“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago.
The second best time is now.”
Chinese Proverb
Renal and Reyes plant noni trees.
When Refugio de Los Angeles was purchased in the early 1990s, cattle and coffee were good sources of income for the former owner, Señor Otonel Vargas. The Pacific Slope has many fine attributes, but erosion protection on the steep terrain has not been one of them. Years of cattle grazing and clearing for growing coffee have made landslides a frequent occurrence in this region. To prevent erosion on his property, while still maintaining a cash crop, Sr. Vargas planted thirty-five acres of the quick growing Melina tree, a native hardwood found throughout Asia.
A trail in the hills.
After the sale to the current owner, cutting the Melina trees as soon as they reached their growth potential was a priority. To achieve the goal of returning the property to the bio-diverse ecosystem of many years past, there was much research and work to do. A system of trails was built on the property to make possible the planting and preservation of trees that were disappearing from the region. This initial network of trails was designed to prevent erosion and to provide the accessibility necessary for maintenance of the reforested areas. The trail system has since been greatly expanded for the benefit of hiking and wandering. The TRAILS page has more information.
Trail building on Refugio de Los Angeles.
Visits to local farming cooperatives in search of seeds of native and indigenous species produced encouraging results. But the reforestation project really moved ahead after hiking around Quebrada Grande with the locals who knew where to find once common but now nearly extinct trees. In 2002, seeds and cuttings from over 30 scarce varieties of indigenous and native trees were brought to Refugio de Los Angeles. The saplings matured in the nursery for two years before planting.
Peter Jacobs in a majestic Guayabon Sura.
The thirty-five acres planted to the Melina mono crop, could now be harvested and replaced with native and indigenous varieties of hardwoods, and fruit trees. Almost 13 years have passed since the ongoing reforestation project was begun. The effort to find, plant and nurture trees that were once all but lost to deforestation has now restored this property to a vibrant, beautiful, bio-diverse environment.
Several varieties of bananas are plentiful on the property.
Partial List of Trees at Refugio de Los Angeles
A complete list of all trees on the property would require a field study with an arborist because there are many species yet to be identified.
English
Spanish
Latin
Angel’s Hair
Lorito/Cabello de Angel
Cojoba arborea
Avocado
Aguacate
Sharing home grown avacados.
Balsa
Balsa
Bitterwood
Hombre grande
Quassia amara
Brazilian Copal/Stinking Toe
Guapinol
Hymenaea courbaril
Eleanor Olmsted rests in a Guapinol with a great view.
