Nonprofit Begins Planting 500K Fruit Trees in Haiti
09/21/2010
SustainableBusiness.com News
The nonprofit group Trees for the Future on Monday began planting the first of 500,000 fruit trees and other native species in Haiti. The goal of the project is to help with reforestation efforts and to provide economic benefits to underprivileged communities.
Through planting beneficial fruit trees and using sustainable agroforestry practices, Trees for the Future aims to work with Haitian farmers and bring land destroyed by the devastating earthquake back to productivity. Experts at Trees for the Future say that reforestation is a top priority in Haiti right now to help replenish degraded lands.
“Our efforts will provide various economic opportunities for communities throughout Haiti and create a healthier environment that will benefit the region for years to come,” said David Deppner, co-founder and executive director of Trees for the Future.
The Haiti project is part of the larger Avatar Home Tree Initiative taking place in fifteen countries on six continents to raise global awareness of the importance of reforestation in sustainable development and carbon emission reduction. The effort is the result of a partnership by Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment and Earth Day Network. James Cameron, director of the movie Avatar, initially announced the joint effort on Earth Day 2010.
Headquartered in Silver Spring, Md. and founded in 1989, Trees for the Future works through seed distribution, sustainable management and agroforestry training, and in-country technical assistance. Its goal is to empower rural groups worldwide to restore tree cover to their lands, protect the environment and help to preserve traditional livelihoods and cultures for generations.
Website: www.plant-trees.org/projects/haiti.htm