Forty three intrepid ARC+ sailors took a trip into the mountains above Las Palmas, leaving behind the business of preparing for their Atlantic crossing for a morning of planting trees.
Charlie Nurse, sailing on Gertha 5 (GBR) said it was "A thoroughly fun day out and good to meet other ASRC participants and do a bit for the environment."
Fundacion Foresta is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to reforesting the uplands of the Canary Islands, retoring the native forest to support wildlife and biodiversity, capture carbon and sequester vital rainwater. World Cruising Club has been working with Foresta since 2010, with ARC and ARC+ sailors helping with tree planting.
The ARC+ crews planted 137 small trees from native spiecies including faya, brezo, madrono canario and paloblanco in the Pico elo Rayo near Terror in the north of Gran Canaria, part of the ancient Doramas Forest. Fundacion Foresta director Alicia Rodriguez and team members Domingo and Juan Oscar explained the Foresta vision and showed the sailors how to plant the trees so they flourish.