Environmental Issues
Once known as "The Pearl of the Antilles," Haiti is now the most environmentally-degraded and poverty stricken country in the Americas. Its 11,000 square miles are virtually barren of protective tree cover. Less than 2% of the county's original forests remain. This is primarily due to people's dependence on fuel wood and charcoal for their cooking and heating needs. Deforestation is causing a decline in soil fertility, extensive flooding, and depleted groundwater supplies. Recent hurricanes have caused major destruction, not only from their winds, but from raging currents of water racing down the bare slopes. In 2004, hurricanes and the impending floods killed over 3000 Haitians and in 2008 almost another 500 people lost their lives. Much of the land can no longer support human life. Forested mountains are now bald and lush landscapes are being overtaken by desertification. Amazingly, despite the environmental devastation, Haiti is home to a lush diversity of flora and fauna.

Social Issues
Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with over 80% of the population living in poverty and over 50% in abject poverty. The majority of people are unemployment and two-thirds of the population is dependant on agriculture for their livelihoods. With the degrading environment, their livelihoods continue to be threatened with little relief in sight. Ineffectual and corrupt governments have made development slow and stagnant. Social instability has plagued the country for decades. In 2008, the rising food and fuel prices resulted in serious violent protests and riots.

Since 2006, the UN peacekeeping force has been able to bring relative peace to the troubled country, despite occasional flare ups. However, Haiti still requires strong support from international organizations and donors in order to maintain stability and strive towards development. Trees for the Future recognizes the dire environmental social and environmental challenges the country faces. In the face of these difficulties, we are determined to assist the Haitian people in any way we can!

Our Response
 Trees for the Future has been working in Haiti for the past five years to assist rural farmers and communities confront these environmental and livelihood challenges.  Over the years TREES has supported and provided seeds and technical materials to projects throughout the country.  Currently we have set in motion a major program to reforest large portions of the Arcadine coast.  Working with community organizations, cooperatives, and farmers we expect to plant millions of trees along the coast and into the deforested mountains.  In addition to regenerating the degraded lands and protecting the soil against erosion, these trees will also provide the people with much-needed economic alternatives.

For the past year, Africa and Caribbean Program Manager, Ethan Budiansky, has been developing a large tree planting program in Haiti. This year, efforts focused on hillside reforestation in the town of Leogane, to the Southwest of Port-au-Prince. In partnership with US-based Haitians Overcoming Poverty Everyday (HOPE), the community in Leogane planted over 100,000 trees, primarily Leucaena leucocephala, Acacia spp., Jatropha curcas, and Moringa olifera. Among other benefits, these trees will protect against soil erosion, bring fertility back to the soil, and provide a sustainable source of fuel wood. Numerous other projects were also developed throughout Haiti, including 20,000 trees planted in the mountains in Desarmes to protect the region's degrading watershed.

In 2008 as well, Trees for the Future brought on Haitian agronomist, Timote Georges, to coordinate our Haiti program on the ground. Currently, he is working with local farmers and farming groups along the Arcadine coast to develop a substantial community-level tree planting program for 2009. In all, he will be working with 10 different communities to plant over 1 million trees. The program focuses on hillside reforestation, sustainable charcoal production, biodiesel production (primarily with Jatropha curcas) and intensive hillside farming.