Honduras
Programme Summary
Projects have planted approximately 200,000 trees with Aldea Global and the CEASO system in the central area of the country, with an overall target set for 3 million trees within Honduras during 2009. In the Southern and Eastern projects immense efforts have been made to monitor the planting of seeds,including the largest planting initiatives, however political unrest
continues to be an issue for Peace corps in verifying progress in these regions, undeterred partnering organisations continue sending seed to Peace Corps volunteers and other participating groups around the country to ensure the diverse needs of each region are met.
Partners Network
FUNDARBOL- Healthy Schools Program - - Global Village - CEASO (Centro Educativo de Agricultura Sostenible) -
Background
Honduras has a strong array of varied environmental areas ranging from the cooler humid altiplanos, and drier fertile interior valleys of the semiarid south.to the lush rainforest and secondary forest vegetation in the hot humid north coast Each area has its own problems
In the highlands cultivation of steep terrain and the high use of agrochemicals in coffee and vegetable production has left streams and aquifers polluted and full of silt.whilst years of cattle pasturage has left pastureland compacted In the north coast whilst logging has almost destroyed the once abundant hardwood stands.Central valleys extensive logging has damaged important watersheds leaving population centers with less and less water. Southern Honduras (with its longer dry season and lower levels of rainfall) has suffered from centuries of free range cattle farming, and shortening of the cycle of slash and burn agriculture, leaving once beautiful hills barren and streams which used to run all year now run dry in February leaving communities without water until the rainy season begins in May.
Honduras has been a center of recent sales in tropical timber, both the abundant pine and less common tropical hardwoods. For this reason the government has instituted a certification process and disallowed the harvesting of natural hardwood stands.
2008 saw the effects of these government policies with logging dropping as the main reason for loss of forest cover in Honduras, only to be replaced by firewood production. Higher energy prices have driven many people living in towns and cities to return to cooking their food using firewood. This has led to the doubling of the price of firewood, making the cutting of trees for firewood more attractive to residents of rural areas. Also the badly designed stoves have taken their toll with more people afflicted by respiratory diseases
The Response
Partnering organisations are trying to tailor projects to the needs of each area.In the north coast they are working with Lancitilla Botanical Reserve and Botanical Gardens supporting a program which is providing fruit and timber species to farmers who then plant in the most fragile pastures thus protecting areas in risk of erosion. as well as currently providing educational material explaining the advantages of some tree forage species and stable fed dairy cattle.
Whilst in the highlands they are working with local NGO’s and Peace Corps volunteers, to teach soil conservation practices using leguminous species to maintain soils and improve the quality of soils. They are also providing fast growing timber species to coffee farmers to encourage the diversification of income and coffee shade. These seedlings will be certified by local government institutions so that farmers will have the opportunity to legally sell the timber thus improving the economic situation of their families.
Plus in the central valleys they are working with local groups planting trees to protect important watersheds which provide water to population centres.
As well as providing forage species to cattle producers in the South and teaching the advantages of minimal or no pasture cattle. Whilst also encouraging the use of Moringa oliefera for its nutritional benefits.