Agroforestry and private wildlife reserve "La Primavera"
A small refuge of tropic flora and fauna
Finca "La Primavera" is located in San Juan del Sur county, Rivas Department, on the historic route which the Spanish explorer Gil Gonzales used in the 16th century on his way into the interior of Nicaragua.
In the late 19th century a plan to build an interoceanic canal through Nicaragua was drafted, its path crossing just a few kilometers north of the Finca, connecting the isthmus of Rivas and the Cocibolca -Nicaragua Lake to the Pacific Ocean in the area of Brito. This plan was recently resumed, but whether it will ever be realized is uncertain.
In the twenties of the last century, a narrow gauge railway was built which connected the port town of San Juan del Sur on the Pacific coast to the inland port at San Jorge at the Cocibolca lake. This railway was in operation until the end of the fifties. The former railway embankment, the NIC 72, at kilometer 12 is located in the hamlet of San Antonio the La Primavera Farm.
The farm:
Finca "La Primavera", a private reserve covers some 35 hectares with over 130 species of tropical dry forest trees, tree -pasture and agro forestry systems. In 2002, an area of 8 hectares within the farm area was officially declared by the Nicaraguan Ministry of Nature Protection MARENA as "Private Forest Reserve" (RSP), and is therefore part of the national network of natural and national parks SINAP.
La Primavera belongs to the Central American Bio-corridor and contributes along with other RSP's for ecological connectivity of important remainders of the tropical dry forest on the isthmus of Rivas. La Primavera also offers an excellent observatory for bird lovers. Here one may encounter the rare ground-nesting Acaravan birds.
Economy:
The most important economic source of income for the farm is the fattening of cattle. Depending on the season the inventory varies between 10 and 50 bulls. There is also a herd of 20-30 North African Cameroon sheep, which have no wool dress but a shorthaired coat. The animals that are mature for slaughter are marketed in the region itself.
Livestock production is integrated into agro forestry systems; various tree species are used here as an important source of protein for animal feed and are specially cultivated for this purpose and chopped at harvest. Also, there are certified timber plantations with tropical woods such as cedar, mahogany, teak and other native and foreign species of trees.
The farm contributes to local employment with 3 salaried persons.
Impressum:
Responsible for this Website: Bernd Kruzinna
bernd_kruzinna@hotmail.com