Protect Wynne Farm Nature Reserve
We'll be returning in May to have Wynne Farm facilitate another sustainability workshop for the women of Trou ChouChou. Updates to come.
Wynne Farm is a nature-reserve in the mountains of Obleon, Haiti, just east of Port-au-Prince. The reserve has been in existence for 70 years, founded by Victor Wynne, and has continued operating under his daughter, Jane Wynne, and granddaughter, Melissa Day. The 30 acre reserve serves as a training facility, where Ms. Wynne and Ms. Day teach local students and farmers, and visitors from around the world, about conservation, reforestation, sustainable and organic farming, and the benefits of Yoga and environmental stewardship for body, mind and spirit.
Prior to hurricane Matthew, Haiti was down to less than two percent of trees in the entire country. At this point the loss of one tree is felt, let alone the potential loss of an entire 30 acres. This small sanctuary of biodiversity is under threat though due to a local gang and Senator Latortue.
Destruction of this forest will quietly have a huge environmental impact. Deforestation leads to soil erosion, disrupted water cycles, climate change and a loss of biodiversity, said Alicia Fall, Director of Her Many Voices, a Colorado-based NGO supporting Wynne Farm. The birds that had finally started to return to Haiti, thanks to Wynne Farm, are dwindling. The ripple effects of every tree taken are felt, and as the plows are going through the land right now, destroying everything in front of them, there is little Wynne Farm can do to fight in the trespass in the Haitian court system, or do to physically protect their land.
According to Ms. Wynne and Ms. Day, the workers who are clearing the land have been physically violent, and are becoming more and more verbally violent.
Her Many Voices is seeking a call to action in stopping the current clearing, and in assisting Wynne Farm in protecting their boundaries from further encroachments.
“We must protect this ecological reserve before there is nothing left,” said Ms. Fall. “A secured perimeter needs to be erected to stop the violent assault. A one mile secured perimeter around the reserve will stop the continued land grabs. Before a structure is built a security team is needed.”