"Seeds of Resilience: An Indigenous Women-Led Tree

Thanks to your generous contributions and the help of visiting Partners in Service teams, the Asociación de Mujeres del Altiplano - AMA has planted 2,000 trees so far this year!

We planted these trees to help Indigenous Mayan communities who had to relocate because of landslides. The trees we planted around their new houses and on communal lands will strengthen their local water sources. Planting trees helps improve both water quality and quantity by trapping pollutants, capturing rainwater and reducing runoff.

The saplings we planted were grown in a nursery run by Mayan women, in a social enterprise effort that provides long term environmental benefits and improves economic resiliency.

Thank you again for your continuing support! Here’s to planting many more trees together in the years to come.

#IndigenousWomen #IndigenousSustainability #IndigenousEnvironment #Reforestation #IndigenousEntrepreneurship #IndigenousEconomy #SocialEntrepreneurship 

Links:

• Learn more about HSP
• Serve with us in Guatemala
• More about Reforestation in the Highlands

The Bell Nursurey (La Campana) was established as a women-owned and operated nursery. It was given its name because inside the nursery there is a bell tree.  This tree, constantly blooming, is considered to hold many blessings for the community. One of the owners of Bell Nursery characterized by being a strong woman, full of energy, motivates other women to get ahead. Her face is said to reflect security and kindness, and her smile illuminates all those around her.

Currently, the La Campana Nursery has 5000 trees ready for planting, different varieties of cypress, pine, alder, and oak, the tree planting process begins in three phases:

1. Seedbed
2. Transfer from the seedbed to the bag
3. Plant in the mountains and it takes a year to wait for them to grow and be able to live alone.

In the month of January cypress and pine were planted, in February and March oak and alder were planted. This is done all according to the full moon. It is believed that the moon brings us and the moon takes us so trees are sown in accordance with the appropriate seasons of the moon.

As of March 29, the following was delivered to Bell Nursery:
1 Pound of White Pine Seed
1 Pound of Colorado Pine Seed
1 Pound of Pinabete Seed
2 showers
2 Cuvettes
5 Yards of Mesh
8 Storage Bags
1 Hose of 50 Meters

On April 4, the different seeds were sown in the special seedbeds that they have, taking into account the full moon which is believed to see the seed grow with great exuberance and strength. 

Results will be seen in the next two years when we will see a red pine, white pine, and fir tree ready to go and deposit it to Mother Earth on the communal mountain somewhere in Quetzaltenango.

The Bell Nursery is made up of bright, hardworking women within the community, and with the support of the children who make all the activities joyful. We are so grateful to have all of you who have supported and sustained our efforts to continue to grow community in mind, body, and spirit with the earth we inhabit.