Haiti
Cover Photo by Eladio Fernandez
Saving Haiti’s Last Forests
Re:wild is working with Haiti National Trust to protect and manage sites of immense significance for both people and biodiversity.
The Challenge
Haiti is on the verge of ecological collapse. Its primary forest cover has shrunk from 60% in the 1920s to less than 1% today. Ongoing deforestation is caused by the relentless pressure to produce food and fuel (wood and charcoal comprise 71% of all fuel consumed in Haiti). At this rate, all primary forest will be gone by 2035, along with countless unique species.
At stake are the lives of more than 12 million Haitians – as well as an astonishing diversity of wildlife, much of which occurs nowhere else on Earth. The island of Hispaniola harbors over 5,000 plants, 36% of which are endemic (native to this region), and over 2,000 vertebrate animals, 75% endemic. There are around 350 orchid species and more than 60 species of frogs.
This impoverished nation is frequently featured in world news for political unrest and natural disasters, including earthquakes and storms. With climate change, hurricanes will become increasingly powerful and destructive.
Poverty, deforestation and climate change form disastrous feedback loops. Without trees to stabilize the slopes, people living downstream are being put in grave danger by floods and landslides. Without tree roots, an estimated 36 million tons of valuable topsoil is being washed away annually, choking wetlands and reefs.
Farmers also report worsening water shortages as deforestation causes wells to run dry. It is becoming harder to make a living in this increasingly hostile and unstable environment.
Re:wild’s Local Partner: Haiti National Trust
Haiti National Trust was formed in 2017 to save and protect the environment and biodiversity of Haiti for future generations. To date, with support from Re:wild the Trust has helped to establish three national parks – Grand Bois, Deux Mamelles and Grande Colline – and has begun working with local communities to address the underlying causes of deforestation through creating new education and livelihood opportunities.
Re:wild’s priority is to continue to assist Haiti National Trust to restore and manage globally important sites and species for the benefit of both present and future generations.
The Solution
We’re working with Haiti National Trust to restore and conserve natural ecosystems and their vital ecosystem services to be preserved for present and future generations. Among the wide range of actions we support are:
Identifying, surveying and mapping priority areas - including remaining fragments of Haiti’s ancient forests - and working with local communities, the private sector and the government to find ways to bring them under protection. . For example, our corporate partner YSL Beauty is investing to protect and restore the forests of Bois Pangnol.
Conducting stakeholder assessments to better understand the needs and concerns of local communities, and engaging with local leaders and members of the community to develop and agree to practical measures to conserve and restore degraded ecosystems. Activities may include setting up nurseries to reforest degraded areas with native plants, controlling invasive alien species, and agreeing limits on timber extraction.
Planning and launching sustainable livelihood initiatives to help improve the lives of local residents and reduce pressure on their fragile environment. Options are designed with the communities but examples include producing magnolia honey, providing schooling for children and training and employing residents as park rangers.
Developing monitoring and evaluation frameworks to track the impacts of protected areas and other conservation interventions on people and the environment.
Building the capacity of Haiti National Trust and local stakeholders to create and manage protected areas, conserve endangered species and restore ecosystem services for the benefit of both people and wildlife.