A catastrophe in the making

[cobraboy]

Originally Posted by aegap

just yesterday, ..

Sociedad Ecológica del Cibao (SOECI) 30 años en la conciencia ambiental dominicana

To increase the Dominican north region’s forest cover this week the Cibao Ecological Society (SOECI) begins planting 100,000 endemic and native trees in several areas of the Northern Mountain Range, where deforestation has increased in the last few years.
The planting will begin next Wednesday in the reserve Diego de Ocampo Peak and in the Jacagua river basin.
Among the varieties to be planted figure almond, walnut, mahogany, Creole oak, cedar and olive.
SOECI president Nelson Bautista said the varieties will be distributed among the different organizations that will participate in the operation in the coming days.

Sociedad Ecológica del Cibao (SOECI) 30 años en la conciencia ambiental dominicana

My fiance, who many here have met, is an officer of SOECI. I have attended several meetings and functions of SOECI. It is a very fine organization, most worthy of membership and support. They are sincerely imterested and dedicated to the preservation and improvement of the entire Cibao environment.

[something_of_the_night]

Originally Posted by Chip00

aegap

I can guess from your sarcasm that what is really going on in the southeast is government sponsored forestation right? All the stuff about sustainability is just propoganda it appears.

Also, "Dry forest" to me seems to be a forest on the verge of failure as trees need lots of water to grow.

Chip, do you have time to edit your post? It appears you misunderstood what aegap wrote.

[aegap]

A good reason why its good to have private organizations like SOECI, etc. ..as oppose to the Dominican government ..as the impetus behind stuff like this is that the Dominican government seems to have an "if -t-works-significantly-well -don't-try-it-again" mentality.

A government sponsored program during the late '90s called "Plan Nacional Quisqueya Verde" is a rather good example of that.

"Projecto Sabana Clara" in the South is perhaps another one.

[aegap]

"Proyecto Sabana Crara" in the Frontier region with Haiti is perhaps another one.

[Chip00]

Originally Posted by something_of_the_night

Chip, do you have time to edit your post? It appears you misunderstood what aegap wrote.

Assuming that you aren't being facetious - sorry - we only get 10 min to do that.

to clarify, when aegap said "The following article almost brought tears into my eyes. OK, not really but.." I just assumed that he was inferring that the article was some gov't. sponsored propaganda. Therefore, I read the article with that in mind and honestly I thought it would be nice if such programs could work here. I am very pleased to know that it is in fact the case that programs such as this appear to be successfull.

[Texas Bill]

I am suprised that Pecan (Nuesces) tres haven't been planted in droves along the Masacre river banks of the DR. In the Southwest Texas Area there is even a river named the Nuesces for the major groves of wild pecans that grew along it's banks. The river cuts through the kiliche beds of SW Texas from the Davis Mountains (some call them foothills) to it's mouth in Corpus Christi Bay. These trees have been and were a major source of oil and protein for the natives of the SW for centuries. Also, the wood is hardwood and can be turned into very beautiful furniture. The abundance of kiliche and "red" soil in theDR would make good beds for such a wood. The mesquite currently being used in reforestation is really a junk wood used primarily in Texas as a source of charchol and firewood by the lower social classes in the SW (not intended derogaritorily (sp)). Literally millions have been spent by farmers and ranchers in attempts to erradicate this "bush" from the land as far back as the1850's, since it was crowding out the"buffalo grass" from which the cattle fed.

Texas Bill

[George Holmes]

Most Haitian deforestation occured in the 19th century when the plantation system collapsed and the former slaves viewed their freedom as being defined by having their own little plot of land, hence it was all cleared for small scale agriculture.

The charcoal burning in the Bahuruco area for export to Haiti is not done by Haitians crossing the border, but is an organised effort by Dominicans, who cut, burn and then ship it across the border. They might employ some Haitian labourers, but it is a Dominican effort. I do know that many of the underpaid, untrained forestry police are involved in this, who run charcoal burning as a way of supplimenting their income.

By the way, if the proposed IMF cuts to the butane subsidy happen, expect charcoal production to skyrocket as the urban and rural poor turn to charcoal as an affordable alternative to gas.

There are a number of good studies of deforestation and charcoal burning in the SW, particularly related to the perverse results of strict protection measures which ended up encouraging deforestation. PM me if you want the references.