10-acre property visited by CATIE students learning about watershed protection efforts by Nectandra Institute’s partner communities

One of the properties visited by the CATIE students is this 10-acre former dairy cattle grazing site. Purchased in 2008 by the water management board of the community of La Palmita, the goal is to restore forest cover in order to protect a freshwater spring just downstream from the property. Photo taken on July 8, 2009.

Just over a year later, La Palmita’s property is beginning to show the first signs of recovery, as some wild plants begin to establish themselves. These “pioneer” plants together with native species trees planted by community residents will help enrich the soil, attract seed dispersing birds and other animals, and otherwise help establish better conditions for continued restoration. Photo taken on October 29, 2010.

250-acre property visited by CATIE students learning about watershed protection efforts by Nectandra Institute’s partner communities

CATIE students also visited a 250-acre property purchased in 2009 by a local conservation group called AFAMAAR, which was founded by residents of several of the upper Balsa River Watershed communities. AFAMAAR is working to restore the site, which is about 40% deforested.

Prior to AFAMAAR purchasing the property, the forest that once covered it completely had been progressively removed in order to make room for dairy cattle and crops such as potato. Photo taken on July 15, 2009.

About a year after being acquired by AFAMAAR, the property is once again showing signs of life. Photo taken on October 28, 2010.