Silva Tree design and develop environmental projects around the world, working with a team of lawyers, accountants and trustees to create a safe and practical investment structure for each ethical investment opportunity offered. By selling small parts of our own projects, Silva Tree facilitate greater environmental benefits than we would achieve on our own, as well as offering ethical, safe and diverse investment products with unrivalled returns. Our funds are operated by an FSA-regulated trustee and offer highly regulated investments with excellent returns.
Princess Project
The Princess Project is a pioneering reforestation venture in central Panama. 1,500 hectares of land, currently used for cattle grazing, are being reforested with the fast growing tree Paulownia Elongata (also known as Princess Tree or Empress Tree). Paulownia is a fascinating species; believed to be the fastest growing hardwood in the world, it can be harvested 4-5 times in the space of just one Teak harvest and it provides an array of environmental benefits, from soil regeneration to an extraordinary rate of carbon dioxide uptake.
The Princess Project is a commercial timber plantation which is also being developed as a Carbon Offset Project, following CDM guidelines developed for the Kyoto Protocol and verified to meet VCS and CCB standards, with environmental and socioeconomic benefits at the core of the project. The trees will be harvested after their fifth year of growth and sold as a sustainable timber product. New trees will regenerate from the roots to create three more cycles of growth and harvest over the 20 year project term. The investment opportunity is based on the sale of the project’s timber to a commercial wood trader (please see Investments section for details or download a free brochure).
Environmental & humanitarian benefits
In 1947, Panama boasted an impressive 70% forest cover but by 2005 this figure had sadly dropped to just 42% (1). Forests are the lungs of the Earth and their destruction is estimated to be responsible for up to 25% of the world’s Carbon emissions. Forests are also crucial to the natural water cycle, to the country’s amazing biodiversity and to the prevention of soil erosion, a problem which is already affecting areas in Panama (please see Siglo XXI project).
Experts point out that the most significant cause of deforestation of Panamanian rainforest since the 1960s has been cattle ranching which required the conversion of large areas of rainforest into pasture land. The Princess Project aims to restore some of Panama’s forest cover with a tree which is believed to be the fastest growing hardwood in the world. In 2008, just 5371 hectares of land were reforested in Panama, so the 1,500 hectare Princess Project is equivalent to almost 28% of the entire country’s reforestation efforts in 2008, or 75% of national reforestation in 2004 (2).
Panama possesses 1569 known species of mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles, of which 5.5% are endemic (which meaning they only exist in Panama) and 6.1% of these are threatened. Panama is also home to 9915 known species of plant, of which 12.3% are endemic (3). Although not native to Central America, Paulownia is a Tropical species originating from the Far East, and has been grown in the USA for nearly 200 years. It can provide shelter, food and a home to local animals, much like the previously dominant natural rainforest, and is well suited to the climate and terrain that Panama offers.
The Princess Project offers stable employment to local people as well as potential income to independent farmers. The Princess People community incentive encourages locals to plant crops in between tree rows on the Princess Project site: Paulownia is not damaged by low level plant crops so local farmers who are unable to buy their own croplands will be able to apply for access to use Princess Project land to grow crops for food or sale (please see community projects).
The Princess Project is causing widespread excitement, so much so that the Panamanian governmental department of environment (ANAM) is working with Silva Tree on a research project with a view to introduce the species to the government run reforestation program Siglo XXI
The Princess Project is currently in prelaunch stage with investment opportunities open to existing Silva Tree customers and agents only. The product will be released to the public in September 2009. For more details, please go to our Investments section.
Timber Investment
All Silva Tree investment opportunities are genuine environmental projects that happen to be open to investment, not the other way around. We develop programs that we believe are important, and expand them by offering private individuals to participate. We make our money the same way you do; from our projects’ yields.
After oil, timber is the most intensively traded raw material in the world… The (FAO) expects that this demand will experience a further rise of 50%... The present supply of hardwoods from managed plantations cannot meet this need.
In the current property and financial climate, sustainable forestry projects offer a low-risk investment opportunity with additional environmental benefits. The Princess project is the only timber investment to offer guaranteed returns* payable in just 5 short years.
The Princess Tree, officially known as Paulownia, is recognized as the fastest growing hardwood in the world. The timber it produces is durable and strong, lightweight and fire resistant. Unlike other Tropical timbers, the demand for Paulownia is not being met by abundance of plantations and, as a carbon reducing facility; it absorbs more CO2 than any other Tropical plantation tree. The world market price, supply and demand, speed of growth and quick return on investment make Paulownia an ideal commercial plantation tree. Moreover, a buyer for the timber has already been found with an insured purchase guarantee in place, ensuring your investment return is completely guaranteed.
Private investors are invited to join in this project by purchasing individual plots of land providing net returns of 13.7% per annum over a total investment period of twenty years (applicable to investments made before the 1st January 2010). Not just an exceptional financial investment, buyers can enjoy a variety of tax breaks, assurance of security and enjoy the environmental benefits and community initiatives facilitated by the project.
Key points
Low investment amount from just $35,000 USD per 1 ha unit*
Gross return of $145,200 USD over 20 years*
Guaranteed returns of 18.7% p.a. for 20 years*
Returns paid every 5 years
Tax advantages
SIPP qualified
CO2 climate change mitigation
Benefits to local communities
Land held in trust
Timber buyer with insured guarantee
*Based on introductory purchase price of $35,000 USD
Investment returns
The investor will receive 660 trees per hectare of land purchased
A lease will be registered in his/her name for 21 years, which will produce 4 timber harvests
A purchase price of $275 USD per m3 of timber is guaranteed by World Paulownia LLC, if the investor wishes to take this option
A 5-year old Paulownia tree produces at least 0.2m3 of processed wood
The total m3 produced per plot over the 4 harvests is 528 m3
Based on a $35,000 USD investment (available until Jul 2010), this will provide a return of USD 145,200 per plot
The harvesting, processing and transportation will be carried out by a management company of your choice (unless you wish to organise it yourself) which is likely to charge 10% of the value of your timber sales
This produces a net return of 18.7% per annum over 20 years, after the initial investment amount has been deducted
Community projects
In order to qualify for high quality Carbon offset credits, our project has to deliver a wide array of socioeconomic benefits. The Princess Project is designed according to the CCB Standard with emphasis on reducing poverty in developing countries.
Aside from the community projects regularly organized by Silva Tree such as the sponsorship of local schools and providing research opportunities to educational institutions, the Princess Project itself will benefit local communities. Local staff will be employed to work the land belonging to Silva Tree, and farmers will be invited to interplant crops on the project land. This will give people the opportunity to grow food for themselves and their families, or sell their produce to generate an income for themselves.
Minimum Investment: $35000.00 USD/Approximately 22,682.25 GBP/ Approximately R260,255.11 ZAR (Depending on Currency Rate)
If you are interested in this guaranteed,risk free and stable investment opportunity please contact me ASAP as there is huge interest from eager investors.
Contact: Mark Waite
Broker/Investment Advisor
Omega Land Investmemts
Mobile: +27 74 116 5213
Email: mark.waite@incomeforlife.co.za
For more information about this opportunity & other excellent investment opportunities please visit....
http://www.incomeforlife.co.za
