This article was originally published on The Haitian Times, a partner of URL Media.
FORT-LIBERTÉ—Wearing uniforms and fueled by determination, students gathered under the sun at the Ouanaminthe Botanical Garden on April 22—World Earth Day—each holding a sapling to plant in Haiti’s vulnerable northeast.
This year’s reforestation effort, held under the theme “Plant today to breathe better tomorrow,” highlighted the direct link between tree planting and long-term public health.
“I came to reforest the earth for the next generation,” said François Miloveca, a student participant. “Trees help with the rain and even help people with asthma.”
Miloveca was among dozens of students who planted nearly 1,000 trees in a symbolic yet critical action to fight deforestation and restore local biodiversity. While global climate change drives the conversation, for these students, the work is local and urgent. Haiti, already facing a deforestation crisis, sees its environmental degradation fueled by poverty, reliance on charcoal, and weak infrastructure.
From cacao saplings to mango trees, the reforestation effort wasn’t just about celebrating Earth—it was also a symbolic act of reconnecting with the soil, an ancestral resource central to Haiti’s identity and future.
For Joseph, a second-year student at Nouveau secondaire, the event was about more than planting trees.
“Student involvement will lead to eco-citizens, a fairer society, and green and flourishing spaces for the enjoyment and well-being of all,”
Alex Milhomme, project manager of the Jardin Botanique in Ouanaminthe.
“I came to plant trees to combat erosion and global warming,” said Joseph, a second-year student at Nouveau secondaire who asked to be referred by her first name for privacy concerns. Her statement reflects a growing sense of responsibility among youth and locals in Haiti.
The northeastern region, like much of Haiti, has suffered from unchecked deforestation due to charcoal production and agricultural expansion. As a result, native species have lost their habitats, and communities are increasingly vulnerable to flooding, soil degradation and crop failure.
“Reforestation is a crucial step in protecting ecosystems. Trees regulate the climate, conserve soil, purify the air, and preserve biodiversity. By getting involved directly, students not only improved their immediate environment, but also deepened their understanding of what it means to be caretakers of the land,” said the environmentalist and gardener Sanchez Pierre, who co-founded the Ouanaminthe Botanical Garden.
“I came here today to plant trees to combat the greenhouse effect,” said Francesca Romulus, another participant, echoing growing concerns about climate change and its impacts on the environment.
By replanting the land, these youth are doing more than marking Earth Day. They’re investing in their community’s future—tree by tree.
“Student involvement will lead to eco-citizens, a fairer society, and green and flourishing spaces for the enjoyment and well-being of all,” said Alex Milhomme, project manager of the garden.
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