and raising awareness of global issues
WHAT'S NEW
FORTHCOMING EVENTS:
LMLG Management Committee meeting - Tuesday 24 January 2012 at 8pm at Southfields Library, Southfields Drive, Leicester LE2 6QS
FOOD FOR THOUGHT - Mon 30 January - Fri 3 Feb 2012 and Mon 17 - Fri 21 Sep 2012 Food for Thought Experience Programme.pdf
GLOBAL EDUCATION LEICESTER-SHIRE - Termly meeting - Tuesday 6 March 2012 from 4 - 5.30pm - Venue TBC. Minutes of previous meeting.
Linking Local Lives - Creating Global Connections FREE training for schools
UPDATES and NEWS:
Latest bulletin from Nicaragua - No 24 - Second results out.pdf
Major environmental issue affecting the border of Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Go to our News page to read more.
Trees for Life - 'Arboles para la Vida’
Working with school children to plant native trees in their community and increase understanding of the links between deforestation and climate change.
This project began in 2009 and aims to give school children in the community of El Pochote an understanding of climate change and how it is affected by deforestation. Specifically, the project is intended to influence the values, skills and abilities of young people to care for and protect the environment and its natural resources through the promotion and implementation of a reforestation scheme, with a focus on re-establishing native tree species.
The project, which is being managed by the Association for Integrated Community Development (ADIC - Masaya), combines practical skills with educational and awareness raising activities and involves 30 young students from 6th grade at the ‘Oscar Fuentes Robleto’ school, as well as parents and other members of the community.
It is expected that around 3000 trees, including at least two native (eg Pochote, Guanacaste) will be planted in communal areas and small farms over a 2 year period. The project also promotes the planting of multiple-use trees for fruit, timber, fuel, etc.
Using participatory methodology (learning by doing), and educational materials produced during the project, the pupils are involved in the development of small plant nurseries and tree planting. They are also learning about why reforestation is important to the area and their lives - to provide food and energy, ensure building materials, increase plant biodiversity, enhance soil fertility, retain water and contribute to a favourable climate.
Ultimately, the young people involved in the project are developing the skills, values and appropriate behaviours to actively contribute to the development of their communities and protect the environment.
Justification for the project
El Pochote is an area that suffers from environmental degradation by poor management of soil and forest resources. Farms do not have adequate protection against soil erosion, very few have windbreaks, there is marked deforestation, and there is no plan for management of small forests that remain. In addition to the above, deforestation continues, to provide wood fuel.
The original land use in this area is forest, due to its relief, geographical features, in addition to being a part of the sub-basin of the Laguna de Masaya and is located a few kilometers from the protected area of Masaya Volcano National Park.
But in recent years, due to the advancing agricultural frontier, deforestation, extensive farming (in some cases), growing consumption of firewood and the use of conventional farming methods, have caused a deterioration of soil and landscape.
It should be noted that this area was previously characterized by small coffee farms, which used local tree species (cedar, laurel, pochote, guanacaste, etc.); trees suitable for fuel (sardinillo, acacia, wood, guachipilín, etc.), plus propagation of fruit trees (orange, tangerine, avocado, mango, etc) within their estates. Only a small number of these coffee farms remain.
The project is specifically geared towards finding solutions in the following aspects:
- Deforestation, lack of a management plan for natural resources at the community level.
- Barriers and resistance to change.
- High consumption of wood fuel.
- Loss of genetic biodiversity
- Lack of knowledge of forest management
- Deterioration of the environment by mishandling and contamination of soils as a resource.
For further information on this and other projects in Nicaragua, please view John Perry's bulletins
No 21a - Trees for Life Article from CAR Summer 2010.pdf