Trees, Water & People Fall 2010 Newsletter
Content
Forests Forever
The Newsletter of Trees, Water & People
TWP Co-founder STuarT ConWay WinS SargenT Shriver aWard
By Heather Herrell, Development Director On June 25, 2010, Stuart Conway, Co-founder and International Director of Trees, Water & People (TWP), was honored in Washington D.C. with the 2010 Sargent Shriver Award for Distinguished Humanitarian Service. The prestigious award was presented by the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA), the nation’s leading nonprofit organization supporting Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCV) and the Peace Corps community. Stuart is a proud RPCV who served in Guatemala for three years as an Extension Agent and Trainer for the Conservation of Natural Resources Program. “We are excited to honor Stuart Conway for his untiring conservation efforts on behalf of communities worldwide,” said Kevin Quigley, president of the NPCA. “His commitment is in the finest tradition of Peace Corps Volunteers since the days of Sargent Shriver.” The Shriver Award is given by NPCA each year to an Stuart Conway (R) with Guatemalan partners RPCV who continues to and TWP Board Member Patrick Flynn (L) make a sustained and distinguished contribution to humanitarian causes at home or abroad, or is an innovative social entrepreneur whose actions will bring about significant long-term change. The award is named after the tremendous contributions of the first Peace Corps Director, Sargent Shriver, in the founding and development of the Peace Corps. “The innovative efforts of Stuart Conway help further the mission of the Peace Corps and help to bring attention to the enormous contributions Volunteers make during and after service at home and abroad,” adds Quigley. “We are pleased to recognize his efforts with this award.” Congratulations, Stuart!
Printed on recycled paper with vegetable-based ink
Fall 2010
in this issue
Sargent Shriver Award..............1 Letter From the Board..............2 Wind Turbine Training..............3 Tribal Lands Program............3,6 Hurricane Agatha Update.......4 International Program..........4-5 Volunteer Spotlight...................7 Creating Wetlands.....................7 Waffles Plant a Forest...............8 Your True Nature.......................9
2
general informaTion
TreeS, WaTer & PeoPle
Dear Friends of Trees, Water & People, Ten years ago, I happened upon Stuart Conway and his wife, Jenny Bramhall, at our neighborhood pond. Recent arrivals from Washington D.C., they were eager to make new friends for their fledgling nonprofit, Trees, Water & People (TWP). They realized that their reforestation efforts in Central America would go up in smoke unless someone figured out how to burn less firewood for daily cooking. In response, TWP developed the fuel-efficient Justa stove to fight deforestation on two fronts: in the forest and in the home. I was hooked - particularly by the simplicity of the improved stove project which was bringing significant health and economic benefits to families. I decided right then to hitch my wagon to Stuart and Jenny’s star. A decade later, I am Secretary to the TWP Board of Directors and thrilled to see the seeds we planted in the 90’s have come to fruition! I have realized some of my fondest dreams by vicariously planting forests and being a part of the TWP family. We are responding to some of the most critical issues of our time with our efforts to reduce global climate change and help people in need. It’s so simple! Won’t you please join us today? Adele Dinsmore Secretary to the TWP Board of Directors
Board
President - Jon Becker Vice President - Jim Volpa Treasurer - Kevin Shaw Secretary - Adele Dinsmore Members - Jenny Bramhall, Gerry Conway Jr., Laura Davis, Patrick Flynn, Jeremy Foster, Kathy Cosgove Green, Mona Newton, Garth Rogers
of
direCTorS
STaff
Stuart Conway - International Director Richard Fox - National Director Sebastian Africano - Deputy Intl. Director Claudia Menendez - Intl. Program Coordinator Liz Sunderland - Tribal Lands Coordinator Heather Herrell - Development Director Diane Vella - Finance Director Lacey Gaechter - Local Engagement Manager Amanda Haggerty - Data & Mailings Manager Carol Johnson - Major Donor Manager Megan Maiolo - Social Marketing Coordinator
Program ParTnerS
AMURT Marlyng Buitrago - PROLEÑA, Nicaragua Armando Hernandez - AAP, El Salvador Vahid Jahangiri - International Lifeline Fund Leonel Jarquín - Guatemala Ignacio Osorto - AHDESA, Honduras Henry Red Cloud - Lakota Solar Enterprises, SD John Giordanengo - Wildlands Restoration Volunteers, CO
ConSulTanTS
Aprovecho Research Center Korie Burroughs – Intl. Development Intern Catherine Helin – Tribal Development Intern Christy Proulx – Marketing Intern David Taft – International Intern Tia Thompson – Tribal Development Intern Melissa Web – Intl. Development Intern Zach Vander Meeden – Marketing Intern
633 Remington St T Fort Collins, CO T 80524 877-606-4TWP T www.treeswaterpeople.org
and
inTernS
Trees, Water & People
When you donate to Trees, Water & People you can be confident that your hard earned money is used responsibly to bring about real, sustainable change.
TreeS, WaTer & PeoPle neWSleTTer - fall 2010
TriBal landS Program
3
henry red Cloud reCognized for reneWaBle energy advoCaCy
Trees, Water & People’s partner, Henry Red Cloud was honored by the Nuclear-Free Future Award (NFFA) for his efforts to bring clean, renewable energy to tribal lands. Since 1998, NFFA has honored and facilitated the ongoing work of individuals and initiatives struggling to bring an end to the “Nuclear Age.” An independent nonprofit group based in Germany, NFFA works closely with the Alternative Nobel Prize and has been called by Berlin newspaper Taz, “the most important anti-nuke award in the world.” Henry received his Special Recognition award on September 30 during a public event at New York City’s historic Cooper Union. Henry’s work was also recognized at the Interstate Renewable Energy Council’s (IREC) annual meeting in Los Angeles on October 11. Henry’s successful effort to bring green jobs and solar heating to Great Plains tribes through Department of Interior funding was honored in the category of “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Projects.” Congratulations, Henry!
Trainees raise the SkyStream wind turbine as part of workshop at RCREC
firST Wind energy Training SeSSion
By Liz Sunderland, Tribal Lands Coordinator Participants in the Introduction to Small Wind Turbines, a three-day workshop held in early July, took apart and then rebuilt the SkyStream 3.7, a 2-kilowatt gridtied turbine located at the Red Cloud Renewable Energy Center (RCREC). Besides gaining hands-on experience installing the turbine, trainees covered the basic principles of residential and community-scale wind turbines, and practiced using remote-reading software to analyze the turbine’s electricity output. We were especially happy that four “Solar Warriors” from the Cheyenne River Reservation – who previously completed a ten-day course on solar heating at RCREC – were able to return and add wind energy to their renewable energy skill set! Helping people and the planet
Henry Red Cloud sings at the 2010 Nuclear-Free Future Award Ceremony
4
inTernaTional Program
SToveS KeeP
on
CooKing
By Claudia Menendez, Intl. Program Coordinator It’s always inspiring to receive good news from the field. In July, Arboles y Agua para el Pueblo (AAP) in El Salvador did a follow-up visit to the community of El Coco, where Trees, Water & People (TWP) first began working, to check on the condition of their Justa stoves. Doña Hilda, AAP stove promoter, visited five households with stoves ranging from seven - nine years old. Twenty percent were in good condition without any repairs. The other eighty percent had the griddles replaced only once after four - five years of daily use and are still performing to the cook’s needs and expectations. Trees, Water & People would like to congratulate AAP for a job well done!
flour, oil, beans, rice, sugar, salt, juice, and water. Mayor Jarquín visited nine communities to deliver food and examine the gravity of the situation. The food shortage will be most pronounced in the coming months as many crops were lost in the massive flooding. After this destructive rainy season, Mayor Leonel and team will have a tremendous task before them replanting the fruit trees that were damaged.
arT BringS aWareneSS
for
haiTi
On Saturday, September 25th Denver’s EventGallery 910Arts hosted the Haitian Awareness Panel. Colorado organizations working in Haiti including Trees, Water & People, Colorado Haiti Project, Renewal 4 Haiti, The Lambi Fund, Wish for Haiti, and Lespwa (Hope) Haiti gathered to discuss reconstruction efforts after the devastating earthquake. The event is a precursor to an exhibition of Haitian art scheduled for May 2011. The exhibit will feature photographs by Ray Tollison and Colby Brown of Lespwa Haiti, showcasing the work of several non-governmental organizations, including Trees, Water & People. The photographs show the struggles and the spirit of the Haitian people and can be previewed at www.lespwahaiti.com.
Justa stove burning strong after seven years
hurriCane agaTha uPdaTe
The hurricane season this year has had no mercy on Guatemala, and there is still fear of what may come. In June, Hurricane Agatha pummeled the country and left its mark. A gaping sinkhole 18 meters wide and 100 meters deep opened up in the middle of a neighborhood in Guatemala City. Roads were washed out, bridges collapsed, and thousands of homes and farmlands in Tiquisate were inundated leaving many homeless. Collaborating with Leonel Jarquín, Mayor of Tiquisate, Trees, Water & People (TWP) assisted 2,915 families with emergency food baskets that included corn
Rocket Stove photo by Ray Tollison
TreeS, WaTer & PeoPle neWSleTTer - fall 2010
inTernaTional Program
5
more SuCCeSS
for
ahdeSa
By Sebastian Africano, Deputy International Director After building 3,200 Justa stoves in the first quarter of 2010, the Honduran Association of Development (AHDESA) and Trees, Water & People (TWP) are proposing the creation of five regional improved stove factories in Honduras. These new stove factories will target tortilla producers, traditional cooks, candy producers, and bakers, all of whom dedicate a large portion of their revenues to purchasing fuel. Stoves tested in several of these business types have recorded reductions in fuel use by 40% - 80%, lowering annual fuel expenditure by hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. In addition to new stove factory project, TWP and AHDESA have submitted a proposal to the Energy and Environment Partnership with Central America (Alianza en Energía y Ambiente: AEA) for the construction of 60 fuel-efficient ceramics kilns for indigenous potters in Olancho, Honduras. This $65,000 project will build on the successes of a similar AEA pilot project involving fuel-efficient kilns just south of Tegucigalpa in Ojojona last year.
Women cooking tortillas on their Ecostove
aPProPriaTe TeChnology ConServeS niCaraguan foreSTS
By Claudia Menendez, Intl. Program Coordinator PROLEÑA continues to be a leader for biomass related research and development in Nicaragua. In June, PROLEÑA completed two research studies funded by the World Bank and the Nicaraguan Minister of Energy and Mines. One study evaluated charcoal production methods and improved stove designs for use on the Caribbean coast of the country. The trials compared traditional and improved methods for making charcoal to demonstrate how charcoal yields and safety increase by using the dome charcoal kiln. The second study tested alternative fuel blowers for kilns to reduce firewood used in ceramic production. PROLEÑA’s prototype blower uses agricultural waste with wood fuel and can reduce firewood use by up to 80%. Although both studies had positive results, PROLEÑA has not yet secured funding for these projects. Trees, Water & People’s international team is working to connect PROLEÑA with our Haiti initiatives for a South-South partner training. Sharing PROLEÑA’s new developments for alternative fuels and improved stove designs with ceramic producers in Haiti will reduce dependency on scarce firewood resources there.
The AHDESA team posing for a photo
Helping people and the planet
6
TriBal landS Program
TWP’S firST laKoTa advenTure
In September Trees, Water & People (TWP) hosted the first Lakota Adventure – a close-up view of our Tribal Lands Renewable Energy Program on the Pine Ridge and Rosebud Reservations in South Dakota. Our six participants came from Ontario, Berlin, Massachusetts, Illinois and Colorado. They joined TWP’s National Director Richard Fox, staff members Liz Sunderland and Lacey Gaechter, and intern Tia Thompson for a week-long exploration of Lakota history and culture. Participants were hosted by Henry Red Cloud at the
Hiking in Badlands National Park Adventurers also toured neighboring Rosebud Reservation, home of the Sicanyu Lakota, with local guide Ronald Neiss and spent a day in the Badlands with wildlife biologist Richard Sherman. Special thanks to Bill Hundley of Hundley’s Gourmet Catering (Fort Collins, CO) for providing exceptional meals and to our Lakota guides and friends for sharing their lives and wisdom: Leonard Little Finger, Lawrence Swallow, Bernard Cuny, The Little Thunder Family, Henry, Avery, Silas and Timothy Red Cloud, Keva Herman, Ronald Neiss, Maria Iyotte, and Richard Sherman.
Group shot at the RCREC campground Red Cloud Renewable Energy Center (RCREC) on Pine Ridge. Highlights of the week included installing a new solar heating system for Chief Oliver Red Cloud, watching the dancers’ Grand Entry at a local Pow Wow, and meeting with influential members of the Oglala Lakota Tribe.
“For me, the Lakota Adventure was a journey of the heart and of the mind. It combined practical questions with new ideas, while respecting the mores of the Lakota culture.”
-Lakota Adventure participant and TWP Board Member, Gerry Conway, Jr. Rosie Little Thunder shows Barbara one of her quilts. Her sewing machine sits next to the hot air vent from her LSE solar heater.
TreeS, WaTer & PeoPle neWSleTTer - fall 2010
TWP
volunTeer SPoTlighT
By Lacey Gaechter, Local Engagement Manager
in The
CommuniTy
7
Did you know that volunteers donate over 1,500 hours to Trees, Water & People (TWP) each year? In a very real sense, we could not accomplish what we do without the more than 100 people who contribute their time and talent annually, helping with everything from planting trees to stuffing envelopes and grant writing. One of these outstanding individuals, Christy Proulx, approached us as a volunteer in 2008 and, when she graduated from Colorado State University in May of this year, she transitioned to a Marketing Intern, donating even more of her time. In addition to the day-today assistance Christy provides, we owe her infinite thanks for the many large projects of which she has been an integral part: our 2008 Annual Report, our organizational brochure, countless updates and maintenance of our website, and most especially the single-handed creation of the Lakota Solar Enterprise website (www.lakotasolarenterprises.com). Christy’s abilities and generosity constantly amaze us all, and we cannot thank her enough!
Volunteers plant wetland grasses
ParTnerShiP CreaTeS WeTlandS
By Lacey Gaechter, Local Engagement Manager This planting season, Trees, Water & People’s partnership with the Wildlands Restoration Volunteers (WRV) budded to include five projects. Pictured is a group of children helping to establish native wetland plants at our August 21 Wetland Demonstration project at the Gardens at Spring Creek, an outdoor horticultural and ecological education facility in Fort Collins. With WRV and Trees, Water & People volunteers and tools, we expanded an existing wetland and created an educational boardwalk. The wetland will not only provide additional habitat for wildlife, but will just as critically serve as an example, educating children and the general public as to the importance of these ecosystems in all our lives. Thanks to the Wildlands Restoration Volunteers for the tremendous amount of planning and preparation that went into the Wetland Demonstration!
KeeP uP WiTh TreeS, WaTer & PeoPle!
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and our blog!
Helping people and the planet
8
maKing
WaffleS PlanT
a
a
differenCe
Program SProuTS from ParTnerShiP
Ilan Shamir has been a generous donor to Trees, Water & People (TWP) since 1998. His creativity and vision have generated $100,000 in gifts to plant trees. Ilan founded Your True Nature (www.yourtruenature.com) selling electronic and paper greeting cards, books, T-shirts, bookmarks, and posters. He shared his idea of planting trees to replace those used for paper with TWP, and in 2001 the 100% Replanted program was created (www.replanttrees.org). Your True Nature replaces trees used from company paper and products by donating through the 100% Replanted program. Additionally, customers can purchase Your True Nature greeting cards, which include the cost of planting a tree with TWP. Ilan’s great idea has helped to plant more than 100,000 trees in El Salvador. The collaboration has resulted in 115 individual and business donors to the program. Several companies have adopted a 100% Replanted philosophy to replant trees from company paper use including Allegro Coffee, Books of Discovery, The Healing Path, Local Living Economy Project, Lucuma Designs, Wabi-Ware, and Wood Joiners. Thank you, Ilan, for inspiring people to live in harmony with the earth!
foreST
By Carol Johnson, Major Donor Manager Stacey Baumgarn met Mike Ray while attending college in 1988 and they quickly became friends. Later, each moved to Fort Collins where they lived across the street from one another. Tragically, on September 10, 1999 at the age of 29, Mike Ray’s life was taken. In the year following Mike’s murder, Stacey and his wife, Jennifer Davey, had the idea of bringing friends, family, and community together for an annual Waffle Feed to celebrate and remember the rich spirit of Mike’s friendship. While the Waffle Feed is free and open to all, participants are asked to contribute $1 to plant a tree as a memorial to Mike. To date, over 900 people have planted more than 6,500 trees in the Mike Ray Memorial Forest in communities near the Magdalena Protected area of El Salvador.
Mike Ray
While remembering Mike was the original motivation for the Waffle Feed, rekindling long-held friendships, making new friends, and building community are now the focus. By bringing people together, Mike’s spirit lives on in the trees. You too can memorialize a loved one by starting a memorial forest. Please contact twp@treeswaterpeople. org for more information.
Join
•
The
greaT oaK legaCy CirCle
In your estate plan, name TWP: As a beneficiary of your insurance policy, retirement plan, or a bank or stock account “Payable on Death.” In your will with a certain dollar amount, a parcel of real estate, stocks, bonds, or other assets, or with a specific percentage of your estate. Trees, Water & People, Employer ID 84-1462044
•
TreeS, WaTer & PeoPle neWSleTTer - fall 2010
The Newsletter of Trees, Water & People
TWP Co-founder STuarT ConWay WinS SargenT Shriver aWard
By Heather Herrell, Development Director On June 25, 2010, Stuart Conway, Co-founder and International Director of Trees, Water & People (TWP), was honored in Washington D.C. with the 2010 Sargent Shriver Award for Distinguished Humanitarian Service. The prestigious award was presented by the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA), the nation’s leading nonprofit organization supporting Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCV) and the Peace Corps community. Stuart is a proud RPCV who served in Guatemala for three years as an Extension Agent and Trainer for the Conservation of Natural Resources Program. “We are excited to honor Stuart Conway for his untiring conservation efforts on behalf of communities worldwide,” said Kevin Quigley, president of the NPCA. “His commitment is in the finest tradition of Peace Corps Volunteers since the days of Sargent Shriver.” The Shriver Award is given by NPCA each year to an Stuart Conway (R) with Guatemalan partners RPCV who continues to and TWP Board Member Patrick Flynn (L) make a sustained and distinguished contribution to humanitarian causes at home or abroad, or is an innovative social entrepreneur whose actions will bring about significant long-term change. The award is named after the tremendous contributions of the first Peace Corps Director, Sargent Shriver, in the founding and development of the Peace Corps. “The innovative efforts of Stuart Conway help further the mission of the Peace Corps and help to bring attention to the enormous contributions Volunteers make during and after service at home and abroad,” adds Quigley. “We are pleased to recognize his efforts with this award.” Congratulations, Stuart!
Printed on recycled paper with vegetable-based ink
Fall 2010
in this issue
Sargent Shriver Award..............1 Letter From the Board..............2 Wind Turbine Training..............3 Tribal Lands Program............3,6 Hurricane Agatha Update.......4 International Program..........4-5 Volunteer Spotlight...................7 Creating Wetlands.....................7 Waffles Plant a Forest...............8 Your True Nature.......................9
2
general informaTion
TreeS, WaTer & PeoPle
Dear Friends of Trees, Water & People, Ten years ago, I happened upon Stuart Conway and his wife, Jenny Bramhall, at our neighborhood pond. Recent arrivals from Washington D.C., they were eager to make new friends for their fledgling nonprofit, Trees, Water & People (TWP). They realized that their reforestation efforts in Central America would go up in smoke unless someone figured out how to burn less firewood for daily cooking. In response, TWP developed the fuel-efficient Justa stove to fight deforestation on two fronts: in the forest and in the home. I was hooked - particularly by the simplicity of the improved stove project which was bringing significant health and economic benefits to families. I decided right then to hitch my wagon to Stuart and Jenny’s star. A decade later, I am Secretary to the TWP Board of Directors and thrilled to see the seeds we planted in the 90’s have come to fruition! I have realized some of my fondest dreams by vicariously planting forests and being a part of the TWP family. We are responding to some of the most critical issues of our time with our efforts to reduce global climate change and help people in need. It’s so simple! Won’t you please join us today? Adele Dinsmore Secretary to the TWP Board of Directors
Board
President - Jon Becker Vice President - Jim Volpa Treasurer - Kevin Shaw Secretary - Adele Dinsmore Members - Jenny Bramhall, Gerry Conway Jr., Laura Davis, Patrick Flynn, Jeremy Foster, Kathy Cosgove Green, Mona Newton, Garth Rogers
of
direCTorS
STaff
Stuart Conway - International Director Richard Fox - National Director Sebastian Africano - Deputy Intl. Director Claudia Menendez - Intl. Program Coordinator Liz Sunderland - Tribal Lands Coordinator Heather Herrell - Development Director Diane Vella - Finance Director Lacey Gaechter - Local Engagement Manager Amanda Haggerty - Data & Mailings Manager Carol Johnson - Major Donor Manager Megan Maiolo - Social Marketing Coordinator
Program ParTnerS
AMURT Marlyng Buitrago - PROLEÑA, Nicaragua Armando Hernandez - AAP, El Salvador Vahid Jahangiri - International Lifeline Fund Leonel Jarquín - Guatemala Ignacio Osorto - AHDESA, Honduras Henry Red Cloud - Lakota Solar Enterprises, SD John Giordanengo - Wildlands Restoration Volunteers, CO
ConSulTanTS
Aprovecho Research Center Korie Burroughs – Intl. Development Intern Catherine Helin – Tribal Development Intern Christy Proulx – Marketing Intern David Taft – International Intern Tia Thompson – Tribal Development Intern Melissa Web – Intl. Development Intern Zach Vander Meeden – Marketing Intern
633 Remington St T Fort Collins, CO T 80524 877-606-4TWP T www.treeswaterpeople.org
and
inTernS
Trees, Water & People
When you donate to Trees, Water & People you can be confident that your hard earned money is used responsibly to bring about real, sustainable change.
TreeS, WaTer & PeoPle neWSleTTer - fall 2010
TriBal landS Program
3
henry red Cloud reCognized for reneWaBle energy advoCaCy
Trees, Water & People’s partner, Henry Red Cloud was honored by the Nuclear-Free Future Award (NFFA) for his efforts to bring clean, renewable energy to tribal lands. Since 1998, NFFA has honored and facilitated the ongoing work of individuals and initiatives struggling to bring an end to the “Nuclear Age.” An independent nonprofit group based in Germany, NFFA works closely with the Alternative Nobel Prize and has been called by Berlin newspaper Taz, “the most important anti-nuke award in the world.” Henry received his Special Recognition award on September 30 during a public event at New York City’s historic Cooper Union. Henry’s work was also recognized at the Interstate Renewable Energy Council’s (IREC) annual meeting in Los Angeles on October 11. Henry’s successful effort to bring green jobs and solar heating to Great Plains tribes through Department of Interior funding was honored in the category of “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Projects.” Congratulations, Henry!
Trainees raise the SkyStream wind turbine as part of workshop at RCREC
firST Wind energy Training SeSSion
By Liz Sunderland, Tribal Lands Coordinator Participants in the Introduction to Small Wind Turbines, a three-day workshop held in early July, took apart and then rebuilt the SkyStream 3.7, a 2-kilowatt gridtied turbine located at the Red Cloud Renewable Energy Center (RCREC). Besides gaining hands-on experience installing the turbine, trainees covered the basic principles of residential and community-scale wind turbines, and practiced using remote-reading software to analyze the turbine’s electricity output. We were especially happy that four “Solar Warriors” from the Cheyenne River Reservation – who previously completed a ten-day course on solar heating at RCREC – were able to return and add wind energy to their renewable energy skill set! Helping people and the planet
Henry Red Cloud sings at the 2010 Nuclear-Free Future Award Ceremony
4
inTernaTional Program
SToveS KeeP
on
CooKing
By Claudia Menendez, Intl. Program Coordinator It’s always inspiring to receive good news from the field. In July, Arboles y Agua para el Pueblo (AAP) in El Salvador did a follow-up visit to the community of El Coco, where Trees, Water & People (TWP) first began working, to check on the condition of their Justa stoves. Doña Hilda, AAP stove promoter, visited five households with stoves ranging from seven - nine years old. Twenty percent were in good condition without any repairs. The other eighty percent had the griddles replaced only once after four - five years of daily use and are still performing to the cook’s needs and expectations. Trees, Water & People would like to congratulate AAP for a job well done!
flour, oil, beans, rice, sugar, salt, juice, and water. Mayor Jarquín visited nine communities to deliver food and examine the gravity of the situation. The food shortage will be most pronounced in the coming months as many crops were lost in the massive flooding. After this destructive rainy season, Mayor Leonel and team will have a tremendous task before them replanting the fruit trees that were damaged.
arT BringS aWareneSS
for
haiTi
On Saturday, September 25th Denver’s EventGallery 910Arts hosted the Haitian Awareness Panel. Colorado organizations working in Haiti including Trees, Water & People, Colorado Haiti Project, Renewal 4 Haiti, The Lambi Fund, Wish for Haiti, and Lespwa (Hope) Haiti gathered to discuss reconstruction efforts after the devastating earthquake. The event is a precursor to an exhibition of Haitian art scheduled for May 2011. The exhibit will feature photographs by Ray Tollison and Colby Brown of Lespwa Haiti, showcasing the work of several non-governmental organizations, including Trees, Water & People. The photographs show the struggles and the spirit of the Haitian people and can be previewed at www.lespwahaiti.com.
Justa stove burning strong after seven years
hurriCane agaTha uPdaTe
The hurricane season this year has had no mercy on Guatemala, and there is still fear of what may come. In June, Hurricane Agatha pummeled the country and left its mark. A gaping sinkhole 18 meters wide and 100 meters deep opened up in the middle of a neighborhood in Guatemala City. Roads were washed out, bridges collapsed, and thousands of homes and farmlands in Tiquisate were inundated leaving many homeless. Collaborating with Leonel Jarquín, Mayor of Tiquisate, Trees, Water & People (TWP) assisted 2,915 families with emergency food baskets that included corn
Rocket Stove photo by Ray Tollison
TreeS, WaTer & PeoPle neWSleTTer - fall 2010
inTernaTional Program
5
more SuCCeSS
for
ahdeSa
By Sebastian Africano, Deputy International Director After building 3,200 Justa stoves in the first quarter of 2010, the Honduran Association of Development (AHDESA) and Trees, Water & People (TWP) are proposing the creation of five regional improved stove factories in Honduras. These new stove factories will target tortilla producers, traditional cooks, candy producers, and bakers, all of whom dedicate a large portion of their revenues to purchasing fuel. Stoves tested in several of these business types have recorded reductions in fuel use by 40% - 80%, lowering annual fuel expenditure by hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. In addition to new stove factory project, TWP and AHDESA have submitted a proposal to the Energy and Environment Partnership with Central America (Alianza en Energía y Ambiente: AEA) for the construction of 60 fuel-efficient ceramics kilns for indigenous potters in Olancho, Honduras. This $65,000 project will build on the successes of a similar AEA pilot project involving fuel-efficient kilns just south of Tegucigalpa in Ojojona last year.
Women cooking tortillas on their Ecostove
aPProPriaTe TeChnology ConServeS niCaraguan foreSTS
By Claudia Menendez, Intl. Program Coordinator PROLEÑA continues to be a leader for biomass related research and development in Nicaragua. In June, PROLEÑA completed two research studies funded by the World Bank and the Nicaraguan Minister of Energy and Mines. One study evaluated charcoal production methods and improved stove designs for use on the Caribbean coast of the country. The trials compared traditional and improved methods for making charcoal to demonstrate how charcoal yields and safety increase by using the dome charcoal kiln. The second study tested alternative fuel blowers for kilns to reduce firewood used in ceramic production. PROLEÑA’s prototype blower uses agricultural waste with wood fuel and can reduce firewood use by up to 80%. Although both studies had positive results, PROLEÑA has not yet secured funding for these projects. Trees, Water & People’s international team is working to connect PROLEÑA with our Haiti initiatives for a South-South partner training. Sharing PROLEÑA’s new developments for alternative fuels and improved stove designs with ceramic producers in Haiti will reduce dependency on scarce firewood resources there.
The AHDESA team posing for a photo
Helping people and the planet
6
TriBal landS Program
TWP’S firST laKoTa advenTure
In September Trees, Water & People (TWP) hosted the first Lakota Adventure – a close-up view of our Tribal Lands Renewable Energy Program on the Pine Ridge and Rosebud Reservations in South Dakota. Our six participants came from Ontario, Berlin, Massachusetts, Illinois and Colorado. They joined TWP’s National Director Richard Fox, staff members Liz Sunderland and Lacey Gaechter, and intern Tia Thompson for a week-long exploration of Lakota history and culture. Participants were hosted by Henry Red Cloud at the
Hiking in Badlands National Park Adventurers also toured neighboring Rosebud Reservation, home of the Sicanyu Lakota, with local guide Ronald Neiss and spent a day in the Badlands with wildlife biologist Richard Sherman. Special thanks to Bill Hundley of Hundley’s Gourmet Catering (Fort Collins, CO) for providing exceptional meals and to our Lakota guides and friends for sharing their lives and wisdom: Leonard Little Finger, Lawrence Swallow, Bernard Cuny, The Little Thunder Family, Henry, Avery, Silas and Timothy Red Cloud, Keva Herman, Ronald Neiss, Maria Iyotte, and Richard Sherman.
Group shot at the RCREC campground Red Cloud Renewable Energy Center (RCREC) on Pine Ridge. Highlights of the week included installing a new solar heating system for Chief Oliver Red Cloud, watching the dancers’ Grand Entry at a local Pow Wow, and meeting with influential members of the Oglala Lakota Tribe.
“For me, the Lakota Adventure was a journey of the heart and of the mind. It combined practical questions with new ideas, while respecting the mores of the Lakota culture.”
-Lakota Adventure participant and TWP Board Member, Gerry Conway, Jr. Rosie Little Thunder shows Barbara one of her quilts. Her sewing machine sits next to the hot air vent from her LSE solar heater.
TreeS, WaTer & PeoPle neWSleTTer - fall 2010
TWP
volunTeer SPoTlighT
By Lacey Gaechter, Local Engagement Manager
in The
CommuniTy
7
Did you know that volunteers donate over 1,500 hours to Trees, Water & People (TWP) each year? In a very real sense, we could not accomplish what we do without the more than 100 people who contribute their time and talent annually, helping with everything from planting trees to stuffing envelopes and grant writing. One of these outstanding individuals, Christy Proulx, approached us as a volunteer in 2008 and, when she graduated from Colorado State University in May of this year, she transitioned to a Marketing Intern, donating even more of her time. In addition to the day-today assistance Christy provides, we owe her infinite thanks for the many large projects of which she has been an integral part: our 2008 Annual Report, our organizational brochure, countless updates and maintenance of our website, and most especially the single-handed creation of the Lakota Solar Enterprise website (www.lakotasolarenterprises.com). Christy’s abilities and generosity constantly amaze us all, and we cannot thank her enough!
Volunteers plant wetland grasses
ParTnerShiP CreaTeS WeTlandS
By Lacey Gaechter, Local Engagement Manager This planting season, Trees, Water & People’s partnership with the Wildlands Restoration Volunteers (WRV) budded to include five projects. Pictured is a group of children helping to establish native wetland plants at our August 21 Wetland Demonstration project at the Gardens at Spring Creek, an outdoor horticultural and ecological education facility in Fort Collins. With WRV and Trees, Water & People volunteers and tools, we expanded an existing wetland and created an educational boardwalk. The wetland will not only provide additional habitat for wildlife, but will just as critically serve as an example, educating children and the general public as to the importance of these ecosystems in all our lives. Thanks to the Wildlands Restoration Volunteers for the tremendous amount of planning and preparation that went into the Wetland Demonstration!
KeeP uP WiTh TreeS, WaTer & PeoPle!
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Helping people and the planet
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Program SProuTS from ParTnerShiP
Ilan Shamir has been a generous donor to Trees, Water & People (TWP) since 1998. His creativity and vision have generated $100,000 in gifts to plant trees. Ilan founded Your True Nature (www.yourtruenature.com) selling electronic and paper greeting cards, books, T-shirts, bookmarks, and posters. He shared his idea of planting trees to replace those used for paper with TWP, and in 2001 the 100% Replanted program was created (www.replanttrees.org). Your True Nature replaces trees used from company paper and products by donating through the 100% Replanted program. Additionally, customers can purchase Your True Nature greeting cards, which include the cost of planting a tree with TWP. Ilan’s great idea has helped to plant more than 100,000 trees in El Salvador. The collaboration has resulted in 115 individual and business donors to the program. Several companies have adopted a 100% Replanted philosophy to replant trees from company paper use including Allegro Coffee, Books of Discovery, The Healing Path, Local Living Economy Project, Lucuma Designs, Wabi-Ware, and Wood Joiners. Thank you, Ilan, for inspiring people to live in harmony with the earth!
foreST
By Carol Johnson, Major Donor Manager Stacey Baumgarn met Mike Ray while attending college in 1988 and they quickly became friends. Later, each moved to Fort Collins where they lived across the street from one another. Tragically, on September 10, 1999 at the age of 29, Mike Ray’s life was taken. In the year following Mike’s murder, Stacey and his wife, Jennifer Davey, had the idea of bringing friends, family, and community together for an annual Waffle Feed to celebrate and remember the rich spirit of Mike’s friendship. While the Waffle Feed is free and open to all, participants are asked to contribute $1 to plant a tree as a memorial to Mike. To date, over 900 people have planted more than 6,500 trees in the Mike Ray Memorial Forest in communities near the Magdalena Protected area of El Salvador.
Mike Ray
While remembering Mike was the original motivation for the Waffle Feed, rekindling long-held friendships, making new friends, and building community are now the focus. By bringing people together, Mike’s spirit lives on in the trees. You too can memorialize a loved one by starting a memorial forest. Please contact twp@treeswaterpeople. org for more information.
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In your estate plan, name TWP: As a beneficiary of your insurance policy, retirement plan, or a bank or stock account “Payable on Death.” In your will with a certain dollar amount, a parcel of real estate, stocks, bonds, or other assets, or with a specific percentage of your estate. Trees, Water & People, Employer ID 84-1462044
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TreeS, WaTer & PeoPle neWSleTTer - fall 2010
