The Chaparro, the last warrior of the desert before

"The Chaparro tree is rugged
as stones and winds appear

Watchful, undaunted by torrential rainfalls
the roar of the flames of summer sagittal
In the midst of dust devil storms

Oh brave unbeatable plant
in the avidity of the desert.

your warrior expression static and mobile
descends into the ocher lethargy of yernitud,
disciplined child with green and sun
in the warm dry savannas,
the hard life. "

Lubi Cardozo, Venezuelan poet.


When the Savannahs are the American lands, and there are only the chapparos, be prepared because after this solo defender are only deserts. It is the ultimate protector of the soil before it becomes only moving sand, by the forces of the wind.

It is the great gladiator, against erosion and desertification, who battles to the end, clinging to stand, even with little surrounding vegetation, under the most adverse conditions.

It belongs to the Fagaceae family (beech tree: family of beech, chestnut and oak trees) to the genus Quercus. In general, the Chaparro is a medium sized tree but often is reduced, the degradation of soils.

The world is not ready for new deserts as a result of unpunished deforestation. Skin cancer is more aggressive, the Earth as a planet is suffering. The Chaparro tree alone can not.

What to do?

Without actually claiming to be a Cartesian or mathematician, but if it is true that the current round population at about 7 billion humans, with a quarter of it, those more thoughtful, plant a tree per person for every year of his life, we will be stopping much of the growth of existing deserts.

We are children of the trees. They are the parents of mankind. Thanks to them breathe - oxygen! - And we feed.

Really, can we in our lives move from offsetting consumption of the derivatives of the trees we have taken?. As the paper to write, on which we read the news, that we use in the bathroom, which we transform to make furniture and doors where we live. Or their fruits that we acquire. The reforestation of the planet is possible, there are botanists, ecologists, soil scientists, farmers, surveyors, ie science and technology to reforest the planet we have them, but what's missing is POLITICAL WILL.

Each time that you have a birthday, that day, please take a few minutes to plant a tree, celebrate that great gift of nature that life keeps on giving.

By Lenin Cardozo and Edith Regier