aslf

The Andean republic of Ecuador gets relatively little media coverage in the US.  However, it is a wonderful tourist destination with everything from the Galapagos in the west to the upper Amazon River Basin in the east and south.  It is a geographically small nation, but with varied habitats it is home to over 1600 confirmed bird species.  On the side of riches, it has large untapped oil reserves and various other minerals including gold, silver, and copper.  Unfortunately, these mineral reserves are on lands long home to various indigenous groups.  Long battles are being waged by various groups either pro or con mining interests.

One area of Ecuador that has received little coverage is part of the province of Imbabura called Intag.  In Intag there has been a long campaign against a proposed copper mine.  This has gone through various stages for decades with international companies proposing mining projects.  The area although still very species rich and of potential attraction to tourists, has been mostly settled by small farmers who have clear cut much of the landscape.  The area is in need of reforestation, but there is also a need for economic wealth generation.  In one part of Intag, the Parish of Cuellaje, the government has proposed planting some 500,000 trees and they are working with ASLF and with Aves y Conservación (Bird Life Ecuador).  This project will pilot habitat restoration, agroforestry, flood prevention, and silviculture of fast-growing trees for timber production.

The work being promoted and carried out in Ecuador by ASLF now consists of four main areas all with a focus on getting trees into the ground in Cuellaje.  These project areas are as follows:

1. Restoration of habitat in a delineated area of land purchased by Aves.  There are numerous endangered and threatened species in the area and this planting would establish additional habitat for them including the black-breasted puffleg (Eriocnemis nigrivestis) -– a very rare hummingbird only known from one other place in Ecuador, the black and chestnut eagle (Spizaetus isidori) – only about 100 pairs known in Ecuador, and the Spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus).
2. A major education effort is needed in Cuellaje to convince the local farmers of the need for replanting trees, what kinds of trees, and the need to keep the trees for at least a decade.  This will need to be very intensive.  Materials will have to be written, printed, distributed, etc.
3. Planting the trees.  Although much of the work will be done by the farmers who are receiving the saplings, there will need to be oversight, assistance, and follow-through.  ASLF will coordinate this effort including recruiting volunteers from the US who would like a working vacation in a subtropical forest.
4. The project envisions planting at least thirty species of trees and shrubs.  These have been selected from a research project that determined the nectar bearing flowers used by dozens of species of hummingbirds that are found in the area.  The City of Otavalo is working with Aves to construct a greenhouse and nursery where these plants will be grown.  This will require a lot of people-power and ASLF will help procure it.
5. As you can see from the above list of tasks and projects, this is an ambitious agenda.  The first hurdle was to get partners.  That has been accomplished.  Now we are in the process of securing funding.  There are many foundations interested and we hope that raising the funds will not be too onerous or time consuming.  The best time for planting in that part of Ecuador is January and February and so that is our goal for getting the first trees in the ground.  Anyone interested in becoming involved in this project should contact us.

In New York we have been focusing primarily on planning and building urban food forests in Syracuse, and we are calling this project the Syracuse Community Food Forest (SCFF). Several new food forests are being planned in publicly-accessible spaces, two of which are owned by ASLF and are located in the Skunk City neighborhood. The City of Syracuse also provided ASLF with almost $500 worth of native fruit and nut bearing trees and shrubs to plant on City-owned property, as part of our SCFF. We will likely be planting these in various City parks. ASLF would like to give a big thanks to the City for supporting urban agroforestry and for providing tree stock!

Regionally, we are also working informally with community members in Wayne County, NY on brainstorming a plan to promote agroforestry to farmers and landowners for the purposes of water resource protection and rural economic revitalization. There are multiple grant opportunities aimed at farmers and as agroforestry gains more public attention, we feel the practice has growing potential for helping farmers to diversify income. The work we are doing in Wayne County is built off relationships developed during a previous NYS Sea Grant we completed last year, when we worked with community members in the Wolcott Creek watershed to identify and prioritize water resource protection projects.

Another exciting development has been our Ecuador program. We are working with the Parish of Cuellaje in Imbabura province to develop a plan for regenerative forestry, restoration, and agroforestry. ASLF Board member Samuel H. Sage resides part-time in Ecuador and is providing assistance with logistics and planning for this project. After we obtain funding the goal is to plant thousands of trees for both sustainable timber harvest as well as agroforestry and habitat restoration.  

Our agroforestry program is growing and we have new developments monthly. Please check our social media and website for updates!