La Aruza

La Aruza - Darién, Panamá

Located:

The property is located in the province of Darién, which is the southeasternmost province of Panama, bordering Colombia.

Address: Pan-American Highway, 150 meters before km 240 on the road from Panama City to Yaviza de Darien, Republic of Panama.

Gross area: 21.54 ha

GPS coordinates: N 08 ° 37.68    W 77 ° 93.03 

Height above sea level: 75 meters.

Infrastructure:
Access to the property by 4×4 vehicle is good during the dry season and part of the rainy season.

Water and electricity:

Electricity is produced using a small gasoline-powered generator, along with solar panels. This land offers access to water, through a stream coming from a nearby mountain stream, adjacent to the Filo del Tallo Hydrological Reserve.

Take the road towards Aruza Ariba, drive 10 km. Then, turn left onto the track, drive 1 km and you will have the property on the right-hand side.

Accommodation for the caretaker at La Aruza.

Documentation of the property's suitability for teak cultivation

  • The average temperature is 27°C, which is close to the optimal temperature, which is 25°C-28°C.

  • The annual rainfall is 2500 mm, which falls in the period between the months of April to December, stopping between January and March when it is the dry season, which ensures that the teak trees have deciduous growth and stop growing, which results in good quality.

  • The level above sea level is 75 meters, which ensures less fluctuations between day and night temperatures.

  • The soil is a nutrient-rich sandy loam soil with a pH between 6.5 and 6.7, porous, well-drained and deep, which ensures a good supply of
    nutrients and water with good root development as a result.

  • The central part of the property is hilly in style, but the lower parts are quite suitable for teak cultivation with slopes of between 5 – 20%, which ensures that the areas are well drained and not under water, even during extreme rainfall that occasionally occurs.

  • Wind conditions are limited to short-duration gusts, in conjunction with heavy rainfall, which can be challenging for teak trees in the second and third growing season due to strong height growth and lack of trunk strength.

  • The teak growing conditions at La Aruza are classified as a High Class Site, meaning Quality 1. With optimal operation and use of genetics, the best possible growth for teak trees can be achieved.

  • Growth measurements after the fourth season show that diameter and height are at or above what is expected, compared to international growth charts recognized for optimal teak location.

  • We have an updated forest map with a description of the associated vegetation.

  • The operational plan was prepared for the plantation operation.

  • Annual increment measurements have been taken from the second year of establishment, which facilitates the estimation of the mass of standing wood.

La-Aruza-img
Planting in September 2009. Plantation in February 2012 with marking to measure plots.

Planted area:

The property was planted in 2009.

  • Teak in a total of 14.50 ha.
  • Natural native species in mixed forest: Spanish Cedar (Cedrela ordorata), Red Ceiba (Bombacopsis guinata), Rosewood (Dalbergia retusa) and Honduran mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) in a total. 3.26 ha.
  • Nature conservation areas: a total of 3.58 ha.
  • Buildings in a total of 2,000 m².

Glory values:

To the northeast, there is a view of pristine natural forests that form the natural reserve “Reserva Hidrológica Filo del Tallo” which the property borders. The reserve is a watershed with the purpose of protecting water reserves in the region.

Tectona Production, Inc. has decided to conserve and manage as conservation areas those sites that were not characterized as suitable for teak cultivation. These same areas currently function as wildlife corridors and flora reservoirs, where birds, mammals and amphibians thrive and which also function as water reservoirs for the tributaries that feed streams and rivers in the surrounding communities.

Map