Reforestation and Restoration Research
Our reserve is has been restored from pasture
land, beginning in the year 1980. The restoration of degraded
tropical lands is often a very challenging pursuit, due to the
fact that Amazon top soil is extremely thin and lacking in nutrients,
and lacks the resilience of temperate ecosystems. In temperate
zones, the majority of biomass is stored in the soil, whereas
in the tropics it is stored in the vegetation above ground.
Once cleared, nutrients are lost and soils erode rapidly compounded
by the high rates of precipitation. In fact, the location of
Puyo, at the foothills of the Andes, is known as the second
rainiest city in the world, receiving approximately 4,500 mm
of rain per year (4.5 meters/177 inches- New York receives 45
in / year).
However, with the help of organic fertilizers and compost, as
well as hundreds of rounds of trial and error, we have achieved
a restoration and ecosystem equilibrium. Throughout these years,
we have been studying the process of restoration of the tropical
forest, recording the colonization of insects and the restoration
of food webs.
The Orchid and Botanical Garden of Puyo
aims to serve as a study model for restoration and reforestation
activities in surrounding communities. Reforestation activities
are currently receiving significant attention and funding from
sources as varied as local government agencies up to the Kyoto
Protocol renovation set to take place December 2009. Studying
our past experiences, tropical restoration and reforestation
can play a crucial role in combating climate change and protecting
threatened species.
To inquire further about research opportunities,
please contact us at jbl_orquideas@yahoo.com.
