EN 
DE Agua Fria project site
Our cooperative owns several tranches of land in the Darién Region, including our first rainforest afforestation project, La Reina, which we started in 2017.
![[Translate to English:] Aufforstungsgebiet Agua Fria](/fileadmin/_processed_/2/2/csm_the-generation-forest-Nationalpark-Wasser-Land-header-Aufforstungsprojekt-Agua-Fria_10370a941b.webp)
Region
Darién
Total area
359 hectares
Fincas
9
Distance from Pan-American Highway
3 km
Afforestation status
68% of the current total area has already been afforested
We planted small parcels with Rosewood (Dalbergia retusa), Tropical Oak (Tabebuia rosea), and Spanish Cedar (Cedrela odorata). Today, in the rainforest, we can see a variety of indigenoustrees colonising the remaining gaps and surface of the existing forest. They include species such as the Argentinian Osage Orange (Maclura tinctoria) as well as small copses of Peruvian Almond (Terminalia oblonga).
![[Translate to English:] Jonathan Domingue Forstleiter](/fileadmin/_processed_/a/d/csm_the-generation-forest-Nationalpark-Wasser-Land-m2-Aufforstungsprojekt-Agua-Fria_ada9c1dab3.webp)
“I have learned a great deal, because previously I only worked with teak. Now I have learned the process of managing a forest from the very outset.”
Jonathan Dominguez
Forestry Manager
La Reina
Size: 25 ha
Project start: 2017
Afforrested: 100 %
Tree species used in afforestation:
Teak (Tectona grandis)
Spanish Cedar (Cedrela odorata)
Rosewood (Dalbergia retusa)
Tropical Oak (Tabebuia rosea)
Argentinian Osage Orange (Maclura tinctoria)
Peruvian Almond (Terminalia oblonga)
In 2017, we began our first afforestation project in Panama and named it La Reina. We bought this land area to demonstrate how you can transform a monoculture into a Generation Forest, for the project site was covered in teak as recently as 2013. There is some of a pioneering character to this transformation, and it’s an exciting thing for the Darién region, which is home to some huge teak plantations.
La Ponderosa
Size: 49 ha
Project start: 2020
Afforested: 100 %
Tree species used in afforestation:
Ron Ron (Astronium graviolens)
Spanish Cedar (Cedrela odorata)
Cocobolo (Dalbergia retusa)
Bergmandel (Dipteryx panamensis)
Mahagony (Swietenia macrophylla)
Guayacan Trompetenbaum (Tabebuia impetiginosa)
Roble (Tabebuia rosea)
Teak (Tectona grandis)
This finca combines many aspects we seek: suitable soil, fast growth, and perfect connections. The project also saw the establishment of a new tree nursery in Piriatí Village. This creates crucial jobs giving the employees a secure income.
The previous owner used to farm beef cattle on the land. This land area is in good condition because it was cultivated using modern, less invasive methods. Here we have planted some exotic tree species that are in great demand, with their natural stocks coming under huge pressure. These include species such as the Cocobolo (Dalbergia retusa), Spanish Cedar (Cedrela odorata), and Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), which are in danger of becoming extinct in the wild.
Castro
Size: 70 ha
Project start: 2021
Afforested: 100 %
Tree species used in afforestation:
Teak (Tectona grandis)
Spanish Cedar (Cedrela odorata)
Cocobolo, Rosewood (Dalbergia retusa)
Oak (Tabebuia rosea)
Argentinian Osage Orange (Maclura tinctoria)
Peruvian Almond (Terminalia oblonga)
The areas of land here were planted mainly with shade-intolerant species. Some areas were also planted with semi-shade tolerant species. Here we have planted some exotic tree species that are in great demand, with their natural stocks coming under huge pressure.
Gindi
Size: 18 ha
Project start: 2022
Afforested: 94 %
Potential tree species for afforestation:
Dalbergia retusa (Cocobolo)
Tabebuia rosea (Savanna Oak)
Tabebuia impetiginosa (Ipe)
Cedrela odorata (Spanish Cedar)
Dipteryx panamensis (Mountain Almond)
Swietenia macrophylla (Mahogany)
Tectona grandis (Teak)
This previously forested area was cleared around 30 years ago. It was formerly used for livestock farming. The soil has become compacted through this farming activity with soil made evident in some areas by overgrazing and water saturation. The surrounding area has several teak plantations and livestock farms.
Banda
Size: 77 ha
Project start: 2022
Afforested: 0 %
Tree species used in afforestation:
Teak (Tectona grandis)
Spanish Cedar (Cedrela odorata)
Cocobolo, Rosewood (Dalbergia retusa)
Oak (Tabebuia rosea)
Argentinian Osage Orange (Maclura tinctoria)
Peruvian Almond (Terminalia oblonga)
The areas of land here were planted mainly with shade-intolerant species. However, there are areas with vegetation we can plant semi-shade-tolerant species. Here we have planted some exotic tree species that are in great demand, with their natural stocks coming under huge pressure.
Fernandez 2
Size: 50,5 ha
Project start: 2022
Afforested: 93 %
Tree species used in afforestation:
Teak (Tectona grandis)
Spanish Cedar (Cedrela odorata)
Cocobolo, Rosewood (Dalbergia retusa)
Oak (Tabebuia rosea)
Argentinian Osage Orange (Maclura tinctoria)
Peruvian Almond (Terminalia oblonga)
The areas of land here were planted mainly with shade-intolerant species. However, there are areas with vegetation we can plant semi-shade-tolerant species. Here we have planted some exotic tree species that are in great demand, with their natural stocks coming under huge pressure.
Darién region
The region is famous for the Darién-Gap, the only interruption in the Pan-American Highway, which links Alaska with Tierra del Fuego. Darién was originally covered in lush rainforest. However, in the 1970s, livestock farming strongly encouraged deforestation. The diminishing sustainability of the soil has resulted in the continuous decrease in livestock numbers. The objective of our projects in Darién is to regenerate the fertile soil and create green corridors between existing forests.
