Deforestation
Exhausting Haiti's Forests
Although most of Haiti is completely deforested and in environmental ruins, there are still some small pockets of deceptive beauty. Twenty-five years ago, these steep and rugged mountains were covered in forest, but today only a few trees remain and the soil slips away as subsistence farming and erosion take their toll. Some studies suggest that only two percent of Haiti's tree cover remains. This massive deforestation is fueled in part by the widespread use of wood in construction and charcoal production for cooking. Deforestation has led to erosion, infertile farmland, famine and regular flash floods, which facilitate disease and sickness as they sweep filth, animals and people into the lowest, poorest seaside slums. Erosion combined with heavy rains contributed to flash floods that killed about 4,000 people in 2004 alone. In Haiti, there is an undeniable link between the quality of the environment and the quality of life.
