Ecoinversión Forestal

The Future of the Environment

Eco Zones

we are creating deserts

Eco Zones

Slopes degraded by livestock farming

To contribute to the environmental, social and economic recovery of hillside areas degraded by extensive livestock farming, the concept of “Eco Zones” has been created as a mechanism for protecting and restoring the extensive areas that are becoming deserts, which will provide different alternatives for substituting livestock farming, with more profitable practices that generate better development, with greater social and environmental responsibility.

First "Eco Zone"

For the development of the first “EcoZone”, a central region of the country has been chosen, located between the municipalities of Zarzal and Sevilla, Valle del Cauca, which not more than thirty years ago was a producing zone for coffee, beans, corn, among other agricultural products.  but today the erosion, the lack of topsoil, and the total loss of cation exchange evident the degradation caused by the compaction of the soil generated by the trampling of livestock, however, due to livestock activity, there are more of one hundred thousand hectares at risk of desertification.

Located between the old river and the township of Paila, Valle del Cauca, this region has an excellent road, the airport is located 20 minutes away and a railway infrastructure that connects it directly with the port of Buenaventura.

Problematic

The practice of extensive ranching in hillside areas is by far one of the most aggressive activities against the environment with an invaluable impact at the economic and social level, generated by the almost null generation of employment, the low profitability per hectare, and the threat to the food supply.

Scope of the First "EcoZone" program

The protection and restoration mechanism for the first “EcoZone” in Valle del Cauca, consists of protection and conservation zones, recovery zones and development zones.

Protection and conservation zones made up of all the native forests and bodies of water in the region, in which expansion, restoration, economic, and tax incentives programs will be carried out.

Recovery areas made up of meadows in a hillside area that are degraded and on which the development of industrial reforestation plantations will be developed.

Development zones, consisting of areas that will be used for educational, tourist, cultural, and industrial infrastructure of the forest chain.

Impact analysis

Traditional forest plantations do not offer the farmer cash flow possibilities in the short term, therefore, their financing and development are not very viable. The practice of growing fast-growing trees within the framework of an EcoZone offers alternatives with high socioeconomic benefits, in periods equal to, or similar to livestock farming, and its financing with

“Ecoinv”

guarantees the farmer constant cash flow, as well as the improvement for the community on the quality of life, health, and education

For example, one hectare of grassland supports two cattle in 10 years, generating a maximum income of USD 2,500 in the market, while one hectare in fast-growing reforestation in 10 years produces 500 m3 of wood at a gross commercial value of USD 100. , that is, 50,000 USD. As a result of massive industrial reforestation, in vast areas of prairie that are now in a cattle farming, it is possible to cover a large part of the demand for wood requires by the forest chain market, taking pressure off the existing native forests.

To assess the impact in the framework of the Eco Zones, an initial and georeferenced inventory will be carried out to determine the current conditions of the degraded lands, and the recovery for the physical/chemical and productive conditions will be projected in periods of 10-15-20 and 30 years.

 

The following criteria are taken into account:

The internal economic and social rate of return

Valorization for land recovery, with a projection for future food supply.

Valorization of the entire region by development of the tourist, cultural, educational, and sports industry.

Wood production

CO2 capture

Productive capacity (fertility)

Additionally, the benefit for the protection of the regional ecosystem and biodiversity is quantified.

Benefits of reforestation in the framework of an "Eco Zone"

The Ecoinv becomes the axis on which the “EcoZone” is financed for the protection and recovery of soils and the integral development of the forest chain, generating value in the different interest groups, as follows:

Protection of communities, through the generation of employment, education, and training to recover the social fabric.

Development, with the creation of the tourist and industrial free zone called Ecoinversion for the establishment of educational, tourist, cultural, and industrial infrastructure.

Advice and high profitability, in the cultivation and permanent cash flow with “Ecoinv” for farmers, based on the growth of their plantations.

Farmers will be able to produce high-quality lumber in the quantities, dimensions and times required by the market, with traceability from cultivation (green seal), aside from the environmental benefits of Co2 capture, soil recovery and the protection of natural ecosystems, among others; thus, the transversal use of the environmental cryptocurrency

“Ecoinv”, is consolidated in all processes.

Georeferencing will be a great ally to carry out permanent monitoring of recovery in the Protection and Conservation, Restoration, and Development within the “EcoZone”.

Dialogue with environmental protection and conservation organizations and with entities that ensure the care and well-being of vulnerable communities.

For the development of industrial reforestation programs, strategic alliances will be established with organizations for the protection and conservation of the environment, as well as entities that promote the care and well-being of the vulnerable population, such as indigenous, native, and settler communities, and the general population, and thus, non-governmental organizations will have direct participation as observers of the implemented programs and will be guarantors of the management that “Ecoinversion Forestal” carries out for the preservation of the environment, the care of natural resources and the improvement of the quality of community life.