ABSTRACT
This chapter shows the connection between the pervasive poverty of Haitians and their country's deforestation. It provides general background on the relationship between the history of Haiti and its major form of environmental degradation. The chapter summarizes the relationship of Haitian poverty to land degradation caused by deforestation. The most dominant and exigent form of land degradation in Haiti is deforestation, the major reason for low agricultural productivity and hence for the poverty of the vast majority of Haitians. The chapter explores the connection between Haiti's 200-year history, rural poverty, and environmental degradation. Despite recent and free elections and attempts by the international community to arrest irreversible deterioration of Haiti's infrastructure, the rural infrastructures continue to deteriorate. In Haiti's case, the internal factors are more readily solved in the short run than the external considerations. A large percent of Haitians are dependent on agriculture for a subsistence livelihood and are deeply influenced by the quality and productivity of their land.
