本周一（25日）聯合國糧農組織警告，從受地震摧殘的城市流向鄉間的難民數可能高達 100萬人，對這些地區的弱勢族群增添生存壓力。非政府組織「未來之樹」(Trees for the Future)說，應對這些流離失所的民眾提供需要幫助，避免因燃料和建材的需要，砍伐海地所剩不多的樹木。
據聯合國人道主義事務協調辦事處(OCHA)公佈的數字顯示，越來越多人正離開太子港。已有超過13萬人，利用政府提供的免費交通，到北部和西南部的城市。
據美國救難暨重建特別協調員--呂凱大使 (Ambassador Louis Lucke) 公佈的最新數字顯示，在這次摧毀海地首都和其他城市的7級強震中喪生的人數超過 15萬。
美國NGO「未來之樹」警告說，有鑑於最近的強震，海地過去幾十年在復育和保護森林的進展，面臨重大危機。
於「未來之樹」擔任「非洲和加勒比海區計畫專員的布迪安斯基(Ethan Budiansky)表示：「由於地震的破壞，目前有大批人湧到農村地區。別說是遷移到鄉間的數十萬人， 這些地區甚至不能支持目前較移民少得多的當地人口。除非實施更嚴格的措施落實，土地將更貧乏且僅存的樹木將被砍伐。」
1925年，海地有著繁盛的森林，原始森林覆蓋了60%的土地和山區。但從那時起，人們為了柴薪，砍伐了98%的原始森林植，此舉破壞了土壤肥沃的農田，也造成荒漠化、洪水和土壤侵蝕。
受保護的森林只佔海地所有土地0.7％的面積（約21,000公頃）。
自2002年以來，「未來之樹」與當地農民和團體合作，已在海地退化的山坡上進行植樹計劃。不但生產永續性的木炭、柴薪和生質柴油，並建立密集的坡地耕作方法。該組織現在將重新評估其2010年計劃，將在震後受災最嚴重的鄉村社區，擴大植樹活動。
The number of people leaving Haiti's earthquake-ravaged cities for rural areas could reach one million, putting pressure on already vulnerable communities in those areas, the UN Food and Agricultural Organization warned Monday. The NGO Trees for the Future says these internally displaced people need help to keep them from cutting Haiti's few remaining trees for fuel and shelter.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has released figures showing that an increasing number of people are leaving Port-au-Prince. More than 130,000 people had taken advantage of the government's offer of free transportation to cities in the north and southwest.
The magnitude 7.0 earthquake that devastated the Haitian capital and other cities claimed more than 150,000 lives, according to the latest figures released Monday by Ambassador Louis Lucke, U.S. Special Coordinator for Relief and Reconstruction .
The U.S.-based NGO Trees for the Future warns that any progress made over the last few decades with forest reconstruction and protection in Haiti is at major risk in view of the recent earthquake.
"Given the earthquake's devastation, there is now a mass exodus of people to rural areas, but these areas cannot even support the current population much less the hundreds of thousands of people migrating there," said Ethan Budiansky, Africa and Caribbean programs officer for Trees for the Future.
"Land will become even more impoverished and the few remaining trees will be cut down unless strict measures are put into place," Budiansky said.
In 1925, Haiti was lush, with 60 percent of its original forest covering the lands and mountainous regions. Since then, the people have cut down an estimated 98 percent of its original forest cover for use as fuel for cookstoves, and in the process have destroyed fertile farmland soils, contributing to desertification, floods and erosion.
Protected forests account for only 0.7% (21,000 hectares) of all Haiti's land.
Since 2002, Trees for the Future has been in Haiti working with local farmers and groups in tree-planting initiatives throughout the country to reforest degraded hillsides, produce sustainable charcoal and fuel wood, produce biodiesel, and establish intensive hillside farming practices.
Trees for the Future will now reassess its programs in Haiti for 2010 to expand tree-planting activities in rural communities hardest hit in the earthquake aftermath.
摘譯自2010年1月26日，ENS海地，太子港報導；王茹涵編譯；蔡麗伶審校
from:環境資訊中心
留言列表
綠書架 (4)