Brinkman y Asociados Reforestadores de Centro America S.A. (BARCA) has carefully tended BIRD forests that have helped bring back displaced birds and animals, along with good local jobs. The wood produced as a result is ethical and sustainable, providing our investors with solid returns. Using techniques first developed more than 40 years ago in the forests of British Columbia, everything the BARCA team does is designed to maximize the long-term health of the ecosystem under their care. From site preparation to seed selection to the correct timing of pruning, our technicians coax each tree to its full potential. Harvesting is undertaken responsibly, to ensure a steady supply for decades to come.
This is a showcase project cited by the FAO-MINAE, 2016 as an example of sustainable forest restoration projects and is a combination of native forest protection, native species plantations, and high-quality teak, creating a unique eco-plantation that creates habitat at the same time as financial returns. A unique set of adjacent farms comprised of 339 ha of pristine land of which 178 ha were planted with about 90 ha in teak and around 88 ha in native hardwood species.
As of 2023, these farms have a standing inventory of planted native species whose age classes range between 23 and 28 years which an investor can generate a return from a timber harvest beginning immediately. Between 2015 and 2023, all of the 90 ha of teak were harvested and 28 ha of teak were replanted with the latest generation of high-performance clonal teak stock. This new teak planted in 2015 is growing above average and being managed very professionally and under FSC® (NC-FM/COC- 00152) certification standards.
The 88 ha of native species hardwood stands, currently between 23 and 28 years old, will provide midterm cash flow until the other younger stocks are ready. In addition, there is the opportunity to integrate cacao (chocolate) plantations into both the teak and native forest stands, configuring the stands to create optimal shade cover for the cacao. Cacao could provide a revenue stream beginning in 3 to 4 years of being planted.
The farms contain 149 ha of natural forest that have been protected by BARCA and provide an environmental anchor with the possibility of attaining future compensation under the Payment for Ecosystem Services – “Pago de Servicios Ambientales” – of the FONAFIFO-MINAE program. These natural forests represent important corridors for the flora and fauna of the region. The BIRD farms are FSC® certified with certification Code: NC-FM/COC-000152.3.
The farms are located on the central pacific coast Costa Rica and have spectacular views of the coastline and surrounding mountains with the potential for future development.