His role in the Guayacán Real Project, on the San Lorenzo Farm
Under the guiding principles of environmental restoration, biodiversity, and extinction prevention, the San Lorenzo project prioritized the planting of Guaiacum sanctum (genuine lignum vitae) from its earliest stages. This forest species stands as the most iconic representative of the Tropical Dry Forest and the Caribbean Basin region. It is also the emblematic species of Bahía Salinas and its surroundings—a fact underscored by its official designation as the cantonal tree of La Cruz, where the project is located.
The Guayacán Real Project thus became a pioneering initiative at the global level, dedicated to saving Guaiacum sanctum (genuine lignum vitae) from extinction.
The first plantings of Guaiacum sanctum (genuine lignum vitae) saplings in San Lorenzo took place in 1993. Since then, new trees have been planted almost every year, with the total number now exceeding one thousand specimens.
Currently, the largest Guaiacum sanctum (genuine lignum vitae) trees have reached heights exceeding 4 meters and trunk diameters of up to 20–25 centimeters. However, growth within the project has been highly variable, with some trees of the same age not surpassing 2 meters in height and having trunk diameters of only a few centimeters. Many of the trees are already producing flowers, fruits, and seeds.
In the face of an endangered species, the planting of each individual Guaiacum sanctum (genuine lignum vitae) sapling is of vital importance—every tree matters and contributes to the preservation of the species. It is our deepest hope that the experience of the Guayacán Real Project at Finca San Lorenzo, as a pioneering pilot initiative, will inspire many similar efforts aimed at saving this and other forest species from extinction.