Strength like a Sycamore Tree
by Becky Rosaler
But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.
Jeremiah 17:7-8
California’s varying terrain creates an assortment of ecosystems full of native plants. Right behind the Plant With Purpose office in San Diego, you can find a small tributary of our local watershed that supports a riparian ecosystem.
Tree Planting in the Aftermath of the Haiti Earthquake
By Bob Morikawa, Technical Director, from his blog “Where is Bob?”
Ever wondered what has happened in Haiti since the earthquake? Heard the news reports about how there’s been no progress? Here’s a couple of photos of a hillside where we did tree planting in the aftermath, between April and October 2010. In the first photo, you’ll see there are a bunch of contour canals still in place, and the little green patches in the mid foreground are all trees. I skidded down the hill, about a 45 degree slope, to give you a closer view of some of those green patches, which are now 1 to 1.5 meters tall.
I’m not trying to say that Haiti is suddenly going to be reforested. Those little trees have a long way to go…
Here are more pictures of little trees struggling for survival. One of my favorite things, I guess.
Below is a farmer’s plot fenced off to protect seedlings. You can see trees growing in the fence line and the little blobs of green inside the plot, which are trees too. There are dozens of trees here, about 1.5 to 2 meters tall. This plot is probably about 18 months old.
Below is another plot, which is about five years old. For those who know, this is the Pere Albert Memorial plot. (Pere Albert was one of the catalysts to us starting our program in Haiti in 1997.) You can see outside the fence there are not many trees at all, and one of the culprits is lurking around for more food.
A tiny leucaena, which has seeded naturally from the larger trees in the above picture. In a couple of years, this little tree and a half a dozen others I saw scattered around will start to fill in the space in the bottom part of the plot in the picture above. Here’s to you, Pere Albert, where ever you are.
Bob Morikawa is Plant With Purpose’s Technical Director and visits our Haiti program, Floresta-Haiti, a few times a year to collect data, conduct surveys, and meet with farmers to see how they are doing and how we can continue to improve our program and foster innovation.
We Did It!
We are thrilled to announce
that we’ve met our matching grant campaign goal! Over the last few months, thanks to your generous support, we have raised $75,000 — an amount that is doubled thanks to a group of generous supporters who have matched this amount dollar for dollar. This means that with your support we raised a total of $150,000!
All gifts will go toward the greatest needs in our programs in Burundi, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Mexico, Tanzania, and Thailand. Your support will empower communities to use their talents and resources to meet their basic needs, generate a stable income, and foster a community spirit that will lead to restored relationships and lasting transformation.
With $150,000 we can:
- Plant 150,000 trees to reforest barren hillsides and restore watersheds.
- Build 5,000 fuel-efficient stoves to reduce firewood consumption and improve health by reducing smoke.
- Build 3,000 family gardens to provide families with important source of nutrition and additional income through the sale of vegetables.
- Build 500 sanitary latrines to improve the sanitation of community water source and reduce waterborne diseases.
- Provide 300 small business and financial management workshops to help develop alternative sources of income.
- Build 150 rainwater cisterns for farmers to collect water during the rainy season and use them for household and agricultural purposes.
THANK YOU for your continued support of Plant With Purpose and our rural partners in helping us reach our goal!
If you didn’t get a chance to participate in our matching grant campaign, it’s still not too late to donate! Help us continue making an impact in the lives of rural farmers and their families by funding our programs in the field. Click here to view all of our projects that need funding. Or, you can sponsor a village for $30 a month to transform the lives of an entire community. Click here to view all of our villages that need sponsorship.
Three years later…(Part 1)
By Doug Satre, Director of Outreach and Development
Three years ago this month I had the privilege of visiting Plant With Purpose’s work on the border of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. I had just started working in our San Diego office, and the trip gave me the opportunity to see first hand the problems of deforestation and poverty, and what Plant With Purpose was doing to help bring healing and hope to impoverished communities. It was a personally meaningful trip for me, as I was meeting our staff the farmers for the first time. These were the people whose stories I was telling back in the US; stories of struggles and triumphs. Meeting them made Plant With Purpose’s work real to me, and has – I hope – made me a more effective advocate for our work alongside of them.
I also learned a lot about agricultural development on that trip, and took some pictures like the one below to illustrate how soil conservation and agroforestry (on the left) differ from traditional slash and burn farming (on the right)
On our most recent trip, I was anxious to try to gauge the change from my previous trip. How would the area be different? Would previously barren landscapes be covered with trees? I was especially anxious to visit the field pictured above, to see how it looked three years later. But I confess that, as we toured the area, things initially looked pretty much the same to me. This was despite the fact that over 700,000 trees had been planted and miles of soil conservation barriers had been planted since I had been there. Where was the change I had been expecting?
It was only later when I compared the two pictures, one from 2008 and one from 2011, that the difference became clear. This field now has three times as many soil conservation barriers as before, and hundreds more trees. The trees that were tiny have grown and are beginning to bear fruit. The landscape is changing.
In retrospect I realized how impatient I had been, and also how much transformation had happened that I had failed to recognize. As I began to pay closer attention, the change became apparent. There were changes in people, too. Their incomes are rising and malnutrition is decreasing. They expressed their confidence that in 5 to 10 years their mountains would be a totally different place for them and for their children. I’ll write more about that in part 2 of this post.
World Malaria Day: Working at the Root of the Problem
By Kate Nare
Today is World Malaria Day and Plant With Purpose would like to join the global effort to make progress toward zero malaria deaths by 2015.
This month, as part of our “Trees Please!” campaign, we’ve been talking about how tree planting, coupled with other forms of sustainable development such as implementing sustainable agriculture programs, creating economic opportunity through micro-credit and micro-enterprise, and fostering spiritual renewal, helps alleviate poverty.
Without trees, the quality of the soil and the water becomes depleted. Without a healthy eco-system, poor people are exposed to drought, chronic diarrhea due to filthy water, or one of the top killers in the world: malaria.
Recent studies show a direct link between malaria and deforestation. Clearing forests consequently creates an ideal habitat for mosquitoes that carry malaria. They thrive in the landscape that’s left by laying their eggs in standing pools of water. As the insects multiply, so does the risk of infection, and without treatment the outcome can be deadly.
Working at the root of the problem, Plant With Purpose works to prevent infectious diseases such as malaria through reforestation efforts. When the health of the soil is restored, the risk of disease is diminished. Additionally, watersheds become replenished, soil becomes more fertile, and erosion is halted, allowing farmers to plant nutritious crops for food and as a source of income. The health of the land is therefore vital to the health of the poor people who depend on it for survival.
Agro-forestry 101
By Kate Nare
During our weekly trainings here in our US office we have been reading and discussing Scott’s book, Tending to Eden: Environmental Stewardship for God’s People. Yesterday we reviewed chapter four, which goes into detail about the benefits of agro-forestry in the lives of the rural poor. Agro-forestry can be an abstract term to some people. If you’re curious to learn more, read this entry from Scott’s book:
“When Americans think of agriculture, images of large, flat expanses and big farm machinery usually come to mind. In much of the developing world, the reality couldn’t be more different. Machinery and chemicals are both expensive and ill-suited to the land farmed by many poor people throughout the world. However, there is a host of techniques that will increase yields and sustainability in these conditions.
One of the overwhelming lessons I’ve learned is the incredible diversity and provision of creation. God has given us many ways to grow food.
One alternative farming method is agro-forestry. This term includes a wide range of techniques that incorporate trees into farming systems in order to take advantage of the unique interactions that occur. Such methods have been practiced for centuries around the world, but agro-forestry has gained a great deal of attention in the past couple of decades.
Far more sustainable than many other methods of farming, agro-forestry allows a farmer to cultivate the same plot of land indefinitely. The trees on a farm can provide many of the ecosystem services of the native forest—helping the watershed function more naturally, improving soil ecology, and increasing local biodiversity. Agro-forestry is particularly well suited to steep, eroded hillsides. Trees help stabilize the soil and can be incorporated into barriers that control erosion. They also provide organic matter in the form of leaves and root dieback, which helps improve soil health and fertility. Because they send roots deeper than many annual crops, trees can access water and nutrient resources that would otherwise be unavailable, bringing them to the surface where they can be utilized by other crops. The idea is to maximize positive interactions between trees and crops, while minimizing negative interactions such as competition for sunlight, water, or nutrients.
One of the prominent interactions utilized in many agro-forestry systems involves trees or shrubs that “fix” nitrogen. Many trees, especially legumes, can, through an interaction with bacteria on their roots, “fix” the atmospheric nitrogen in the soil, thereby contributing to soil fertility. Thus the tree becomes a source of organic fertilizer for annual crops. It also provides shade, screens weaker plants from wind, and repels pests.” — from pages 35-36 in Tending to Eden: Environmental Stewardship for God’s People
You can hear Scott discuss the Biblical basis for why Christians should care for all of creation during an exclusive webinar on Thursday, April 21st (the day before Earth Day and Good Friday) at 12:00 p.m. PST / 3:00 p.m. EST. The author of Serve God, Save the Planet and the founder of Blessed Earth ministry, Dr. Matthew Sleeth will be joining Scott on this call and explaining why Christians should care for the earth every day. Click here to register and reserved your spot!
Trees Please!
April 1st wasn’t just April Fool’s Day. Last Friday also marked the beginning of our “Trees Please! Campaign” - - and that’s no joke!
Our goal is to raise $10,000 to plant 10,000 trees by Earth Day (April 22nd). We have been blessed with a generous matching pledge which will double any amount donated. You can help us double our goal by planting trees and turning $10,000 into $20,000.
Trees are powerful tools that can transform the lives of the poor by improving soil and water quality and providing income sources for poor rural families. For only $1 you can plant a tree and literally save a life.
One example of the powerful impact of trees is Madam Venise, a woman we work with in Haiti. Through the trainings and skills provided by Plant With Purpose, Madam Venise has learned how to graft trees, build soil erosion barriers, and plant trees to take care of her land and the environment. She has also received microfinance loans and financial management trainings from Plant With Purpose to manage her small business.
Madam Venise explains the transformation this way: “It is a marriage between the environment and economic activities – if one doesn’t work well, the other doesn’t exist. It is with this relationship between the two that I can say, ‘thanks to my plantation, my economic situation has improved.’ With the training I received from Plant With Purpose, I understand many things now and this helps me begin a change from who I was before. I understand now that it is us who are responsible for God’s creation.”
Here are some ways you can help:
1. Plant trees. Click here to plant a tree, a grove, an orchard, a hillside, or a forest!
2. Watch our “Trees Please!” video and share it with your friends.
3. Eat Tacos for Trees. We will be having a “Tacos for Trees” fundraiser at
Rubio’s on Villa La Jolla Drive on Wednesday, April 20th from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Twenty percent of the proceeds will go toward planting trees. Click here to visit our “Trees Please!” web page and print out the flyer! (You must bring the flyer with you in order for Plant With Purpose to receive any proceeds.)
4. Learn more about the connection between poverty and the environment. On Thursday, April 21st, the day before Earth Day, our Executive Director Scott Sabin and guest speaker Matthew Sleeth will explain the Biblical basis for caring for the environment and how environmental degradation can greatly harm some of the poorest people on earth. More details to follow.
Please visit our “Trees Please!” web page to donate trees and learn more: www.plantwithpurpose.org/trees-please.
Thank you for supporting Plant With Purpose!
Click here to read more testimonies of transformation.
The Dangers of Deforestation
by Aly Lewis
Spiders. Tall places that I could be prone to fall/jump off of. The dark.
Like most phobias, my greatest fears aren’t entirely well-founded —unless you count the brown recluse spider bite that almost disabled me from attending senior prom. I’ve never fallen from a height higher than a gymnastics balance beam. I’ve yet to plummet to my death from a Ferris wheel. And nothing terrible has ever happened to me in the dark, except maybe that I am unable to see—and therefore fend off—my eight-legged enemies.
My list of phobias has never included anything too catastrophic. As I read the news about the recent mudslides in China, I’m struck by the very real danger—and tragedy—of this catastrophic event. A couple weeks ago, torrential rains triggered a massive mud avalanche that tore through buildings and hillsides in Gansu, China, leaving thousands dead and missing, buried in mud and water. 
Many scientists and environmentalists say the “natural” disaster was intensified by unnatural conditions, namely deforestation as a result of rapid development in the area. Without trees to anchor the soil in place, the soil easily washed away with the heavy rains, causing a massive mudslide. The horrific mudslide is an extreme and tragic illustration of the consequences of deforestation.
At Plant With Purpose we are saddened by this tragedy and we mourn the loss of lives, homes, and livelihoods in Gansu, China. Although we don’t work in China, Plant With Purpose works with rural farmers in six different countries to replenish deforested lands, empowering them to overcome poverty while protecting against deadly flooding and mudslides. For example, this year in Haiti we’ve worked with rural communities to construct over 300 miles of soil erosion barriers and plant over 250,000 trees. This will provide a vital barrier against potentially deadly hurricane storms that often batter the island in the summer and fall. In recent years we’ve seen the value of this work when farmers who’ve utilized these techniques experienced less damage to their farms when tropical storms hit.
As we partner with communities to reforest their land and transform their lives, we hope that flooding and mudslides will become nothing more than an irrational phobia for the communities where we work.
To read more about the mudslide in China click here.
To learn more about the effects of deforestation click here.
(Photo source: http://news.qq.com/a/20100816/000039.htm)
Vote for Plant With Purpose in Haiti
Now more than ever the people of Haiti need your support! Plant With Purpose has been chosen as a finalist in the Project 7 grand giveaway along with two other organizations. If we receive the most votes, Plant With Purpose will receive $15,000 to plant 15,000 trees and construct 15 miles of soil erosion barriers in Haiti. While our immediate focus in Haiti has certainly turned toward relief and recovery, our long term commitment to the restoration of Haitian land and transformation of lives has not changed. Ultimately, this award will allow us to replenish the soil, improve crop growth, and allow families to become self-sufficient and transform their lives.Help us out!
Voting is quick and easy.
Step 1: Click here: http://www.project7.com/voting/
Step 2: Select the cause “Save the Earth”
Step 3: Vote for Plant With Purpose
Please share this with your friends! Use Facebook, Twitter, email, or word of mouth to get the word out. Every vote counts toward helping Plant With Purpose to continue to empower the poor and restore the environment. Voting closes January 31, so vote today! And thanks so much to all of you who have already voted! You rock!
Together, tree planting and soil conservation replenishes soil, improves crop yields, and allows families to become self-sufficient and transform their lives for generations to come.
Tree bien! Unbeleafable!
The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is now. So the blog has been a bit text heavy the last few days. In honor of all you bullet-point and picture-loving people, today’s post will be a tree seedling photo montage. Farmers have joined with Plant With Purpose to plant over 4.6 million trees, restoring their land and transforming their lives.
Here’s a sampling of our most photogenic seedlings:
