Reforestation

"The Forest is our greatest teacher… If you lose the universities, you lose nothing. If you lose the forest, you lose everything." Bill Mollison

Governments have begun to recognize the economic importance of a vibrant, healthy boreal forest. A recent study found that the ecological benefits of Canada's boreal forest — including clean water, carbon sequestration and pest control by migratory birds — are worth more than $80 billion annually, two and a half times the extractive value of its resources. Scott Weidensaul

An estimated 600,000 hectares of old growth forest is cut each year in Mexico. Only a small fraction of the damaged land is reforested. The destruction of the watershed in the Sierra Madre has had serious impact on biodiversity and on the quality of life for poor mountain communities.

The deforestation of the Sierra Madre is so severe that it is visible from space. In 1998 and again in 2005, catastrophic floods from hurricanes caused deforested slopes to erode dramatically. The environmental damage left lives destroyed. See our "Helping Survivors" section for more. The floods are the Earth’s own campaign for the need to reforest.

Sexto Sol's Reforestation Efforts

Sexto Sol has been providing native trees to the community for reforestation since 1997. Local children come to Escuela Tierra Linda to help with the work in the nursery. In fact Tierra Linda is a favorite stop for children hungry for the opportunity to learn about the natural world. Little people are some of the most careful reforesters since they naturally treat seeds and seedlings with care.

For 6 years Sexto Sol managed a reforestation project in the nature reserve called the Parque Ecológico next to Escuela Tierra Linda. Volunteers from the local and global communities did erosion control, built trails and planted pines. Local children watered the trees in the dry season. With the cows kept out, the plants recolonized at an impressive pace. The populations of birds and other animals grew dramatically and a gray fox found refuge in the Parque.

We encourage anyone who is thinking about reclaiming damaged land to begin right away.