June 5, 2026: Today is World Environment Day and the theme for this year’s observance is ‘climate action.’ One of the most important climate actions you can take is restoring forests, and the members of the Smallholder Farmers Alliance (SFA) in the rural community of Médor are doing just that. Over the past several years they have grown tens of thousands of trees in nurseries and then transplanted and cared for them in order to bring back a local forest (shown below) that had been almost totally destroyed.

Restoring this forest is gradually transforming the local microclimate by creating more shade and improving soil moisture. It is also restoring a learning space for children and youth to reconnect with the environment and better understand the importance of biodiversity, trees, water, soil, and ecological balance.  Médor school children in their newly restored local forest. Throughout Haiti the more than 10,000 farmer members of the SFA grow and transplant an average of one million trees a year. They select the varieties to be grown, and then decide on where to plant them. Sites include individual farms with trees planted as living fences, interplanted with crops, or as small orchards. Trees are also planted to stabilize slopes and prevent runoff, to restore community pastures, or, as in the Médor example, to restore a lost forest. And for this particular example we are grateful for the support of the Raising Haiti Foundation. SFA members tending a tree nursery.Trees are the living embodiment of hope for the future of Haiti. Your donations are more critical than ever to help us continue these efforts. Regards,