Our forests
Rainforest & species protection
More than 25 per cent of our areas become protective areas. Forest remnants within our fincas are preserved and integrated in these areas. Together with the reforested former pasture land, these protective areas form stepping stones for many rare animal and plant species. The positive influence of our forests on biodiversity is also proven by a study of the Technical University of Munich and a study of the University of Panama. Also, the availability of certified, ecological timber reduces the pressure on the few still existing rainforest areas. Rainforest protection is not possible without the sustainable production of tropical timber. However, the availability of timber from sustainably managed forests in world trade renders the destructive depletion of primary forests redundant.
Climate protection
The greenhouse gas CO2 has a global impact, no matter where on earth it was produced or emitted into the atmosphere. A CO2 emission which is produced in Europe can be compensated by a climate protection project on the other side of the earth. 1.5 ha of ForestFinance forest offsets the lifetime carbon emissions of an average German.
Mixed forests instead of monocultures
A ForestFinance forest consists of up to seven different exotic tree species and a selection of 50 further native tree species. Contrary to monocultures, mixed cultures do not deplete the soil. Due to the high biodiversity of our mixed forests they are much less affected by pests and diseases than monocultures. In very rare cases we do, however, temporarily opt for monocultures: In Colombia and Vietnam acacia is planted on fallow and pasture land. This tree species is very well suited for reforesting these areas, as it greatly improves the quality of the soil and thus enables us to plant lively mixed forests later on.
