As part of the commemoration of 100 years of diplomatic relations between the Vatican and the Republic of Panama, a planting of a native Panamanian tree will be organized in the Gardens of the Holy See, Vatican.

This activity will take place through a commemorative event and is organized by the Embassy of Panama to the Holy See, in conjunction with the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the support of Monsignor José Domingo Ulloa, Archbishop of Panama.

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As part of the activities prior to the official act, the National Forestry Directorate of MiAMBIENTE carried out the logistics of selecting the seedlings of an endemic tree of Panama and for this case a Mountain Pine (Podocarpus guatemalensis) was chosen, which, due to its characteristics, maintenance, fertilization, phytosanitary care, packaging and air transfer to the Vatican, was carried

To carry out this mission, there was the inter-institutional support of the Ministry of Agricultural Development, through the National Directorate of Plant Health and the Directorate of Quarantine.

Process
The seedlings were delivered to the Holy See in the Vatican, by Víctor Francisco Cadavid, National Forestry Director, who together with the managers of the Vatican nursery has replanted the trees and provides the first care for adaptation.

The National Forestry Director of MiAMBIENTE said that although a tree will be planted, it was decided to take six and on the way to Italy, the seedlings could not travel with soil, so they were prepared with inert coconut substrate, hydrogel and wet paper, in order to maintain the roots and the state of humidity.

“We take them to the Vatican nursery where we take them out of the temporary envelope to place them on fertilised land and in pots of the nursery. When the time comes to plant it, the one with the best conditions for adaptation will be planted, the rest of those who survive, the Embassy will take care of them,” he explained.

Mountain Pine (Podocarpus guatemalensis) is the only coniferous species endemic to Panama that grows in the Campana National Park and surrounding forests and that could adapt to the climate of Italy.