Through the Forest Restoration and Recovery Program, propelled by the Guatemalan Sugar Mills and the Institute for Research on Climate Change (ICC).
In the framework of the National Tree Day, the Guatemalan Sugar Industry launched its Reforestation Plan, which sets the goal of planting 931,055 in 12 Departments of the country for this year.
Sowing will take place between May and August, reaching an area of 400 hectares of future forests in the Departments of Santa Rosa, Chimaltenango, Escuintla, Suchitepéquez, Retalhuleu, Jalapa, Sololá, Sacatepéquez, Guatemala, Jutiapa, San Marcos and Quetzaltenango.
The Reforestation Plan started out with a symbolic planting of 1000 trees in Finca Santa Mónica IV, located in Masagua, Escuintla, with the help and participation of employees of the sugar mills, students, institutions, local authorities and other organizations.
“As part of our commitment with the preservation and caring of the environment, since 2011 sugar mills began a program with the ICC, for the restoration and recovery of forest in strategic areas to protect riverbanks, water recharge areas and biological corridors”, expressed Luis Miguel Paiz, General Manager of the Guatemalan Sugar Producers Association.
“Through this program, by the end of this year we will have reached 5.3 million trees planted in nine years” he expressed.
“In each region, native species are planted for conservational, energetic and timber purposes; such as Matilisguate, Punter, Volador, Cedar, Mahogany, Palo Blanco, Madre Cacao and Plumillo”, pointed out Luis Reyes, Operations Manager of the ICC.
ICC provides technical and scientific advice during the production of plans and forest restoration processes, and is a liaison between communities, organizations, municipal and regional authorities, for the installation of nurseries, identification of reforestation areas and maintaining plantations.
The 930 thousand plants to be sown this year, where produced in 90 nurseries installed in different locations with the accompaniment of the National Forest Institute – INAB –.
