"Keepers of the Wild"

Pro-Forest Foundation park guard Edison Merchan is supported by the World Land Trust's "Keepers of the Wild" Program.  To read more about the work of our foundation and Edison, please go to this link  http://www.worldlandtrust.org/news/tags/ranger-edison 

Great Green Macaw in the U.S. Endangered Species Act

Pro-Forest Foundation Executive Director, Eric Horstman was interviewed recently by Sarah Leon of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to hear the podcast, please go to this link http://www.fws.gov/endangered/about/ep_30_2012.html.  The great green macaw is one of four macaw species that were proposed for listing on July 6th, 2012 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (the other macaw species include hyacinth, military and scarlet macaw).  If the great green macaw is officially listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, it will represent an important step forward to extend protection in the United States for the species, which is threatened by capture of macaws for the illegal pet trade and habitat destruction in the lowland rain and dry forests where it is found throughout its range from Honduras to Ecuador.

Signing of Agreement between the Universidad Tecnica de Quevedo and the Pro-Forest Foundation

February 2012

On February 17th, Eric Horstman traveled to the city of Quevedo to sign an inter institutional agreement in representation of the Pro-Forest Foundation with the Dean of the Universidad Tecnica de Quevedo.  The signing of the agreement paves the way for future students from this university carry out internships and thesis projects in the Cerro Blanco Protected Forest with the Pro-Forest Foundation.

In addition, Eric Horstman made a presentation on the potential of ecotourism in dry tropical forest in the closing of an ecotourism seminar organized by the university.

Signing of Agreement between the Pro-Forest Foundation and The Nature Conservancy, Coca Cola Foundation.

February 2012

Sylvia Benitez, the Ecuador country director of The Nature Conservancy participated in the tree planting program and in representation of TNC, signed a interinstitutional agreement with Eric Horstman in representation of the Pro-Forest Foundation to coordinate future actions in favor of protection and restoration of the dry tropical forests of the Cordillera Chongon Colonche.

Carolina Martinez of the Coca Cola Foundation also participated in the tree planting.  Thanks to the support of the Coca Cola Foundation, five hectares of cutover land within the Cerro Blanco Protected Forest will be reforested this year, as part of their environmental programs related to protecting and/or restoring water sources.

4th Annual Reforestation Program in Cerro Blanco

February 2012

With the goal of involving the public in our reforestation program, on February 10th and 11th our 4th annual tree-planting program was carried out in the Tres Bocas area of the Cerro Blanco Protected Forest. 

A total of 140 volunteers participated, including representatives and participants of Fundacion Coca Cola, The Nature Conservancy, Concejo Provincial de Guayas, Holcim, Pronaca, Universidad Catolica, ESPOL, Tecnologico Espiritu Santo, Universidad de Guayaquil, Club Ecologico de Puerto Hondo, etc.

Before going to the tree-planting site, participants received information on the Ecuadorian Dry Tropical Forest Ecoregion from forester John Ayon as well as a demonstration on how to properly plant trees.  A total of 1,000 trees were planted as part of the program, which is supported by the World Land Trust.

Environmental Responsibility of private businesses of Guayaquil to restore dry tropical forest

January 2012

In conjunction with the annual rains, the 1sttree-planting program of the year “Wake up with Pure Air” organized by the Ecuadorian-German Chamber of Commerce and the Pro-Forest Foundation was carried out on Saturday, January 21st in the Cerro Blanco Protected Forest.

A total of 150 people from six businesses members of the chamber of commerce participated in the planting of native dry tropical forest trees in the area known as “Tres Bocas” in a recently purchased property, the “Predio Carbo”, with the financial support of the World Land Trust and Netherlands Committee of the World Conservation Union IUCN.  The participating businesses included Pro Credit, Panaderia California, DHL, Hamburgsud, Importadora Sucre and Café de Tere.  A total of 800 trees were planted in an area of secondary scrub vegetation in Cerro Blanco. 

Our goal is to restore the original (or a close proximity) Ecuadorian Dry Tropical Forest that was cut down before the Cerro Blanco Protected Forest was created.  The tree planting forms part of a tree-planting program supported by the World Land Trust.  A planned 45,000 trees are being planted in 2012.

CIDA Volunteers in Cerro Blanco

July 2011 to January 2012

Thanks to the long standing support of Jos Nolle of Niagara College, Canada, two CIDA volunteers, Cassandra Musungayi and Lindsay Corolis worked with the Pro-Forest Foundation from July, 2011 to January, 2012. The work of Cassandra focused on environmental education with school kids in surrounding communities adjacent to the Cerro Blanco Protected Forest.

Cassandra's efforts were focused in the village of Puerto Hondo, where she carried out weekly environmental education activities with kids from the Marianita de Rodas school and the youth environmental education club.

Cassandra also organized and put on a English course for staff of the Pro-Forest Foundation, which was well received. Lindsay's work focused on designing materials to be used in the EA activities as well as help  promoting the work of the Pro-Forest Foundation and Cerro Blanco Protected Forest through the internet. Thank you both for your help and support!