First symbolic planting of the China-Costa Rica Friendship Forest (Photo: Rosa Sánchez)
- Ubicado en los terrenos del CTP de Los Chiles, bosque contará con un innovador diseño circular, inspirado en la cultura china.
- Organizations led by women will maintain the planted trees for five years to ensure their survival.
Los Chiles. With the conviction that nature-based solutions are key to ensuring sustainable development and combating climate change, China joined the Costa Rican project on Wednesday to reforest the northern part of the country, with an initial donation of 2,000 trees.
In a ceremony held at the Los Chiles Technical Professional College (CTP), the President of the Republic, Carlos Alvarado Quesada, symbolically planted the first tree together with the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China in Costa Rica, Tang Heng of the Forest of Friendship between China and Costa Rica.
Along with the president, the first species were also planted, the vice president of the Republic, Epsy Campbell; the Minister of Education, Giselle Cruz; the Minister of the Environment, Andrea Meza Murillo, the Mayor of Los Chiles, Jacobo Guillén; the director of the National Fund for Forestry Financing (FONAFIFO), Jorge Mario Rodríguez; and the assistant resident representative of the United Nations Program (UNDP) in Costa Rica, Kryssia Brade.
The forest, which is part of the “Footprint of the Future” initiative , will be located on the CTP grounds and will feature an innovative circular design, proposed by a team of forestry engineering professionals from the Banco Ambiental Foundation (FUNBAM), inspired by Chinese culture, based on the Nelder algorithm that will allow the planting of different forest and native species.
Throughout a dozen circumferences of the new Friendship Forest between China and Costa Rica, you will be able to see species such as ceiba, coffee, medicinal plants, yellow bark, savanna oak, jacarandas, laurel, almond tree, guanacaste, among others, which they will offer biodiversity, ecosystem resilience and high educational value.
The contribution of the People’s Republic of China is getting closer and closer to meeting the goal of planting 200 thousand endemic, floral, fruit and timber trees in nine northern cantons, in view of the celebration of the Bicentennial of Independence, and in turn contribute to the national goal of increasing forest cover to 60% by 2030.
“We thank the People’s Republic of China for joining the Future Footprint initiative and thus joining the efforts of our country to forge the foundations of a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient future for all people and the planet,” said the president of the Republic, Carlos Alvarado.
For her part, Vice President Epsy Campbell, who is also the manager of this initiative, recalled that “Huella del Futuro was born with the aim of leaving an indelible sustainable footprint and with the need to achieve an inclusive economic recovery after the impact of the pandemic by COVID-19 ”
She explained that, unlike other reforestation programs, “Huella del Futuro” stands out in its efforts to seek the survival of all planted trees by maintaining them for five years, a task carried out mainly by organizations led by women.
“I am grateful to the People’s Republic of China that has said yes to this project and with it not only contributes to the country’s environmental efforts, but also to the economic empowerment and leadership of hundreds of women who care for our forests today,” he said.
According to data from FONAFIFO, in addition to reforestation, this initiative contributes to the generation of approximately 200 direct jobs and 700 indirect beneficiaries.
The Minister of Environment and Energy, Andrea Meza, highlighted that “from MINAE we feel deeply honored to contribute with our instances in this initiative. The contribution of governments such as China – especially in the context of being the presidency of COP15 of the Convention on Biological Diversity, to be held in Kunming in the coming months – is of great relevance ”.
He also recalled that the contribution of the private sector, international organizations and civil society are vital to continue efforts such as the Footprint of the Future program, where better conditions are generated for vulnerable communities and green jobs through nature-based solutions.
First Symbolic Planting of the China Friendship Forest – Costa Rica (UNDP CR)
Closer and closer. . LThe Huella del Futuro initiative ( www.huelladelfuturo.crlaunched last October in San Carlos to green the northern area of Costa Rica, has had the support of more than 176 people who have donated their individual footprints, as well as companies and institutions, which translates into a total of $ 49,380 and 3,292 trees donated.
Added to this are some 120,000 trees that are being contributed by the Green Development Fund and that still require financing to cover maintenance work for the 4 years following the planting process.
FONAFIFO and the Banco Ambiental Foundation (FUNBAM) are fundamental allies of the process and for this they have the technical and financial support of the UNDP’s Finance for Biodiversity Initiative (BIOFIN). For its part, the Green Development Fund (CCAD, SICA, EU, GIZ-BMU) has been one of the first partners to join the project.
“We are proud to accompany this process that seeks a green, fair and inclusive economic reactivation. Footprint of the future is an example of a multi-actor initiative, where the importance of public-private alliances is materialized and reflected, in order to advance, firmly and decisively, towards Sustainable Development ”, said Kryssia Brade, resident representative Assistant to the United Nations Development Program.
Brade stressed that “in the same project the environmental, social, economic, educational and cultural dimensions are linked, and the economic autonomy of women is strengthened, and at the same time a better future is ensured for future generations.”
There are still 76,708 trees to reach the goal. All people, companies, organizations that want to be part of the project can make their donations through www.huelladelfuturo.cr
Original note: PNUD – Con donación de 2 mil árboles, China se une a proyecto de Costa Rica para reforestar la zona norte
