The Final Word by Jim Thompson


The tragedy in Haiti last week has blanketed the news. Of course, Haiti has been a very poor country for a very long time. Many things need correcting in Haiti, not the least of which is the denuded countryside. Trees, even trees for decorative purposes, have been proven to not only help the environment but also the standard of living. While in the so-called first world we argue over plantation vs. old growth forests, Haiti does not even have the luxury of doing that. Here is a place the pulp and paper industry and some countries experienced in reforestation of vast denuded landscapes (such as China) can step up to the plate by lending the expertise to Haiti to reforest the countryside. And, no, I don't have some "sinister" plan to build a paper industry there. It is just the right thing to do to help Haiti with this key step to a solid, more prosperous future. How about it?