Details
At the location of the newly implemented model farm plan.
Note: Yale School of the Environment (YSE) was formerly known as the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies (F&ES). News articles and events posted prior to July 1, 2020, refer to the School's name at that time.
Summary
Cody Dorwin serves in Panama as a Peace Corps Volunteer (extension agent) in the Community Environmental Conservation sector, in the rural community of La Miel, Los Santos Province, Panama. His work focuses on creating more environmental awareness as well as assisting landholders and local groups in designing, planning and implementing biodiversity conservation and forest restoration projects. Cody aims to create more awareness in his community about environmental conservation, forest restoration and more sustainable farming and ranching practices, in order to conserve ecosystems and support local livelihoods.
The main objective of this project was to help Cody’s community counterpart, Gerardino Rodríguez, in the process of implementing the model farm plan that they developed during the ELTI field course “Ecological Restoration Strategies for Cattle Ranching Landscapes of the Azuero”.
Gerardino’s motivation for adopting more sustainable ranching and agricultural techniques at his farm was to restore biodiversity and enhance resiliency to climate change. Gerardino will conduct reforestation near water sources and establish an agroforestry system with grafted fruit trees and shade coffee.
ELTI’s role in the project was to provide technical assistance via a field visit. ELTI team members met with Cody and Gerardino, conducted a diagnosis of the farm and made technical suggestions for the proposed interventions. ELTI also provided technical assistance to the community’s newly formed tree nursery group by discussing best practices for timber and fruit tree propagation.