Selva Nueva, Costa Rica

Location: Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica
Start Date: May 2005
Expected Completion Date: June 2008

Project Concept:

Selva Nueva is a large-scale experiment in food production, community, natural building and reforestation through regenerative design, Permaculture. As a working farm, Selva Nueva has adapted many sustainable technologies such as Agroforestry, Aquaculture, Natural Building, Holistic Animal Management and Alternative Energy to create its needs and surplus for food, shelter and energy. As a model, Selva Nueva acts as a demonstration of opportunities in integrated design and land management for bringing livelihood, sustainability and regeneration to rural and marginal Latin America.

Detailed Project Description:

Agriculture

The focus of agriculture at Selva Nueva is the integration of ecosystem regeneration and conservation through the means of production for all human, animals and ecosystem needs. In a tropical climate such as the Osa Peninsula, sustainable agriculture is based primarily on the production of trees through various Agroforestry technologies.

Seed Bank

The greatest measure of sustainability in agriculture may be the production and subsequent generations of harvest from seed grown and saved on-site.

The seed bank at Selva Nueva has grown significantly this year, incorporating dozens of new vegetables, grains and seeds.

• Diversified the farm’s seed bank
• Grew the second and third generation of Selva Nueva vegetable and grain varieties
• Improved farm’s seed storage technology

Food Production

Our goals of growing all of our own food have become realized. The entire lunch menu comes from the farm; rice, beans, roots, juices, fruits, sugar, oil, hot sauce, etc.

• Lunch-time Self-sufficiency
• Zone one replanted
• Food production for Clandestina
• Marketed surplus harvest to Lookout Inn
• Also experimented with value added food processing: banana vinegar, coconut oil and hot sauce

Water Systems (Irrigation)

Because of the seasonal dry season, water management and design is a major consideration for all agricultural systems at Selva Nueva. The concept of water security at Selva Nueva relies on long-term ecosystem changes and solutions, beyond the application of water. A major part of the water management program entails the planting of drought tolerant leguminous and non-leguminous biomas plants. These plants allow for the production of onsite fertility through biological nitrogen fixation and the production of organic matter. Organic matter and the production of mulch add to the moisture retention of soil. We are happy to say that every one of the farm’s trees is well mulched and intercropped with biomass and fertility producing plants.

• Installed new water system from NW side of farm, included a 2,000L water tank
• Irrigated up to 10 acres through the use of drip tape
• Also utilized overhead irrigation for nurseries and annual vegetable gardens

Nurseries

Our nurseries are the core center of farm activity at Selva Nueva. These nurseries provide space for us to grow annual and perennial foods, plants and medicines, to experiment with new crop trials, to seed and propagate
thousands of valuable native and useful plants and trees, to create unique shaded and moist microclimates and a place to gather and share food.

• Replanted both nurseries
• Bamboo nursery produced a new variety of vegetables and medicinals
• Native nursery produced up to 70 different native species for reforestation
• Up to 5,000 native plants were planted this year
• About 400 timber bamboos were planted this year

Annuals

Everyone loves annual vegetable crops. However, there are many challenges in producing vegetables in the hot and humid climate of the Osa Peninsula. Selva Nueva performed trials of over 100 common and exotic annual foods, some with success. Vegetable production is slowly moving beyond mere farm subsistence. We are now producing surplus, which is being marketed to neighbors.

• Diversification of on-site food production
• Food production for Selva Nueva and Clandestina
• Sale of surplus to neighbors
• Experimented with new varieties of tropical vegetables
• Increased diversity among the farm’s seed bank
• Zone One Replanted

Agroforestry

The core of the entire farm is our reforestation effort. These thousands of planted trees allow us to regenerate and reclaim this once tropical forest through the production of our needs. These Agroforests provide more than
just human food; they provide all of the farm’s needs for agriculture, animal systems, aquaculture ponds and wildlife.

• Continued implementation of Agroforestry technologies- as models of regenerative agricultural options for the Osa Peninsula.
• Maintenance of Agroforests
• Production and application of mulch for all trees
• Intercrop of species for maximum production
• Constant maintenance of all tree resources
• Harvest of biomass crops, “weeds” and nitrogen fixing trees for aid in tree growth

Reforestation

One of the most exciting activities at Selva Nueva is the yearly native plant propagation and planting. With our sights set on entire farm regeneration, we are actively planting thousands of native trees as riparian buffer zones and wildlife habitat and corridors.

• Planted up to 30 acres
• Emptied the Native Nursery: planted up to 5,000 trees
• Propagated natives for Phase Three plantings

Bamboo

Bamboo is our long-term solution to sustainable building practices on the farm. This year, enough bamboo was planted to provide a future harvest of 3,200-5 meter poles/year. This doubles our 2005 bamboo planting.

• 400 timber bamboos planted
• Workshop and construction of bamboo furniture
• Collaboration with Osa Bamboo Cooperative
• Off-site workshop on bamboo harvesting and processing

Fertility Management

A driving force in farm productivity is its management of fertility. In sustainable agriculture, the goal is that all fertility is created and processed on-site, in diverse ways. Especially in tropical soils where erosion of nutrients often exceeds inputs, we’ve designed an integrated agriculture program based on the production of all on-site fertility needs through trees, animals, aquatic ecosystems, Effective Microorganisms and compost production.

• Compost Production
• Biomass crops produced and harvested
• Utilization of compost teas and EM (Effective Microorganisms)
• Continued planting and diversification of biological fertility through nitrogen fixing plants-legumes
• A total on-site collection of over 30 different nitrogen-fixing-tree species
• Harvest and utilization of animal manures
• Production of green manures and cover crops

Wedgeworth Leadership Program

Selva Nueva was honored by a visit from the prestigious Wedgeworth Leadership Program, at the University of Florida. The visit concluded their three-week Latin American tour. Their visit to Selva Nueva appropriately
focused on Regenerative Agriculture, exploring the models and technologies present on the farm.

• Influencing Florida Agri-business
• First professional focused technology farm tour
• Taking conversations of sustainability from the Osa to influential Agribusiness
• Focused on the need to create diversified tree based agricultures in Florida

La Palma Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Honored by our early successes at Selva Nueva, we were asked to be involved in a local development project for Costa Rican farmers. The Center for Sustainable Agriculture acts as a marketplace and educational hub for
local farmers interested in exploring alternative crops and sustainable production.

Management and Training

• Continued management of all on-site activities and projects
• Worker training in nursery production, food production, organic farming, aquaculture, pond construction, bamboo construction, ecological literacy, etc.
• Opened future markets for local products among local lodges: Lapa Rios, Bosque del Cabo, Luna Lodge, Lookout Inn, Tierra de Milagros.

Animal Systems

The transition from a conventional management framework to a holistic and organic one takes time. This year, we made some very large steps in completing the dream of modeling a tropical organically managed animal system.

• Pasture division redesign and planned
• Pastures divided and re-fenced
• Perimeters of all pastures re-fenced
• Sourced and imported all needed animal supplements
• Completion of bamboo cattle structure
• Beginning phase of a Holistic Management framework
• Transition to an Organic Management of all animals
• Diversified pasture and fodder production
• Introduction of pigs, sheep, goats and fowl
• Experimentations in dairy processing
• Complete elimination of cattle in riparian zones
• Learned valuable lessons in pasture management and exotic grasses

Construction

Our exploration in local resource, natural building continued by highlighting bamboo building.

• Constructed in-pasture cattle galleron
• Constructed chicken tractors for experimental temporary chicken management

Earthworks

Our earthworks projects this year took a late start, but by the end of our season we excavated and installed our first full-size farm pond.

• Implemented first farm pond
• Attached Polynesian Loi system (taro patch)

Project Duration & Schedule:

Selva Nueva Work Plan 2006/2007

Agriculture

• Soil fertility/ Green Manures
• Food production
• Establish harvest schedule
• Build/ diversify seed bank
• Management of existing systems
• Diversify within existing systems (fill in the gaps)
• Zone one- annual food gardens
• Pond installation
• Continued bamboo establishment
• Palm oil intercrop for oil production/ model
• Establish a list of products produced, processing needs and future goals/products
• Algae production research/development
• Mushroom experimentation/production
• Establishment of a ZERI community (Zero-waste)

Animals

• Fodder production
• Forage diversification
• Implementation of MIG (Management Intensive Grazing)
• Re-design animal program: cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, chicken
• Installation of fowl production systems: broilers and layers
• Organic management of all animals
• Integration of daily supplements (minerals and fodder)
• Biogas research/development
• On-site workshop in Organic Management/MIG

Building

• Multi-purpose Galleron
• Animal Coral
• Worker Housing
• Permanent Animal Shelters: chickens, pigs, goats, sheep
• Rancho re-construct

Restoration

• Native tree propagation
• Natural regeneration of fragile environments through fencing and activity elimination
• Reforestation of farm perimeters and roadsides
• Reforestation of existing riparian corridors
• Soil erosion control
• Zone four earthworks- parquecito pond/ water movements

Management

• Marketing
• Project direction
• Clarify farm objective
• Training
• Design/installation timeline refresh
• Budgeting
• Coordinate the writing of a managerial job description
• Assist in finding a new full time manager

Project Needs:

• Farm manager
• Volunteer support
• Capacity to implement our planned Neotropical Permaculture Research Institute