Forestry – Eye on the Rainforest

by thrity October 29, 2016

Puerto Rico needs foresters, more than ever.

Estos son estudiantes de la Universidad de Puerto Rico, Recinto de Mayagüez, participando en el curso de Silvicultura AGRO4010 del Departamento de Ciencias Agro-ambientales. Pasamos el dia en plantaciones de Caoba y Majó bajo la lluvia torrencial e intensas discusiones que tuvimos en el campo. Gracias al Prof. Oscar J. Abelleira Martínez, por organizar este pasadia para los estudiantes quien estuvo presente aún cuando su esposa se encontraba en el hospital a punto de tener su bebe! Jennifer M. Rivera San Antonio, Asistente del Profesor y Estudiante graduada del Programa de Horticultura de UPRM dirigió el grupo.

La pasamos super bien con todos ustedes. These are students from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, participating in the Silviculture AGRO4010 course from the Department of Agro-environmental Sciences. The day was spent in the plantations of mahogany and mahoe, and through torrential rain, intense discussions kept us warm in the field. Thanks to Professor Oscar J. Abelleira Martínez, for organizing this field trip, to benefit his students, even as his wife was in hospital ready to deliver a baby! Oscar’s assistant Jennifer M. Rivera San Antonio, Graduate Student in the Horticulture Program at UPRM led the team. We had a great time with you all. Please keep forestry high in your choice of future studies. Puerto Rico needs foresters, more than ever.

Images by 3t Oct 2016
Translation by Magha Garcia

Friends of Las Casas de la Selva

by thrity November 29, 2015

Frank H. Wadsworth 100 years old Dec 2015

Congratulations to our most favorite forester. Frank we salute you highly on this most auspicious day.
Happy 100th Birthday!

Education Events Forest products Forestry News Wood

by thrity November 22, 2015

Fiesta del Arbol November 2015

This event was dedicated to forester Dr. Frank Wadsworth, and Andrés presented a plaque to celebrate his 100th birthday.

We had a table to show off some of our latest products, cheese boards, chopping boards, tostoneras, and samples of Puertorican hardwoods.

3t with Isabelita, Frank’s wife, a great supporter of our project, and products!

Education Fine wood product Forest products Forestry Wood Woodwork

by thrity November 4, 2015

Students from University of PR – Department of Fine Art

In April this ebullient group of students from the Department of Fine Arts, University of Puerto Rico, arrived on a day trip to find out more about the forest plantations at Las Casas de la Selva, and to see the timber operation; the sawmill, drying shed, and workshop. Everyone was wowed by our wood collection, that we inherited from Jose Mari Mutt, and have been adding to. Eyes opened wide at the beauty of these different and relatively unknown hardwoods that Puerto Rico has. Many discussions ensued about sustainable use of forest resources, especially wood, and later all left smiling, having bought some of our wood to create their latest projects. We look forward to seeing the results soon.

Arts Fine wood product Forestry Friends of Las Casas de la Selva Press Research & Education Sustainable lifestyle Tvref Collaboration Uncategorized Wood Woodwork Woodworker

by thrity December 10, 2014

Symposium and Exhibition of Forest Products at IITF, 6th December 2014

SEE MORE IMAGES HERE:
https://plus.google.com/photos/114745085458651133282/albums/6089798854434161681?authkey=CLytzaWvsMmIfg

L-R: Luis Soto, (Land Authority Director) Carmen Guerrero, (Secretary of DNR), Connie Carpenter, Magaly Figueroa, (USDA State & Private Forestry), Andrés Rúa, 3t Vakil, (Tropic Ventures and Nuestra Madera), Magha Garcia, (Director Pachamama Organic Farm), Sheila Ward, (Mahogany for the Future), Edgardo Gonzalez (Landscape Conservation Center).

Forestry Friends of Las Casas de la Selva Uncategorized

by thrity May 30, 2014

75 years of Forestry!

International Institute of Tropical Forestry celebrated its 75th year anniversary and a wonderful event at the Fundacion Luis Munoz Marin (FLMM) gave everyone a chance to meet up and connect over the whole days symposium, followed by a wonderful and lively reception in the evening. 21st May 2014
See more great images of this event here. Pix by 3t and Andrés

Tropic Ventures was honored to be mentioned in the recently published 2102 IITF Accomplishments. See PDF here.

Gracious thanks to FLMM, and IITF.

Education Forestry Uncategorized

by thrity May 12, 2014

Consejo Asesor para el Desarrollo Agro-forestal, May 6th, 2014

Another historic meeting for CADA, this time at Las Casas de la Selva, sustainable forestry project in the steep mountains of Patillas.

CADA, comprises of individuals brought together by a strong commitment to stimulate and create the sustainable management of all forest resources on the island of Puerto Rico. Founded in 2013 by Andrés and 3t.

SEE MORE IMAGES FROM THIS MEETING HERE:

Participants Name	Agency or group
Andrés Rúa González	Tropic Ventures Sustainable Forestry
Thrity Vakil	Tropic Ventures Sustainable Forestry
Magaly Figueroa (Vía teléfono)	USDA US Forest Service
Arnaldo Astacio	Departamento de Agricultura de Puerto Rico
Alexis Laurent Dragoni Cebollero	Consultor Fundación Aireko
Christina Cabrera	Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales de PR
Enrique Santiago	Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales de PR
Jess Zimmerman	UPR Rio Piedras
Franklin Román	Servicio de Extensión Agrícola
Jimena Forero	UPR Rio Piedras
Rosamaría Quiles	Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales de PR
Tomas Torres	Fundación Aireko
Orlando Gómez	Paddle Sur
Francisco Alicea	Municipio de Arroyo
Elizabeth Rodriguez	Voluntaria
Milagros Solís Ocasio	Pridco
Hector Rodriguez	Pridco
Evelyn Melo	Pridco
Omar Garcia	Paddle Sur
Enrique C. Colon Burgos	Autoridad de Energía Eléctrica

Credit for images to 3t, Andrés and Norman

SEE MORE IMAGES FROM THIS CADA MEETING AT LAS CASAS DE LA SELVA, 6TH MAY 2014

See images from the CADA meeting at Cyber Café, Caguas, 4th March 2014
See images from the CADA meeting at the International Institute of Tropical Forestry, 30th August 2013.
See images from the meeting of The Forest Products Assessment group, at Cayey University, the day the group formally became CADA, 6th May 2013
See images from the meeting of The Forest Products Assessment group at International Institute of Tropical Forestry, March 18th 2013.
See images from the FPA Field meeting at Las Casas de a Selva, 8th August, 2012
See images from the FPA Symposium at the Department of Natural Resources, Rio Piedras, 11th April, 2012

Alternative WInter Break Education Forestry Trees Uncategorized

by thrity January 26, 2014

Ready, willing, and able.

Erin Dahl, (who first came here two years ago with a team from University of Miami), Christopher Sanchez, and Danielle Ungermann all participated in the January harvest of mahoe trees from around the homestead. Andres, chainsawyer, and 3t, felling buddy, were happy to have the help of these three ready, willing, and able apprentices, and together, everyone trained and learned something in the essential art of directional felling, using cuts, wedges, ropes, and a come-along (a small portable winch usually consisting of a cable attached to a hand-operated ratchet).Gentle gasps of astonishment were heard as 65 feet tall trees fell, and fortunately, they all fell exactly where Andres designated. The team have been busy clearing the slash (the small twigs and branches), and depositing it back into the forest for nutrients and erosion control. Thank you Erin, Chris, and Danielle, we have really appreciated your stay with us.