from Brazil and are used in many local dishes. As SINAL promotes healthy, sustainable and local foods, we are working to produce as many native, local fruit trees as we can and then designing recipes to fit them. 

Agroforestry is a great tool we use here at SINAL for reforesting while also producing an edible crop. We hope to use agroforestry as a technique with other local farmers in order to promote reforestation. Guava is a great fruit for agroforestry, as welll as cacau, which we often plant. 

In addition, our natural regeneration project is continuing with great sucess. In fact, a spring that had been dried up for years has returned on its own - a great sign of the water shed health of the region.