Did you know that one of the largest forests in the world, built and planted by the hand of man, is located in one of the most privileged countries, in terms of climate and natural wealth, such as Venezuela? Well, that’s how it is and if you didn’t know, we invite you to continue reading so you can learn how this magnificent project was planned and achieved.
The Uverito plantation, as it is also known, is located in the south of Monagas state and part of Anzoátegui state, owns more than 600 hectares of Caribbean Pine, which is used by different companies, for sustainable exploitation and the processing of wood that is later used in the industry for its commercialization.
How did it start? It arose with the proposal made by the expert in forestry engineering and agronomist José Joaquín Cabrera Malo, also known as Jota Jota, who was born in 1921, in the capital of Venezuela, Caracas.
His vision went beyond a dream, achieving, together with the recently created Corporación Venezolana de Guayana (CVG) and the former Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, the way to reduce the erosion of the winds that caused a lot of damage to the vegetal areas of the Guanipa table, natural wealth located in the eastern plains of Venezuelan territory, this being one of the most privileged places in that area, both for its vegetation, soil, location, as well as for all the industrial and commercial activities that are developed there with the cultivation of food .
This immensely infertile land was what attracted the engineer Cabrera Malo to begin studies of the soils of this great geological formation, which due to wind erosion had become almost a desert.. That is why it is said that he created something almost impossible: a forest in the desert. From that moment, he decided to sow his dream and give the necessary boost to the Uverito plantations, trying to obtain economic financing to achieve it as soon as possible.
Nevertheless, It was not until June 6, 1966, that he was able to start this arduous task of planting the pines manually, work that didn’t keep up with daily expectations, so it used to be too slow and unproductive. As a result of this situation, a machine was created that lightened the planting work, increasing its productivity to 30 thousand pine trees per day and little by little the technology was improved, managing to reforest approximately 500 hectares, which allowed the recovery of that area. desert, almost completely.
You may wonder why the Caribbean pine was chosen as the most appropriate? This was due to the fact that previous studies on the type of plantation indicated that being a desert area, the most advisable thing was to sow a type of plant that did not need to be nourished directly from the soil, since in this case it was not suitable for it; so the Caribbean pine was the right one, for its ability to feed on the fungus that it produces around its roots. Therefore he was chosen to plant the forest.
Little by little, the reforestation was almost total with the three types of Caribbean pine that were planted, in this case transferred from the island of Cuba, the Bahamas and Holland. After 30 years, the fruits of this wonder created by man were seen, making it the largest reforestation in the world, which represents a national pride for all Venezuelans.
As expected, the pine plantations generated significant and favorable changes in the region’s climate and therefore in its environment, thanks to the growth of vegetation that helped produce a large amount of oxygen to counteract environmental pollution. produced by the large petrochemical companies near the place.
On the other hand, one of the greatest concerns of those responsible for the Uverito Forest, It lies in its conservation and in the maintenance of the fire control systems, since a catastrophe of this type could quickly end the work and the dream of years of sacrifice and dedication.. For that reason, the nearby inhabitants have been educated, to awaken their love and therefore, the preservation of this giant plantation.
But unfortunately, not everything is as perfect as you think, and despite what it means to have this great forest in a region or country, there are great disadvantages with respect to this type of vegetation, since the Caribbean pine, the leaves come off in the form of needles, which when they fall to the ground are called litter and, unfortunately, are highly flammable drying on the ground.
That is why, during the year 2016, the largest forest fire in Venezuela occurred, since it was so devastating that it consumed more than fifty thousand hectares for almost a week, which caused the size of the forest to decrease and affected the ecosystem directly. Priceless loss to nature.
Finally, if you want to get to know this exuberant place, you can travel through the Venezuelan plains and stop at the side of the road to admire this natural treasure that has allowed the name of this country to be carried on high.