La Reserva Forest Foundation   
by Roberta Ward Smiley (16th March 2009)


This year at the La Reserva Forest Foundation’s headquarters and private reserve we have been observing some important changes in the natural cycles.

As I watch I am reminded of the urgency with which we began this indigenous tropical forest regeneration project. The indigenous plants (orchids, trees, shrubs etc.) are extremely late in their behavior compared with past years, yet the introduced species (citrus trees and ornamentals) are extremely early in their fruiting and flowering or are dying off. Normally the grapefruits are falling off the tree in January but this year they have already fallen in August and our beautiful orange tree is almost dead.

The climate change is upon us and we are feeling it all around the world, much faster than the scientists calculated.
We now have our neighbors commitments to participate with 7 hectares of their lands to plant (1000 native seedlings/hectare) and regenerate native forest along our shared creek, allowing the La Reserva forest to connect with the nearest large primary forest to the west and expand the LRFF forest, as well.

Soon this will be accomplished through a grant opportunity or from the “THE PEOPLE” who see the urgent importance of this work as we do and pay us with their generous donations to do it for them. It will all cost only US $21,500.

But in the meantime, everyone, Let’s Get Planting!

Written by Roberta Ward Smiley of La Reserva Forest Foundation.

For more information and to donate to a fantastic Foundation, please visit www.lrff.org