Property: For sale, 136 Hectares (336 acres) of tropical wood plantation and cattle production. - Central North, Costa Rica

160 kilometers from San José, with access from the newly constructed road, in a very humid tropical climatic zone, ideal for fast-growing forests, this land has four defined areas:

a) 82 hectares of timber plantations, species include Gmelina arborea, vochysia guatemalensis, vochysia ferruginea, terminalia amazonia and terminalia ivorensis. The reforested areas are also the home of 90 heads of cattle, raised for beef production.

b) 36 hectares of natural forest where many native tree species and wildlife can be found, protected under a sustainable management program.

c) 15 hectares of protected wetlands.

d) Three hectares of dedicated industrial wood production, cattle ranching and living quarters for the workers.

This business currently has a contract with the government forestry agency and receives $3,582.00 USD each year for Environmental Services ESPP.  For more information see www.fonafifo.com. 

Twenty-eight hectares of the plantations are Gmelina arboria and these trees were planted 16 years ago and are ready for harvesting. These 28 hectares represent approximately 1,200 cubic meters of wood, and valued at current market prices have a selling price of $270,000 USD.

54 Hectares of native wood trees have a production potential of 5,000 cubic meters of wood, ready for harvesting between 2016 and 2020.  If we valued the wood at 2011 prices, the selling price would be $1,125,000 USD.

This business is equipped with everything needed to produce wood products and cattle.

The farm includes the Lumbermate 2000 Portable Band Sawmill, a portable sawmill which runs with electricity and when used in remote areas can be run with gasoline.  

Adjacent to the sawmill are warehouses for the storage of tools, equipment and wood.

The farm has several specialized machines for wood-working.

There are also cattle corals and 2 houses for workers.

Included with the farm is a CASE tractor model 2009 95 horsepower with a variety of implements for sawing, loading and unloading trees.

Also included with the property is a Kia 2011 K300 truck.

The cattle program, for the production of meat, has three important levels:  reproduction, development and fattening. In addition, the farm has a highly efficient artificial insemination program that we have used to improve the genetic composition of the cattle since the business first began. Brahman is the cattle of choice for its adaptation and resistance to the hot tropical climate. Brahman is mixed with other European races such Aslimosin and  Simmental with spectacular results.  We currently have an agreement with Automercado (the supermarket in Costa Rica that seeks out organically produced meats) to buy cattle from us every three months.

The native tree species were chosen for their adaptability to the local climatic conditions and also because they are fast growing. The vochysia ferruginea and guatemalensis have the nickname botarrama, or branch dropper, because of their habit of dropping their lower branches as they grow, leaving a straight trunk bare, and in this way raising- their crowns above the canopy, reaching heights of more than 45 meters. This wood is used in construction in many ways, and these plantations are excellent at sequestering atmospheric carbon dioxide.