Saving Trees in Ecuador

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The city of Solana Beach plans to preserve forest land in Southern Ecuador to offset the city’s carbon footprint at the same time. KPBS Environment Reporter Ed Joyce has details.

Del-Mar-based non-profit Nature and Culture International and the city of Solana Beach are working together to preserve a pristine area of tropical forest in Southern Ecuador.

Nature and Culture International Founder Ivan Gayler says Ecuador now has less than 5 percent of tropical deciduous forest and what remains is threatened by logging and clear-cutting.

He says under the plan, Solana Beach would establish a Living Forests Offset Program.

Gayler: This is one of the best ways to stop global warming while at the same time cutting back on the carbon footprint of the city and offsetting resident’s carbon footprint.

Solana Beach is asking residents to donate money to buy 2,000 acres of forest land at a cost of $50 an acre.

City Councilwoman Lisa Heebner says the acreage can be purchased for $100,000 dollars which is a fraction of housing prices in Solana Beach.

Heebner: We’re looking forward to offering the opportunity to our residents and businesses to be able to purchase an area the same size as Solana Beach. In this wonderful, tropical, deciduous forest in Ecuador, which is some of the most sensitive and biologically rich area in the world.

Under the proposed agreement, Nature and Culture International will manage the program and ensure 100 percent of the tax-deductible donations go toward land acquisition and management.

The Solana Beach City Council is scheduled to consider the agreement at its meeting next month.