Futuro Forestal
From Timber Investments Wiki
Futuro Forestal is a private German-Panamanian Reforestation and Service Company that in the last 13 years developed an innovative model for ecologically and socially sustainable reforestation in the tropics. Until now, fine tropical timber has come from primary rainforests or from monoculture plantations. Futuro Forestal provides an alternative way based on the combination of high productivity and biodiversity. In addition to the timber production, the forests offer habitat to many native animal and plant species, protects and enriches the soil, stores and filters water and has a positive influence on the global climate. The 3 main objectives of Futuro Forestal are: a) create a high profit and highly sustainable product for investors, b) provide an alternative to the common fine tropical timber production, c) improve the living and working conditions of the rural communities surrounding the project.
Since its foundation in 1994, Futuro Forestal has successfully reforested about 1 500 hectares of pasture land in Panama and other countries in Central America. Futuro Forestal uses a system of mixed plantations planting 6 native species with high commercial value, namely Amarillo (Terminalia amazonia), Mahagony (Swietenia macrophylla), Spine Cedar (Bombacopsis quinatum), Almond (Dipterix panamensis), Zapatero (Hyeronima alchorneoides), Rosewood (Dalbergia retusas) and Teak (Tectona grandis) as the only introduced species. Additionally, about 65 native species with less commercial value are planted to increase the ecosystem stability and the biodiversity. This model guarantees the production of high quality timber in plantations with the major characteristics of a primary forest. The areas chosen for the reforestation were covered by forests in former times, then were deforested and used for agriculture and cattle. Futuro Forestal’s mission is to transform those areas into forests again.
A further goal of Futuro Forestal is to improve the social and labor conditions of the rural population. Futuro Forestal pays about average salaries in addition to social security and offers proactive training courses for its employees such as literacy programs and computer courses.
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[edit] Quality Standards and Certifications
The accomplishment of strong quality criteria in all forest operations is a major objective of Futuro Forestal. To guarantee highest quality, Futuro Forestal contracts external and independent agencies to evaluate the operations:
[edit] FSC-Certification
Futuro Forestal is certified by the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council). The quality and sustainability of the forest operations is certified and evaluated every year by the agency SmartWood (certification agency of the Rainforest Alliance, USA). Every five years the company has to be recertified (Certificate SW-FM/COC-037, valuable until 2008). The FSC sets high standards to fight illegal logging and sale of fine tropical timber and unsustainable exploitation of tropical primary forests.
[edit] Sicirec
The independent Rating-Agency Sicirec also evaluates frequently the quality of the economical work and the forest operations of Futuro Forestal and qualified us as the best forest investment in Latin America.
[edit] Co-Operations and Memberships
Futuro Forestal counts with a variety of co-operations and memberships and is part of national and international networks. We use our co-operations to improve our quality standards continuously and to open new markets for our investors. Futuro Forestal collaborates permanently with universities and research institutes, like the National University of Panama, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, to guarantee a high standard and to establish the newest research findings.
[edit] Ciudad del Saber
Futuro Forestal is a member of the Techno Park Ciudad del Saber in Panama (“City of Knowledge”). The project, which is also partly funded by the EU- commission, tries to connect scientific institutions more to companies.
[edit] American Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Panama
The American Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Panama supports the economical exchange of the companies between Panama and the US. Futuro Forestal is a member since 2005.
[edit] Yale University
As part of the close collaboration with the famous university, professors and students conduct research on a frequent basis in our plantations.
[edit] PRORENA
Since 2001 Futuro Forestal is collaborating closely with PRORENA, an initiative of the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute to support reforestation with native species. On 15-10% per hectare we plant species like Balsa (Ochroma pyramidale), Nazareno (Peltogyne purpurea), Lagarto (Lacmelea panamensis), Panama (Sterculia apetala) and Nispero (Manilkara sapota). Those areas that can contain up to 50 native tree species are used less intensive and established for biodiversity and conservation matters.
[edit] Red Global
Since February 2005, Futuro Forestal is member of the Pacto Gobal Panama. The initiative of the United Nations’ General Secretary Kofi Annan was first presented in the Forum of Global Economics in Davos in February 1999. His intention is to strengthen the cooperation of the United Nations and companies worldwide, which is useful to enforce the principal aims of the UN. Kofi Annan requested that companies integrate 10 of the principles for the protection of human rights in their corporate policy.
[edit] Contact
Futuro Forestal S.A.
Petra Kollmannsberger
Public Relations
pk@futuroforestal.com
