Cordwood classroom houses Cloud Forest Conservation in Guatemala

Tara & Rob Cahill have been working in the rain forests near Coban, Guatemala for 14 years.  They have built a beautiful infrastructure that includes a cordwood school for middle and high school students.  Here is a brief walk through video by the architect Charles Olfert.  It is quite impressive.   https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL17CB46FDCA1730B5
CCFC 1AAA high resolution building and students with logoThe Small Quetzal is 75 foot long and 40 foot tall on the big end.  It houses 50+ student for classes, but it also is used for cooking jams, jellies, salsas and local products for distribution on the international market. CCFC 1A with logoShould you wish to consider to contribute a scholarship for a young lady to attend this life changing school  http://www.cloudforestconservation.org/interact/Build_and_Beyond_matching_fund_campaign.phpIMG_9804Education is the number one goal at the Community Cloud Forest Conservation (CCFC) School.CCFC 26 curved wall quetzalBuilding the Cloud Forest Conservation School with cordwood construction.

IMG_7717Cleaning log ends and sharing stories for the next days wall building.CCFC Pineapple pie classTo find out how to help empower these young girls  http://www.cloudforestconservation.org/interact/scholarships.php

CCFC Conservation, Agroecology, Sustainable Living Learning Center Tara Jean Cahill 8

CCFC 1YClasses are held in the 40 foot tall open porch.
CCFC cleaning the cordwood before mortaring 1 with logoCleaning the log ends. Framework non-native Eucalyptus trees with logoThe framing timbers were all non-native Eucalyptus.  20 trees were planted for each tree felled.  The cordwood infill is mostly local pine. CCC15oo

Rob & Tara Cahill and Richard Flatau meet for the first time at the Cordwood Conference at Earthwood in upstate New York on July 12, 2015.

Should you wish to learn how to build a cordwood cottage, cabin or home, please visit www.cordwoodconstruction.org   While you are there, click on the pictures, read the brief articles, check out the latest workshops and newsletter and if you are interested click on the Online Bookstore to see all the cordwood literature available in print and ebook format.Cordwood Construction Best Practices Front_Cover_-_CC_Best_Practices small pixelsIf you have questions that aren’t answered on the website you can email me at richardflatau@gmail.com  

Readers have requested a brief bio, so here goes:

“Richard & Becky Flatau built their mortgage-free cordwood home in 1979 in Merrill, Wisconsin. Since then, they have written books, conducted workshops, facilitated the 2005,  2011 and 2015 Cordwood Conferences and provided consultation for cordwood builders.  Cordwood Construction: Best Practices and Cordwood Conference Papers 2015 are the newest publications available from their online cordwood bookstore.   www.cordwoodconstruction.org

Leave a comment