Since 1982 Henry C. Fairweather has planted over eighty five thousand Mahogany trees (and other hardwoods) pioneering ecologically sensitive methods with minimum disturbance of eco-systems and no land clearing, using his own resources.

Although mahogany is responsible for the founding of Belize, there is limited knowledge about its cultivation, and indiscriminate cutting and limited replanting places it in imminent danger of extinction. Henry C Fairweather recognized this danger many years ago. He believes that the cultivation of mahogany (and other hardwoods) is the most feasible program that Belizean communities and especially the poor can undertake to grow themselves out of poverty. He argues passionately that with an enabling environment, extensive cultivation of mahogany/hardwoods will lay the base for the economic transformation of Belize in the 21st Century.

Born in 1905, Henry Fairweather boasts a distinguished history of selfless public service that spanned the entire 20th Century. One of Belize's first qualified Land Surveyors and Town Planner, he planned and rebuilt Corozal after Hurricane Janet in 1955-6, surveyed the Belize-Guatemalan border, sited the New Capital Belmopan, surveyed the Hummingbird or Southern Highway and is a founder patron of Belize Audubon Society.

His steadfastness of purpose, and his rigorous pursuit of scientific methods has helped him to overcome many difficulties and to pioneer environmentally acceptable cultivation methods for mahogany. Bearing in mind that Belize is comprised of many small scattered communities with limited resources, his approach is tailored to ensure that they can utilize the methods effectively. "If a man of ninety four years, can do it " he says "then all Belizeans can and must do it". He plans to plant a thousand trees for each year of his life.

At 94 years of age, he continues to practice his profession, to plant mahogany, hardwoods and to implement several other sustainable development projects.

Henry Fairweather's dream is to share his knowledge with Belizean communities, communities in Central America and with the rest of the world and is continuously seeking socially acceptable mechanisms to achieve this. In 1998, he joined forces with the Belize River Valley Development Program (BELRIV) to promote transfer of mahogany knowledge to poor communities in the Belize River Valley. Since then, he has assisted BELRIV communities in PROJECT: RESEEDING THE BELIZE RIVER VALLEY in its first phase planting of 20000 mahogany trees. He is presently planning a visit to Mexico to undertake symbolic planting of mahogany as a goodwill gesture, and is hoping to conduct similar planting exercises in Central American countries and other countries which may be interested in reviving mahogany.

The Fairweather Mahogany Plantation is the biggest collection of mahogany in Belize and may well be one of the largest in the world. It is a unique resource with capacity and knowledge in crucial aspects of mahogany silviculture, and now needs consolidation, rigorous research and development to expand its extension services to Belizean communities. He recognizes that many important efforts are being conducted by environmental and development agencies within the public and private sectors in countries such as yours and he is actively seeking collaboration and cooperation with these worthwhile efforts.

By his actions in replanting Belize's mahogany, Henry Fairweather has now planted himself firmly into the 21st century and has improved dramatically the prospects for our communities to move forward. It is our hope that those who share a similar vision can create the enabling policy environment that will build on Henry Fairweather's efforts and facilitate the reforestation of mahogany and other hardwoods to benefit all the people of Belize and especially our poor.

Welcome to the Fairweather Plantation!