On December 19th we began planting trees on the hillside above the Astillero neighborhood. 15 trees were planted that day. After delivering 60 more trees (15 each of Algarrobo, Ébano, Guachapelí, and Guayacán) in January, we spent 3 more days planting them, resulting in a total of 75 trees at the revegetation site.
With machetes, we cleared trails to be able to move around the hill. The trails were made horizontally across the hillside at 4 meter intervals, following the contour of the hill and avoiding existing shrubs and other small trees. Holes were dug along the trails at 4 meter intervals. Then the trees, rich soil, and water were lugged up the hill. As each tree was planted, it also received a bamboo stake marking its location.
The steep terrain made it incredibly difficult to carry out the work and progress was slow but nevertheless rewarding. In some places it was almost impossible to walk up the hill, let alone carry all of the supplies that were needed. The trees were selected for their special characteristics, such as extreme resilience to drought and poor soil conditions. Planting them at this strategic moment, early on during the rainy season, means that they will benefit from the rest of the rains this year. The site serves as a model for hillside erosion control by native tree revegetation.
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