Sustainable good Fortune

It’s all in the name. The hidden meaning of many place names can in fact be very evocative indeed. Fortuna, a nature reserve covered by lush rainforest in the south-west of Panama, needs no real explanation, however. Its 19,500 hectares are home to around 1,900 animal and plant species, as well as providing sustenance for a community of farmers who live off the produce they grow in a 500 hectare area within its confines. Also on the reserve is the country’s largest hydroelectric power station, which has a 300 MW power output. A model of what a sustainable plant should be, since 2006 it has been managed by the Enel Group, which is heavily involved in the renewable energy sector in Panama. But good fortune doesn’t just happen – it needs a helping hand. Such hugely valuable natural treasures need to be cared for and treated with respect. This is why we undertook a whole series of initiatives to ensure the sustainable management of the plant and the surrounding area. This is an approach that doesn’t confine itself to virtuous practices followed by the employees, however. It is much broader than that, embracing the participation of the local people by involving them in a series of environmental and social activities. The problems tackled range from the typical issues encountered by every hydroelectric plant, such as sediment build-up and artificial reservoir bank erosion management, to the need to develop job opportunities whilst maintaining a balanced relationship with the natural environment. A social and environmental challenge Excessive exploitation of forests by man is a worldwide phenomenon and is often driven by necessity. Farming communities are frequently forced to chop down trees to make space to grow monocultures (a single crop), which also involves the intensive use of pesticides and destroys the surrounding biodiversity. The only way to prevent this is to rediscover the advantages of traditional mixed agriculture that is not just about subsistence but also creates an income from zero-miles products. Using this principle as a starting point, several years ago we launched a program in Fortuna that provides several families with the tools, from agricultural equipment to seeds, that they require to create home vegetable gardens and grow what they need for day-to-day life, as well as a bit extra that can be sold on in the local markets. Each year, we choose five families, who receive the equivalent of 800 dollars in materials to create their own vegetable patch at home and make an income of 350 dollars out of a year’s harvest. Enel Green Power also supports the transfer of knowledge to help the local people rediscover the concepts of agricultural self-sufficiency on which all of the previous generations built their relationship with the area. The whole community benefits The aim of the project is for 60% of the income made in the first year to be reinvested in the family vegetable garden the following year. This starts a virtuous process that will continue from year to year and be imitated by other locals. The economic benefits sparked by the initiative include providing families with a secure source of food and a source of income that can be spent on health, education and clothes. The environment benefits too, because the varieties grown are all native to the area and therefore, they don’t require pesticides, they help regenerate the land and boost fertility. It is estimated, in fact, that each square meter of vegetable garden can absorb 50g of carbon dioxide per day. The gradual building up of well-being across the community can also raise the standard of education and create professional skills that can help Enel Green Power find the staff it needs to manage the plant locally, thus further strengthening its links with the area. Respect for and studying the environment Another important project launched in Fortuna is combating the erosion of the reservoir banks and the build-up of sediment. We identified an endemic herb called vetiver that is now being used to create a vast planting project on the vegetation-free areas along the shores of the lake. The plants are started off in a nursery and then strategically planted out in rows 20 centimeters apart, creating a natural system to compact the soil and prevent run-off. Where planting isn’t possible, we plan to erect barriers made from the wood of fallen trees found in the area. Initiatives of this kind are all part of a busy program of activities that Empresa de Generación Eléctrica Fortuna, the company that manages the Enel Green Power-controlled station, has been running for years, in part thanks to a close relationship with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute that began in 2001. The projects that have come out of this partnership include studies of local flora and fauna, climate change impact monitoring, and training programs for park wardens and nature guides to foster the future development of nature tourism in the area. Sustainability-focused maintenance Lastly, in addition to all of this, measures have been taken to make the station’s day-to-day management more sustainable. For instance, drones are now being used to monitor soil erosion and that of the runoff tunnels, while lubricant storage and reuse projects have also been launched. To reduce travel-related pollution, public transport has been organized and is used by 80% of the plant’s staff. We are also working on digitalizing the plant, with remote water quality monitoring projects, robots being used for underwater inspections and water sampling, structural checks on the dam and rainwater harvesting to protect infrastructure that is not connected to the mains water supply in the district. All these initiatives underline our 360 degree commitment to preserving Fortuna’s rich natural heritage and to getting the local community increasingly involved the conservation of this little corner of paradise.

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Sustainable good Fortune

Sustainable good Fortune

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