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Fred Morgan
Sponsor
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Posted: Fri Mar 31st, 2006 12:43 pm |
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I decided to open up a thread about working with MINAE. In Costa Rica, when you are into reforestation, you have to get to know MINAE.
MINAE is responsible for the overall health of environment. In Costa Rica, many (if not most) of the trees are in some kind of protected status. This means, you actually have to submit which trees you will cut, and this work must be done by a forestry engineer who is up to date on all rules and regulation.
Then, they will come and check your property to make sure what you are saying is correct. Each tree must be written down, it's species, size and GPS location.
Recently, we had MINAE come out, and physically check every single tree. What was amazing about this was that these trees for the most part are considered junk wood (we are preparing for planting) that are volunteer in the middle of fields. All the good trees we are leaving. Think cottonwoods in the north being replaced by cherry, oak, walnut, pine, etc.
MINAE is getting very very strict - which is a good thing. People who move here for the first time find it amazing that they cannot just cut down trees. And the fines are very steep at times - and can include jail time.
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Fred Morgan
Sponsor
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Posted: Sun Apr 2nd, 2006 11:31 pm |
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One thing that is challenging in working with MINAE is that each office behaves differently. We have two fincas now - and probably added another this year. We have different experiences in each one.
Also, a wood that is considered furniture grade in one zone is considered only good for making concrete forms in another.
Costa Rica has at least 13 separate climates in a space no bigger than West Virginia. No snow, but pretty much everything else. Lots of beaches, and mountains up to 13,000 feet. It is one of the most biologically diverse places in the world.
So, each MINAE office has to deal with their particular ecosystem.
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Fred Morgan
Sponsor
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Posted: Wed Apr 19th, 2006 10:23 am |
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When you buy a property for reforestation, there is usually some trees that have to be removed that naturally regenerated, or usually, old, sick and dying trees that should be removed before you replant.
The following is what we recently had to do to get permission to remove these trees.
1. Licensed Forestry Engineer who has kept up with the refresher course in all the current laws for the trees.
2. Individually number every tree, with GPS position.
3. Submit paperwork - no you can not mail it, you must hand deliver it.
4. Wait for MINAE inspectors to come check to make sure you aren't lying. (don't blame them - people do)
5. Walk the entire farm with MINAE, rechecking every tree and it's position.
6. Find out from MINAE that a previous owner has a denunciation and had to find the proof that he completed his fine and public service (no kidding) MINAE could have done it, but they are short on man power so you just might have to wait a few months.
8. Drive to the office where the permissions to cut are. You must be either an owner, or a person with an legal document giving them permission to get the documents. This was a 12 hoursdrive because Semana Santa was breathing down our neck, and the government shuts down for more than a week then. The other office is only 5 hours. We don't measure distances in kilometers here, just time.
9. Finally - cut the trees down. Oh, did I forget to tell you that you have to register every chainsaw that is being used for the operation? We don't register guns here, but we do register chainsaws... You have to register the sawmill too.
10. Count how much you have of boards (cants, boards, trunks, whatever you are making)
11. Have a formal request for guias (permission to move trees) made itemizing this. By the way, for our first trees, we were moving them 3 miles.
12. An owner, or a person with permission to pickup (new one has to be made each time - trip to lawyers office) goes and gets the guias.
13. A truck that is approved in size and shape is used to move the wood.
When you move wood from a sawmill that is rough cut, you have to have a receipt with you at all times. Failure to do so will probably result in confiscation of the load of wood.
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