Early in the morning on the first day of class, all of the students were given an instructional tour of the hardwood plantation adjoining the carpentry workshop.
Hacienda Rio Dulce plantation manager Juan Castillo led the students through a two-hour introduction to silvaculture techniques.
The principal species identification becomes familiar to the class. They learn, among others, Mahogany, Teak, Hormiga,Cocobolo, C.A.Cedar, and Rosewood.
While trees are a sustainable resource, it must be emphasized that most species, even under ideal conditions, require 25 to 75 years to reach saw timber quality.
On the prize-winning Hacienda Rio Dulce CWB has been training woodworkers in the art of handcrafting Bentwood chairs using classic techniques developed over 500 years ago.
Chairmaker, Dan Stalzer, talks with botanist Emilio Mendizabal of Ciricote Vivero which is a recreated tropical forest with over 2,000 species, some rare and endangered.
Sr. Mendizabal takes the students on tours of his project and shows them the interconnectedness of the rainforest and what can be done to save the habitat.
Villagers come from all around the area to learn how to be carpenters, and how to make a viable beautiful products while respecting the forest and replanting the native trees. |
