HTRIP - Haiti Timber Re-Introduction Program
January was an exceptionally busy month for many of our mountainous farmers as they concentrated most of their energies on harvesting millet and starting soil conservation work in their fields. In the same way, most of HTRIP’s resources and staff were focused on delivering trainings and technical assistance about soil conservation techniques to more than one thousand farmers in 47 communities in the Artibonite region of Haiti, where subsistence farming is being done on the hillsides. Soil erosion is one of the biggest environmental problems in these communities, and the inhabitants consistently struggle with intense rain events that can wash away valuable layers of the hillsides’ topsoil. HTRIP is dedicated to helping these farmers by teaching them a wide range of soil conservation techniques that can help them reduce soil erosion in the mountains.
Trenches Built to reduce water run off and flooding
For example, last month our training sessions participants learned how to build contour trenches, bench terraces, and contour rock walls to slow the movement of soil and water down the hills. Farmers who attended our trainings are now able to organize long days of hard soil conservation kombits in their fields with HTRIP providing meals to each participant. These kombits will go until the end of April to prepare hundreds of parcels of land that will be covered with different species of trees such as Spanish cedar, mahogany and ash tree. During the upcoming summer, HTRIP plans on planting about 400,000 trees which will make a total of 2 Million trees planted by the program since its creation in 2006.
Preparation of parcels of land for plantin
Furthermore, HTRIP staff also spent time in the field in order to start measuring the survival rate of the trees that were planted in the summer of 2014. Consistent plot control helps us have reliable statistics, so that we can report on the effectiveness of our reforestation model. Part of the HTRIP staff is also jointly working with Starry Sprenkle, HTRIP scientific consultant, and Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) to publish a scientific paper on the yam and passion fruit that were planted in 30 HTRIP mature plots last year. The publication of the findings of this research will have a significant impact on HTRIP’s Agroforestry model, and will also help farmers in the Artibonite have a better understanding of the growing of yams and passion fruits in agroforestry plots.
Some of the 400,000 to be planted this summer
Thank you from the HTRIP staff, including Starry Sprenkle and Dawn Johnson.
Peace and Trees,
Melissa Sanon
HTRIP program Manager
Thanks to supporters like you, the HTRIP staff and farmers will plant the two millionth tree in Haiti this summer. Below is a breakdown of the 400,000 trees lined up for this year's planting season.
Planting trees in Haiti means SURVIVAL and an INCREASED QUALITY OF LIFE.
Each tree has a life-changing economic impact on individuals and families. To continue HTRIP's triumphs, we need your support! Donations are critical to our success of reforesting Haiti.
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