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How many more lives must we lose to realize the importance of planting trees?
Today we face an undeniable truth, the faith of our beloved country holding by a weak thread. A country once known as the pearl of the Antilles for its lush’s forest is now the desert of the Caribbean. How did we get there?
With oil too expensive for the impoverished nation, charcoal from burnt trees has provided 85% or more of the energy in Haiti for decades. As a result, Haiti's 8 million poor have relentlessly hunted and chopped down huge amounts of forest, leaving denuded mountain slopes that rainwater washes down unimpeded. Back in 1980, Haiti still had 25% of its forests, allowing the nation to withstand heavy rain events like 1987's Category 3 Hurricane Emily, without loss of life. But as of 2004, only 1.4% of Haiti's forests remained. Jeanne and Gordon were not even hurricanes--merely strong tropical storms--when they stuck Haiti, but the almost total lack of tree cover contributed to the devastating floods that killed thousands. And it doesn't even take a tropical storm to devastate Haiti--in May of 2004, three days of heavy rains from a tropical disturbance dumped more than 18 inches of rain in the mountains, triggering floods that killed over 2600 people.
In 1925, Haiti was lush, with 60% of its original forest covering the lands and mountainous regions. Since then, the population has cut down all but an estimated 2% of its original forest cover, and in the process has destroyed fertile farmland soils, contributing to desertification.[3] Erosion has been severe in the mountainous areas. Most Haitian logging is done to produce charcoal, the country's chief source of fuel. The plight of Haiti's forests has attracted international attention, and has led to numerous reforestation efforts, but these have met with little success to date. Despite the large environmental crises, Haiti retains a very high amount of biodiversity in proportion to its small size. The country is home to more than 6,000 plants, of which 35% are endemic; and 220 species of birds, of which 21 species are endemic. The country's high biodiversity is due to its mountainous topography and fluctuating elevations in which each elevation harbors different microclimates and its own specific native fauna and flora. The country's varied scenery include lush green cloud forests (in some of the mountain ranges and the protected areas), high mountain peaks, arid desert, mangrove forest, and palm tree-lined beaches.
In addition to soil erosion, deforestation has caused periodic flooding, as seen on 17 September 2004. Tropical storm Jeanne skimmed the north coast of Haiti, leaving 3,006 people dead in flooding and mudslides, mostly in the city of Gonaïves. Earlier that year in May, floods killed over 3,000 people on Haiti's southern border with the Dominican Republic.
Haiti was again pummeled by tropical storms in late August and early September of 2008. The storms – Tropical Storm Fay, Hurricane Gustav, Hurricane Hanna and Hurricane Ike – all produced heavy winds and rain in Haiti. Due to weak soil conditions throughout Haiti, the country’s mountainous terrain, and the devastating coincidence of four storms within less than three weeks, valley and lowland areas throughout the country experienced massive flooding. Casualties proved difficult to count because the storm diminished human capacity and physical resources for such record keeping. Bodies continued to surface as the flood waters receded. A 10 September 2008 source listed 331 dead and 800,000 in need of humanitarian aid.
The grim state of affairs produced by these storms was all the more life threatening due to already high food and fuel prices that had caused a food crisis and political unrest in April of 2008. As was the case in 2004, the coastal city of Gonaives was hit especially hard by the 2008 storms.
Why does Haiti suffer a seemingly disproportionate number of natural disasters?
These are not natural disasters--they are human-caused disasters. Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. With oil too expensive for the impoverished nation, charcoal from burnt trees has provided 85% or more of the energy in Haiti for decades. As a result, Haiti's 8 million poor have relentlessly hunted and chopped down huge amounts of forest, leaving denuded mountain slopes that rainwater washes down unimpeded. Back in 1980, Haiti still had 25% of its forests, allowing the nation to withstand heavy rain events like 1987's Category 3 Hurricane Emily, without loss of life. But as of 2004, only 1.4% of Haiti's forests remained. Jeanne and Gordon were not even hurricanes--merely strong tropical storms--when they stuck Haiti, but the almost total lack of tree cover contributed to the devastating floods that killed thousands. And it doesn't even take a tropical storm to devastate Haiti--in May of 2004, three days of heavy rains from a tropical disturbance dumped more than 18 inches of rain in the mountains, triggering floods that killed over 2600 people.
What can be done to reduce these human-worsened natural disasters?
Education and poverty eradication are critical to improving things. In addition, reforestation efforts and promotion of alternative fuels are needed.
Every hurricane season, Haitians at home and abroad gird themselves for the inevitable loss of life that comes with the torrential rains and winds. But this season has been especially hard, as one storm after another has battered the island, leaving death and destruction in their wake.
Tropical Storm Fay struck in mid-August. Hurricane Gustav touched down less than two weeks later. Tropical Storm Hanna pummeled the island for four days last week only to be followed by Hurricane Ike on Sunday. Some 600 people were killed and at least a million injured, left without shelter or forced to flee flooded cities and towns. The winds and waves knocked down their flimsy houses and washed them away like stacks of papier-mâché.
For those of us with loved ones in Haiti, and for those of us who simply love Haiti, watching the weather wreak havoc on the lives of an already poor and weary population has been acutely frustrating because we know that at least some of those lives could have been spared if Haiti only had more trees—a whole lot more trees.
Without the trees, heavy rains run down the country's mountain terrain unfettered by roots that would absorb some of that water, slowing the deluge and preventing deadly mud slides and floods. Without the trees, erosion robs the soil of nutrients needed to sustain agriculture; farming suffers, hunger increases, and people continue to die.
Have those living abroad learn from this tragedy?
The Haitian people have for the first time come together in solidarity and on the domination of one common grown, a better Haiti. The private sector of the country has taking the initiation to assure all is done accordingly to improve the way of life by re-establish the creditability in the country and also to re-establish trust in the people.
For the first time everyone has gotten involve no matter their social status, education or background. By encouraging all governmental and non-governmental officials to continue seriously implementing educational and community base programs on the importance of deforestations. Also to firmly seek alternative energy in the country that is in desperate need of a quick, affective and continuous solution.
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