From: LeGrace Benson legrace.benson@xxxxxxxxx
Thanks, Jacqui and Reginald for relaying this news. Environmental
depredation has been happening in Haiti since 6 December 1492 and was
already notable in the reports of travelers as early as 25 years later.
It had advanced dangerously by the era of the revolution. As the article
states, with the shrinking of the sugar plantations many areas
rejuvenated, but already there was loss of flora and fauna species.
There have been deliberate restoration efforts over the decades, for
example the assessment by ecologist Florence Sergile for the inclusion
of the area surrounding the Citadel and Sans Souci that Albert Mangones
saw as an integral aspect for preservation not only of the structures
but of the natural area. There is also the FOKAL project that has
rescued the Katherine Dunham property, not only restoring those
structures and biological ecology but donates saplings to be planted in
neighborhood yards. One can take hope in this otherwise darkly chaotic
time that there are Haitians and Haitian-directed organizations from Les
Cayes and Jeremie to Gonaive to Gros Morne to Milot --everywhere in
fact, making dedicated, effective efforts toward the re-establishment of
the "Earthly Paradise" it once was and that is so constant a grace note
in the art and literature of Haiti. First the red and blue revolution
and now the green one.
Cheers.
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