Mission

Soil erosion and associated land degradation in Haiti paralyzes the economy and is one of the reasons the country has failed to break out of poverty. The country has among the highest rates of soil erosion in the world. Soil erosion has numerous adverse effects, agriculture production, pollutes water sources, pollutes oceans, destroys infrastructure, destroys habitats for wildlife and worsens poverty. The massive mudslides after hurricanes kill more people than the sheer forces of rain and wind. The mudslides are a result of eroded erosions from the mountain sides. The erosion is caused by cutting trees for charcoal and farming on steep slopes. The pressure to cut trees for charcoal in Haiti will remain until alternative sources for charcoal have been developed, likewise farming on steep slopes remains, necessitating a different approach to control of soil erosion. To alleviate the problems described above, we are planting perennial grass on the eroded slopes for land reclamation, and erosion control and bringing back vegetation to the slopes. Perennial grasses live year after year without having to be replanted. These grasses establish quickly, are drought and heat tolerant, and survive fires. The grass helps retain the topsoil that currently is sadly lost. This approach is a game-changer because grass will not be harvested as charcoal. We focus on education and on conservation and then reintroduce trees. Numerous projects have failed in Haiti; we have taken very different approaches to the way projects are conducted in Haiti.