Finca Luis

Overview

Area: 3ha

Location: Río Bonito Valley, approx 1,5km from the center of La Gamba, across from Finca Mundo. 70m asl.

Vegetation at purchase: Pasture with differing wet soil conditions. Drainage ditch was drawn after purchase.   

Date of purchase: July 17, 2018
Funding: Günter and Christl Stadler

Projects:
Reforestation and restauration
Areas of natural succession
Creation of wetlands

Description

The Finca Luis is located in the Río Bonito Valley and is surrounded by oil palm plantations and pastures. The Finca was funded by the Vorarlberger pharmacist family Günter und Christl Stadler.

The terrain is flat, some parts of the finca are influenced by ground water and are flooded several times a year, necessitating drainage to improve conditions for reforestation.  

During the excavation, several small water bodies were created that offer a home to several groups of animals (amphibians, reptiles and birds).
The National Park Piedras Blancas lies southwest of the finca. The Finca Luis borders the Finca Mundo to the north, which in turn lies on the outskirts of the National Park Piedras Blancas and creates a forest corridor between the isolated areas.

1034 trees from 60 species were planted on the Finca Luis in July 2020. Specialized species were planted in the wetter areas, such as Pachira acuatica (Malvaceae), Zygia longifolia (Fabaceae), Castilla tunu (Moraceae) and Cedrela odorata (Meliaceae). Amongst others, Aspidosperma spruceanum (Apocynaceae), Abarema adenophora (Fabaceae) and Tabebuia chrysanta (Bignoniaceae) were planted in the drier areas. Dead trees were replaced in June 2020.  
The reforestation is considered completed, the trees will be groomed until 2022 and then will be left to fend for themselves.