The Costa Rica News (TCRN) – In Perez Zeledon, hundreds of citizens have planted 110,000 native trees as part of a project to protect watersheds and promote reforestation of rainforests.
The project is called Sowing Water (“Sembrando Agua” in Spanish) and has been operating for one year through the foundation of the same name.
The whole idea comes from a local entrepreneur: Fernando Leon, who joined other community leaders to implement the project.
According to Leon, the project´s objective is to reverse the effects of deforestation and pollution, problems that have significantly reduced water sources in the southern area of Costa Rica.
The Foundation expects to plant one million trees by 2030, and residents of this town are convinced that reforestation this is the only way to ensure future water.
The Independent Producers and Various Matters Trade Union (UPIAV in Spanish) works with the foundation to enlist residents who are interested in planting donated trees.
Jaime Rojas, president of the foundation and UPIAV member, explained that most of the trees come from organizations such as the Diquis Hydroelectric Project and the Isaias Retana Arias Environmental High School.
The other aim of the foundation is to foster environmental education, which is developed in communities and schools in town. They also offer information and talks.
The Isaias Retana High School students are responsible for providing a number of trees each year as part of the environmental philosophy of the school.
The last distribution of trees this year will take place on August 10th , when 8,000 trees will be donated to residents and organizations in charge of planting them in rain forests.
The Costa Rica News (TCRN)
San Jose Costa Rica
