RPCVs contribute valuable skills to HUMR Project in Nicaragua
By Sarah Workman (RPCV Burkina Faso) and Scott Lewis (RPCV Swaziland)

Nicaragua is the largest and most comprehensive hurricane rehabilitation effort mounted by USDA in Central America and is the only project which targeted the entire hurricane affected zone within a country, extending from Managua north to the Honduran border, and from the Pacific coast east to the middle of the country..  Under USAID's  Hurricane Mitch Reconstruction Project (HUMR) USDA methodically undertook multi-disciplinary assessments organized on a watershed basis.  Using teams comprised of foresters, soil conservationists, hydrologists, agronomists, and engineers, the teams rapidly identified "exigencies"---watershed impairments posing significant threats to life and property--and priority areas requiring rehabilitation of agricultural land and water resources.  RPCVs were major contributors to the watershed assessments.  USDA's  strategy has been to work closely both with the major NGOs in Nicaragua (CARE, CLUSA, World Relief, Save the Children, etc.) but also with many indigenous NGOs.  Highlights of USDA's program include:

     $1 million small grants and training program through the Union of Nicaraguan Agricultural Producers (UPANIC) targeting 78 sites and 21 Nicaraguan partners.  Main activities are land rehabilitation, reforestation, and stream bank stabilization.
     $1 million project targeting larger watershed exigencies at 10 sites which will provide flood protection by constructing gabion dikes, repair storm drainage systems, and stabilize stream channels.
     Comprehensive forestry program to rapidly enhance reforestation efforts after Mitch, including reactivating government seed collection efforts at the national level, increasing tree seedling availability for Mitch rehabilitation through nursery purchases, coordinating tree planting programs, participating in the revision of forestry legislation to promote sustainable forestry, and controlling a major pine bark beetle outbreak.
     Providing technical training and oversight for the rehabilitation of rural roads damaged by Mitch

While many RPCVs assisted in this effort, three made major contributions:

     RPCV Jill Kelley (Ecuador), on detail from the U.S. Forest Service in Minnesota, served on a watershed assessment team and then spent several months developing USDA's  initial technical training plan for watershed rehabilitation plan based on interviews and a synthesis of information with PVO/NGO partner groups.  This plan was incorporated into the USDA small grants project with UPANIC.

     RPCV Loren Ford (Costa Rica 77-80), a U.S. Forest Service District Ranger in Michigan, was instrumental in coordinating efforts in the policy arena.  He reviewed the current forestry law and contributed suggestions to the revision of new forestry legislation that will promote sustainable forestry activities.  He also was instrumental in identifying the need to assist the Government of Nicaragua (GON) in combating a major pine bark beetle outbreak in Mitch-damaged watersheds.  As a result USDA send one of the world's foremost authorities on bark beetles, Ron Billings (RPCV Chile), to prepare an action plan and supervise initial control activities. 

     RPCV Sarah Workman (Burkina Faso 83-86), detailed to USDA in Nicaragua from the University of Nebraska, served as a forester on an initial watershed assessment team and then returned to returned conduct an inventory of tree nurseries with PVO/NGO groups which led to the planting of over 300,000 seedlings which would not have otherwise been planted.  She then continued on as coordinator for the HUMR forestry sector for an additional six months, overseeing a wide array of activities, including a seed collection program, rehabilitation of damaged cacao production, setting up silvopastural demonstration plots and promoting enrichment plantings of riparian zones.