Trees play a vital role everywhere, but in a country like Haiti, understanding the role they play requires an understanding of the culture first. At this time, trees do not exist as forests, but as useful tools to aid Haiti’s rural farmers and the entire population dependent on living trees. C.J. Marcklinger cites three major factors that have recently contributed to Haiti’s deforestation; they are: (1) limited access to land and capital for agricultural production, (2) lack of non-agricultural employment, and (3) severe economic and social insecurity. As stated in the latest report of the UN humanitarian coordinator, only 2% of trees remain in the existing forests in Haiti, and every year tons of top soils from these denuded lands are washed away to sea, therefore leading to soil erosion as well as devastating, life-taking mud slides. After heavy or even moderate rainfalls, the rivers simply flow down from the denuded mountains and washes away miles and miles of topsoil. Often these topsoils are carried downstream into local creaks or rivers. These environmental catastrophes also lead to major economic damage, such as the lingering poverty that we see in Haiti.