Timberland commits to plant millions of trees in Haiti By Hugh Locke*
SPECIAL To H-O.—Haiti is part of a new commitment announced September 5th by glob- al outdoor lifestyle brand Timberland to plant 50 million trees around the world by 2025 as part of its pursuit of a greener future. Haiti is one of six initial target countries, and tree planting efforts there will be led by Timberland’s longtime partner, the Smallholder Farmers Alliance (SFA).
Timberland support projects in year one will focus on Haiti, China, the Dominican Republic, the United States, Tanzania and Mali – including support of the Great Green Wall, an African-led movement to grow an 8,000-km line of trees across the entire width of Africa, to fight climate change, drought, famine, conflict, and migration.
New research has shown that the restoration of trees remains among the most effective strategies for climate change mitigation, and a worldwide planting program could remove two thirds of all the emissions that have been pumped into the atmosphere by human activities. Trees help to clean air by removing carbon and releasing oxygen into the air; cool the air through evaporation; prevent erosion and save water, and more. Over the next five years, Timberland will support multiple reforestation initiatives around the world in support of a greener future.
In Haiti, SFA farmer members currently plant trees to earn credits—or “tree currency”— that they exchange for seed, tools, training and other agricultural and community services. The net result is millions of trees planted as well as crop yield increases averaging 40%, and household income increasing between 50-100% for participating farmers.
“At Timberland, we’re conscious of the impact our modern way of life has on the planet. And we believe as a global lifestyle brand, and as individuals, we have a responsibility to make it better,” said Jim Pisani, global brand president, Timberland. “Trees and green spaces help improve the quality of our planet as well as individual wellbeing. Our commitment to plant trees is a real, measurable way to act upon our belief that a greener future is a better future. We en- courage people everywhere to join the movement by taking their own actions – small or large – to be heroes for nature.”
*Hugh Locke is co-founder and President of Small Farmers Alliance (SFA)
cet article est publié par l’hebdomadaire Haïti-Observateur, édition du 18 septembre 2019 Vol. XXXXIX no.37, et se trouve en P.14, à : http://haiti-observateur.info/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/H-O-18-sept-2019.pdf
