Charcoal Production
Fueling the Fire: Charcoal Production in Haiti
With each swift slice of his machete, Salo Arnold, 62, adds to Haiti's deforestation. A former farmer, Arnold says he must harvest the trees for charcoal production to support his wife, 10 children and eight grandchildren. In a week he can earn about $12 U.S. for 5 to 6 bags of charcoal, far more than he could gain from harvesting a traditional crop like sweet potatoes. So much of the country� forests are gone that in many places like Northwest Haiti, men like Arnold have resorted to cutting down shrubs and saplings, having exhausted nature's supply of large trees long ago.
