We Would Like To Save The Forest Update No. 1.

I had the second visit from the owner of "The Forest" last week and was told that they would be cutting the trees soon. I asked him how much money the tree cutters were going to give him and he said around $500 depending on how many trees. So that is about $10.00 a tree.

The owners will give me a rental contract for the land with the trees in tacked for five years for $500.00. 15 hundred for 15 years.

I brought the subject up with the volunteers last Thursday and two volunteers gave me $10 each and one said she would give me $70.

With that kind of help and the fact that the other volunteers are ready to chain themselves to a tree when the Evil Tree Cutters arrive, I am going to do my best to make a deal.

If you would like to donate to the cause, we would welcome your participation.

Here in Salasaca, if you look around the hills you will see many saml and large stands of pines. These trees were planted 10 to 15 years ago by the property owners as an investment for the future. Nothing to do with ecology, but as a cash crop like corn or potatoes.

Here at Katitawa, we have a small forest of about 50 trees that are now ready for harvest. It is a beautiful area and the owner has given us permission to use the area as we pleased. Needless to say the kids and everyone connected with the school loved the area. Two of the coldest nights in my life were spent on a hammock suspended between two of those trees....unforgettable.

 

On one occasion Adam, one of our volunteers decided to have a cookout and sleep-over at the school on his birthday. It was a great party and I don't think anyone who was there will ever forget that night in the forest.

On Sunday, the owner told me they were going to cut the trees....I could not believe it. It is a terrible sound when you hear the chain-saw in the distance and it make me angry, but they have every right to do it. I asked the owner how much the trees were worth and he told me $500. I told him I would like to buy the trees not cut them. Then in 15 years we could buy them again. His reply was "Why not buy the the land with the trees and do what we wanted". The price....$10,000.00.

So we have two options. Buy the trees now and the property later, or buy the property with the trees now.