10,000 Trees for Haiti
In January 2012, SOIL partnered with Trees, Water & People, Positive Legacy, and Jam Cruise passengers to plant thousands of fruit trees in northern Haiti using SOIL’s EcoSan compost (human manure, aka “humanure”). These citrus trees have matured and are now being planted. But, local community organizations and farmers’ cooperatives have asked us to do even more to help make the mountainsides of Haiti green with trees again.
We envision planting 10,000 more seedlings, hosting tree-planting days, and creating an agricultural education center that can host EcoSan workshops, agricultural exchanges, and research. The tree seedlings planted through this effort will be sold at an affordable, subsidized rate to local famers and cooperatives who will then plant them in the mountains of northern Haiti.
Sue Batstone
November 12, 2012 (9:22 pm)
Well done to all concerned. The project is inspired, trees will make such a difference to the land and the people. I am deeply impressed to see the young trees looking so strong and healthy when planted in the ecosan soil.
Have you come across the Inga Foundation? Doing soil restoration with inga trees in Central America, based in UK.
SOIL
November 13, 2012 (2:48 am)
Thanks for the note Sue. The Inga Foundation looks like a neat project. We look forward to supporting similar success stories in Haiti reforestation in the years to come.
Rex Cowan
November 14, 2012 (3:13 am)
Looks like a great project, and a natural partner for SOIL. I first became aware of SOIL through National Geographic.
There was a story in NG several years ago concerning a scientific study which has been done and shows that soil to which charcoal is added is vastly improved in many ways. As I recall from having visited Haiti several times as a boy in the mid to late 50s, charcoal making has always been a very big part of the Haitian economy.
I have often wondered whether some of the byproduct(s) of making and using this necessary/useful (but ecologically harmful) form of fuel could not be also be put to use in reclaiming Haiti’s worn out lands.
Keep up the good work! I will continue to support SOIL, and will now add 10,000 Trees to my list!
SOIL
November 14, 2012 (1:17 pm)
Thank you Rex. That was a great article wasn’t it? We look forward to exploring lots of possible sustainable technologies for increased food production. Thank you for you ongoing support.