a610: Re: a598: Re: a595-a592: A cleaner, healthier natural environment - Antoine r... (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: GuyetSueR@aol.com

  Dear Corbetters,
  After reading on the debate of what to do to clean up the environment of
Port-au-Prince and other towns in Ayiti, I decided to humbly offer what I see
as a possible solution.
  After many travels to different parts of Ayiti by plane, it is obvious to
me and and many others that the degradation of the forest cover is THE major
environmental problem in this country, one that is the major cause of all
other degradations.
  Many reforestation programs have been and are still being attempted in
different regions with very mixed results. This has made me think up a plan
for this country inspired by such a program set up in Brazil by the french
car co. Renault.
  As a good corporate citizen, Renault has worked on reforesting a large
portion of a destroyed part of the Amazon forest. They first set up links
with the "pioneers" of the region. Those people were convinced that a healthy
forest cover was the only way to the development of their region. Then, young
local botanists and agronomists worked with the leaders of this vast region
to get the people to collect and save the seeds of trees native to those
different regions. The local people were paid for this. After the seeds were
prepared, some were coated in mud containing growth fertilisers, small planes
were then brought in to seed the vast territories before the rainy season.
Obviously many of the seeds were lost during this procedure but enough grew
to prove the plan worthwhile. Now, I'm sure that the Reneault co. didn't do
this out of the goodness of their heart. Their efforts probably paid off in
positive publicity. SO WHAT!! they did it and it made a big difference in the
lives of  peasants in Brazil.
  Now, can't you all imagine a big corporation like Exxon, Texaco or the
American Forest Industry Association, polishing up their image by giving back
to Ayiti a forest that would be the first step in real development?
  I know I'm a dreamer BUT what if...
  By the way, Lance Durban's idea of promoting the small kerosene stoves
would have to be a major part of this plan.
  Am I seeding an idea here ?
                                                                  Guy Renaud