Forests Forever

The newsletter of Trees, Water & People

Photo: Energy Globe Award

A Home for Renewable Energy

By Jon Becker, Board President

Whats Inside
From the Board Page 3 Lighting Up Rural Peru Page 4 A Voice for Conservation Page 4 - 5 Help Reforest Haiti Page 5 Reducing Your Impact Page 6 Restoring High Park Page 6 - 7 Intern Extraordinaire Page 8

FALL 2012

Its Fourth of July weekend, and instead of staying home and watching fireworks to celebrate U.S. independence, Ive traveled to the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Ive come from Boulder, Colorado in my van full of tools, camping gear, and my mother to help frame the new Training Annex at the Red Cloud Renewable Energy Center. We make the six hour trip across the Northern Plains and arrive in a world thats really further away than just the miles. Low income, unemployment, and a variety of social ills add to the weight of historical tragedies and oppression. But Pine Ridge is also the home of Henry Red Cloud, Trees, Water & Peoples Tribal Renewable Energy Program partner, who is creating hope and opportunities for his people through renewable energy and green job training. Henry operates Lakota Solar Enterprises, manufacturing and installing low-cost, reliable solar air heating systems for reservation housing. Over the last year, Trees, Water & People (TWP) helped
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A Home for Renewable Energy Continued...

Henry add a second building to his property so that dorms and classrooms for trainees dont have to share space with the manufacturing area. The steel shell is up, the concrete floor is poured, and over the next few days we build interior walls and a loft. Directing the construction of the Red Cloud Training Annex is TWP Board Member Jeremy Foster, who coordinated the plans and all the materials. Jeremy and Henry have enlisted the aid of Pine Ridge based nonprofit Re-Member, which brings in volunteers from all over the country to assist the people of Pine Ridge via work projects. So, we find ourselves settling in to several days of framing with our TWP volunteers, Henry and his family, and the Re-Member crew who range in age from 17 to 70 and come from all over the country. Its truly a group effort!

From the Board

By Patrick Flynn, Trees, Water & People Board Member As a former staff member and current Board Member for Trees, Water & People (TWP), I have had the great fortune and pleasure to witness the growth of TWP as an organization during the past 14 years. The change from a small, fourperson staff to a dynamic team of 11 has not always been easy, but we have come a long way. Today, we are a highly respected environmental organization whose positive impact is felt by tens of thousands of families benefiting from award winning programs both nationally and internationally. This evolution has been truly remarkable and everyone involved with TWPs programs over the years deserve our praise. However, what makes me most proud and excited as a current Board Member is the amazing staff TWP has right now. As we have grown over the years, the focus is usually on our great programs and the awards we have won. However, I think it is important to highlight the people behind these achievements. Having been involved since 1999, I can honestly say that today Trees, Water & People has the best staff we have ever had. This amazing collection of wonderful and dedicated people at TWP has a combination of passion, brains, drive, experience, and kindness that is both engaging and energizing. Just walk into our office and you can feel the buzz of positive energy. They are great ambassadors of TWP locally, nationally, and internationally, and are opening doors to new partnerships, accomplishing great things, and spreading our impact globally.

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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.

Photo: Many volunteers from all walks of life came together this summer to build the Red Cloud Training Annex.

Jeremy and the Re-Member leaders do a excellent job keeping everyone involved and busy - whether experienced carpenter or absolute novice. The empty cavern of the Annex quickly fills with the walls and doorways of the lower level, We have a great time sharing and then the floor deck for the loft. We stories of where we come have a great time sharing stories of where we come from, what we do, and tales of from, what we do, and tales of the Lakota and their beautiful the Lakota and their beautiful culture. At one point, a group of touring Germans culture. drop in; they proceed to serenade us with a Beatles song. German kids singing a British pop song to volunteers from all over America at the Pine Ridge Lakota homeland. Are we living in a connected world? I think so! When my mom and I leave for home on July 8th, the interior framing is well along. Of course, much remains to be done: sheetrock, doors and windows, electrical and plumbing, trimming and painting. If Im lucky, Ill get to return to help with these finishing touches to the Red Cloud Training Annex.

This amazing collection of wonderful and dedicated people at TWP has a combination of passion, brains, drive, experience, and kindness that is both engaging and energizing.

In these tough times, you should know that by investing in this staff your goodwill is multiplied hundredfold. Because of them, TWPs future is bright!

On the Cover: Henry Red Cloud receives the Energy Globe Award for his dedication to bringing renewable energy to Tribal Lands.

Interested in volunteering with the Tribal Renewable Energy Program? Email National Director, Lacey Gaechter at lacey@treeswaterpeople.org to be added to our special volunteer list. We will keep you updated on upcoming opportunities to visit and work on the Pine Ridge Reservation.

Photo: Board Member Patrick Flynn works with partner, Armando Hernandez, to source the materials needed to build clean cookstoves in El Salvador.

Lighting Up Rural Peru

By Paul Winkel, PowerMundo Peru Around the world, 1.4 billion people still have no access to electricity. In cooperation with the U.S. Department of States Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas, Trees, Water & People (TWP) and our partners are working to bring light and energy to rural communities in Central America and Peru. Paul Winkel, who works with TWP partner PowerMundo to distribute solar lights and cell phone chargers, offers his reflections. When I was a teacher, we often spoke amongst ourselves of that special moment when we lit up a childs life. Those times where we could see a child come alive and truly connect, when you felt you were making the biggest difference. I dont think any of us really understood the full meaning of that saying light is so common in our lives that we do not appreciate its power, and so it passes merely into metaphor. But here in Peru millions live in the dark, and in my few months I have truly seen lives illuminated. Not just children, but entire families now light up because of our work, and that light radiates in incredible ways. It seemed such a simple idea when I left home yet the best usually are. A small plastic device that fits in your hand a light and cell phone charger that changes lives. And not as a gift, thats the best part. These people are not poor - many live amongst some of the greatest natural wealth I have ever seen. They do not need our charity or one-off projects. All they need is the market for a solution; and were here to help create it. work in, there is a significant lack of jobs and opportunities for advancement, so people only worry about themselves and dont think about the natural world that surrounds them. Even with the challenges that present themselves on a daily basis in El Salvador, Don Armando has overseen the planting of more than 555,000 trees and the successful construction of nearly 4,200 clean cookstoves. The best part of my job is contributing to the improvement of lives of not only individuals, but also families and communities through our projects. Whether it is stoves, reforestation, latrines, or soil conversation courses, we bring our environmental message to everyone in order to shift values and drastically improve lives of our fellow Salvadoreos.

Photo: Solar lights are illuminating the homes and minds of children living in rural Peru.

Matching Campaign: Help Reforest Haiti

By Megan Maiolo-Heath, Marketing and Communications Manager Trees, Water & People has partnered with Sustainable Organic Integrated Livelihoods (SOIL) to merge SOILs EcoSan composting efforts with TWPs reforestation experience. EcoSan is a low-cost approach to sanitation where human waste is collected, composted, and recycled for use in agriculture and reforestation. Together with SOIL and many generous donors, we are working to close the loop and transform the poop! Funds donated to this campaign will support the planting of 10,000 trees, which will minimize the impact of natural disasters and repair nutrient-poor agricultural lands. In addition, we will support community tree planting days and an agricultural education center that can host EcoSan workshops, agricultural exchanges, and research. What makes this fundraiser even more exciting is that every donation you make will be matched dollar for dollar! Dont miss your chance to help reforest Haiti. Write Trees for Haiti on your checks memo line or visit www.treeswaterpeople.org to donate today.

Photo: Armando Hernandez (2nd from left), longtime partner of TWP, is a leader in the conservation of El Salvadors natural resources.

Join TWP online and receive updates on news and events.

Photo: Volunteers plant trees provided by TWP, Positive Legacy, and Jam Cruise passengers.

A Voice for Conservation in El Salvador

By Elliot Cooper, International Program Coordinator Armando Hernandez has been Trees, Water & Peoples link to sustainable reforestation and clean cookstove implementation in El Salvador since 2000. Currently the Director of Arboles y Agua para el Pueblo (AAP), this outgoing, gregarious, and considerate Salvadoreo has been the mastermind of these projects since the very beginning and, to this day, he continues to work as hard as he did more than a decade ago. Don Armando, as he is known throughout the TWP office, is a courteous and respectful individual, always taking into account the well-being of his staff while balancing the needs and wants of the many communities he serves. This is a difficult country to work in because environmental awareness is only a secondary concern to the general population, notes Don Armando. In the communities we

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Reducing Your Impact, Improving Lives

By Lacey Gaechter, National Director This January, Trees, Water & People (TWP) began offering carbon offsets that support solar heaters for Native American families. Through these carbon After a full day of work, we offsets, donors can help build solar air heating systems that reduce greenhouse accomplished our goal of giving the gift of heat. gas emissions and directly improve the lives of families. Each metric ton of carbon dioxide emissions offset helps pay for a portion of a solar collector panel, which prevents 1.39 tons of CO2 emissions from entering the atmosphere each year for up to 20 years. Thanks to proactive and concerned citizens just like you, we have already raised enough funds from offsets to install four solar air heaters on the homes of tribal families in need. Rachel Blomberg, a Cornell University student, assisted with three of these installations after raising her own funds to help pay for the remaining installation costs outside of the solar panels. Restoration Coalition. As one of five lead organizations of this new Coalition, we are combining resources with our partners to restore and stabilize high priority ecological areas affected by the High Park and Hewlett Gulch fires. On a personal level, I feel very lucky to be a part of this Coalition, which will have a tremendous positive impact on our natural resources and all of us who depend upon them. It means a lot for me to have the opportunity to work in my local community, and I am grateful that Trees, Water & People has the history of ecosystem restoration and collaboration management needed to be a valuable part of this Coalition.

Photo: Henry Red Cloud and Rachel Blomberg stand with a solar air heater recipient.

On a personal level, I feel very lucky to be a part of this Coalition, which will have a tremendous positive impact on our natural resources and all of us who depend upon them.

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Rachel recounts her experience, after I arrived, Henry Red Cloud, me, and six other crew members loaded up the Solar Warrior Wagon and drove to the home of Gillard Good Voice Flute, who lives with three other elderly men. After a full day of work, we accomplished our goal of giving the gift of heat. We told Gillard, You just got solared!

To address the consequences of the massive fire, the Coalition is organizing and leading projects that include public education about wildfire impacts on drinking water and other key ecosystem services, soil stabilization to protect vital watersheds, reseeding and reforesting sensitive areas, restoring aquatic ecosystems, rehabilitating trails and other recreation areas, and supporting research of best practices for restoration implementation. A major initiative of the Coalition this fall will be reseeding and mulching high priority areas, thus protecting the ravaged soils from the impacts of rain. The soil stabilization offered by plant roots not only reduces the risk of destructive mud slides, but also decreases the sediment entering local water sources and protects land from being overtaken by noxious weeds. Since its founding only four months ago, the Coalition has reopened one trail in the burned area, trained volunteer crew leaders in post-fire restoration techniques, hosted our first reseeding project on the most high priority lands in the burned area, offered scientific forums to disseminate fire impacts information to the public, and provided a training for landowners in how to stabilize the soil on their land to start the regrowth process. We are already making a huge impact! Please join us in continuing this work by donating or volunteering at www.treeswaterpeople.org.

Photo: Restoration of the High Park burn area near Fort Collins, Colorado will require a community-wide effort.

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Take the next step and reduce your personal impact by purchasing carbon offsets at www.treeswaterpeople.org. You can help families around the world have a better life with solar air heaters, clean cookstoves, and reforested land.

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Restoring the High Park Burn Area

By Lacey Gaechter, National Director Over a one month period this summer, the High Park Fire burned more than 87,000 acres, destroying hundreds of homes and ravaging our local watershed. Recognizing the needs of our Northern Colorado community, Trees, Water & People has undertaken an exciting new project as a founding member of the High Park

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Jordan Engel, Intern Extraordinaire

By Lacey Gaechter, National Director Trees, Water & People has been very lucky to work with amazing individuals like Jordan Engel, who spent this past summer interning on-site at the Red cloud Renewable Energy Center (RCREC) on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. As part of our new Food Security Program, Jordan was responsible for overseeing daily operations of Solar Warrior Farm. He created an amazing source of food and community in the Farms first year, engaging dozens of local garden volunteers, creating a wild harvest workbook, and giving away corn, squash, beans, tomatoes, and lots and lots of peppers at the dialysis center and other Pine Ridge locations.

ts on the Jordan Engel learns about native plan on. Pine Ridge Reservati

I love working the earth! Jordan exclaims, Were growing food for the people and its making waves. This is a little thing thats making a big difference. Thanks to Jordans talent, passion, and involvement of the community, Solar Warrior Farm was dubbed, the best garden on Pine Ridge, by a local tiller. With the majority of Pine Ridge residents relying on government commodity foods, and suffering from obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, we recognize the need to continue growing this important program. With dedicated interns and volunteers, like Jordan, we are sure to see the positive impact of our efforts well into the future.

633 Remington Street Fort Collins, CO 80524 877-606-4TWP www.treeswaterpeople.org Board of Directors
Jon Becker, President Jenny Bramhall, Vice President Kevin Shaw, Treasurer Adele Dinsmore, Secretary Patrick Flynn, Jeremy Foster, Kathy Cosgrove Green, Mona Newton, Jim Volpa

Trees, Water & People

Program Partners

Staff

Richard Fox, Executive Director Stuart Conway, Director of Special Projects Lacey Gaechter, National Director Claire Burnett, Tribal Business Assistant Sebastian Africano, International Director Elliot Cooper, Assistant International Program Coordinator Anibal Benjamin Osorto, International Regional Coordinator Diane Vella, Finance Director Heather Herrell, Development Director Amanda Haggerty, Data & Design Manager Megan Maiolo-Heath, Marketing & Communications Manager

rboles Y Agua para El Pueblo (AAP), El Salvador Utz Ch, Guatemala Ananda Marga Universal Relief Team (AMURT), Haiti Sustainable Organic Integrated Livelihoods (SOIL), Haiti Asociacin Hondurea para El Desarrollo (AHDESA), Honduras PROLEA, Nicaragua PowerMundo, Peru Wildlands Restoration Volunteers (WRV), Colorado Lakota Solar Enterprises (LSE), South Dakota

Interns

Leigha Bohn, International Development Intern Michael Cole, Tribal Development Intern Holly Dalton, International Development Intern Brooke Davis, Tribal Development Intern Madison Dengler, International Development Intern Jordan Engel, Red Cloud Renewable Energy Center Intern Betsy Farris, Development Intern Birch Hincks, Tribal Intern Sherry Moldenhauer, Tribal Development Intern Cate Stone, National Intern Teri Tracy, SunMobile Intern

Forests Forever is published by Trees, Water & People. If you know someone who cares about the environment and should be added to our mailing list, please contact us at 877-606-4TWP or email us at twp@treeswaterpeople.org. Printed on recycled paper and 100% Replanted. To find out how you can be 100% Replanted, please visit www.replanttrees.org.