Seeds, Saplings, and Sowing: How the Rangers are Regrowing the Tropical Rainforest
The Women Rangers Program in Boca Tapada, Alajuela, Costa Rica is playing the long ball when it comes to forest restoration. The all-female run program was founded in 2020 thanks to support from the Disney Conservation Foundation and is helping restore the tropical rainforest, home of the Great Green Macaw.
“Habitat restoration is a long-term commitment,” said Maricela Pizarro-Porter, the Habitat Protection and Restoration Program Leader.
Reforestation is an investment that requires years, if not decades, to see the fruits of one’s labor. Presently, the Women Rangers Program has planted 1,520 trees and aims to plant a total of 6,000 within the next two years. This ambitious project requires coordinated efforts across the organization from seed collectors and nursery workers to land surveyors and community outreach.
“Our first step is to identify priority areas for restoration to improve landscape connectivity of the Great Green Macaw habitat. There’s a masters student working on identifying them using GIS tools” said Pizarro-Porter.
The Great Green Macaw’s habitat was destroyed decades ago due to the bovine and agriculture industry. According to a study by Jadin et al., in 1984 the tropical forest covered less than 30% of the Alajuela province while the rest of the land was used for cattle ranches and farms for sugarcane, coffee, and other produce. The coverage increased to 35% by 2013, but much of the forestry remains fragmented and unsuitable for the Great Green Macaw.
Luckily, the aforementioned master’s student, George Robson, is researching the impacts of edge effects on four of the most important tree species for the Great Green Macaw. Edge effects are the changes in the forest environment as distance from the forest edge increases. This study is important as it will help reveal how the fragmented Macaw habitat is impacted by the surrounding farming and cattle land, particularly the density and age of trees. Robson’s study will hopefully show how these environmental changes affect the populations of tree species being studied, which will in turn influence which trees should be grown by the Women Rangers Program. After Robson finishes his current research, he plans to analyze how deforestation is impacting the Great Green Macaw range using satellite imagery.
The agriculture industry supported deforestation and introduction of various alien species such as pineapple and banana plantations that threaten the survival of the natural tropical forest. The Women Rangers Program is currently growing 10 native tree species that are vital for the restoration of the forest and the Great Green Macaw. These species range from the Mountain almond (Dipteryx panamensis), the main source of food and nesting for Great Greens, to other important food sources such as Titor (Sacoglottis trichogyna) and Olla de mono (Lecythis ampla).
“We have a list of 35 species described in the literature (Powell et al., 1999) to be used by the Great Green Macaw, plus observations from the team. We are aiming to grow all of them, focusing on the most important, “said Pizarro-Porter.
Forest restoration is a complex issue involving socio economic issues such as partnering with landowners to plant on their land. It can be difficult to convince farmers to donate land as it is their main source of income, but Pizarro-Porter explained that each tree species serves a special function which can be utilized for partnering with landowners. For example, some trees are fast growing species, such as the Guarumo (Cecropia obtusifolia) or Capulín (Trema micrantha), which will help attract seed dispersers. Meanwhile, others like Nance (Byrsonima crassifolia), provide fruits, natural fencing, or are ornamental. Landowner relations are a vital aspect of reforestation as their properties can help connect isolated areas of tropical forest.
The Women Rangers Program grows trees at two nurseries. There is the 100m2 nursery, Finca La Península, in Pángola and La Casa del Titor in Boca Tapada, a 250m2 nursery that was just completed in April. In order to fill these nurseries with seeds and saplings, the Rangers first venture into the forest to identify targeted tree species, note their location, and observe when they are producing fruits or seeds. This information is collected in a database and allows the team to coordinate when and where they must go for collecting seeds and seedlings. The team utilizes seed collectors to improve efficiency and minimize time spent gathering seeds.
The process of growing trees in a nursery is not as simple as watering every day and making sure each sapling receives the correct amount of sunlight. The young seedlings are accustomed to the conditions of the tropical rainforest and thus require shaded areas to grow until they are bigger and develop many leaves. Every seedling planted is assigned to a lot number where they receive specialized care. Some seeds are planted in the ground while others are initially placed in bags until they grow into small trees. Each seedling’s development is closely tracked and recorded in the plant inventory. The inventory tracks specific maintenance like irrigation, weeding, fertilization, and other factors. Additionally, a daily log is kept to record the weather to understand how rainfall, temperature, wind, or cloudiness impact each tree species’ development.
Once a sapling grows into a small tree it is then transplanted to a reforestation area, which has previously been selected and prepared to house young trees. From there the tree is supported further and monitored to track the health of the tree and reforestation status of the area. The information collected from each reforestation area includes the geographic location, property name, number and types of species transplanted, tree development and tree mortalities. This entire process requires Rangers working every day to observe and ensure the trees grow and eventually fruit, which does not happen quickly. Facilitating forest regrowth is tireless work comparable to raising an infant; both roles require undivided attention and taking even a day off can result in catastrophe.
“We are talking about at least 6-10 years to become fruit bearing trees. Nesting trees are ancient, hence the importance of protecting old growth forests. We are talking about hundreds of years to provide nesting.” noted Pizarro-Porter. She explained how most tree saplings grow for eight months before they are ready to be transplanted. However, the time period varies from species to species, but the Rangers have found a solution to speeding up the process. When they go out to collect seeds, they also collect seedlings that are at a later stage of development and do not require germination. This can save them a few weeks or even months of supplies and energy investment.
One important part of investing in the future is preparing the next generation to continue the work initiated by the Women Rangers program. The Rangers education team frequently hosts indoor and outdoor workshops for children to learn about the tropical rainforest, the wild Great Green Macaw, and the Mountain Almond tree. In the next two years the Rangers will educate 200 kids who will also participate in reforestation events.
“With these activities, we aim to create awareness of the Great Green Macaw conservation status and change their attitudes and behaviors toward the species,” said Pizarro-Porter.
By planting these memories and knowledge in children’s minds, the Women Rangers Program is not only helping to grow back the tropical forest, but also grow activists, arborists, and conservationists who will continue the work necessary to save the wild Great Green Macaw and its habitat.
Liam Connolly
Volunteer