Haiti’s Urban Birds Celebration Unites Rural Communities for Conservation 

August 3 – August 12, 2024 | Southeast Haiti

Excited Women Celebrating the Urban Birds Celebration in Corail Labbé on August 11, 2024, Courtesy of Fondation Luc-Eucariste.

In an inspirational initiative to address environmental education and health in Haiti, The Fondation Luc-Eucariste, a Haitian nonprofit dedicated to enhancing environmental education and health, recently organized their first Urban Birds Celebration to foster awareness about bird conservation and environmental sustainability. The celebration, held this August across three southeastern communities–Grand-Gosier of Thiotte and Corail Labbé and Gaury of Bainet— brought together over one hundred diverse participants to discuss birds’ essential roles in local ecosystems and explore holistic practices for bird and environmental conservation efforts.

Each event over the three days was thoughtfully organized to ensure representation across age and gender, with 15 students, 10 farmers, and 10 women selected from each region. This thoughtful selection of participants led to an enriching exchange between participants of different generations. Elder community members shared observations about the diversity of local birds and their populations’ decline over the years, while younger participants spoke about the essential roles birds play in local gardens and how to protect them. This diversity of voices created an atmosphere of mutual learning and respect for traditional knowledge and new ideas.

Children Bringing Native Plants Home to Grow and Drawing Native Birds in Gaury, Bainet on August 03, 2024, Courtesy of Fondation Luc-Eucariste.

The events began with a discussion with a local environmental expert, who guided participants in thinking about the importance of birds and how their presence (or absence) impacts daily life. Participants then set out in small groups for a brief birdwatching session, observing their surroundings to note local bird activity. Surprisingly, most groups saw zero passing birds—a realization that sparked important conversations about the impacts of habitat loss, deforestation, and water scarcity. These observations underscored the urgency of improving conditions to support wildlife and inspired participants to brainstorm actionable solutions for species conservation.

Community members and event organizers proposed ideas for future projects to strengthen environmental practices, especially regarding sensitization, recycling, reforestation, and water access improvements. The lack of drinkable water was identified as a critical issue affecting both humans and animals, with participants expressing a strong need for a community well or another alternative drinkable water system. 

Local Community Members Bring Home Native Plants After the Grand-Gosier Urban Birds Celebration on August 12, 2024, Courtesy of Fondation Luc-Eucariste.

The remarkable Urban Birds Celebration brought communities together to explore how closely connected we are to nature. It inspired critical conversations about environmental conservation and cultural sharing. During the events, participants engaged in hands-on arts and crafts using local, natural materials, adding a creative and a cultural dimension to the celebration. These activities also helped raise awareness about environmental sustainability and community resilience. Not to mention, incorporating art into conservation weaves the protection of birds into our culture and everyday life. After the program, children were invited to keep the events’ stationery–drawing tools and paper–to use as school supplies, encouraging their further expression of creativity and learning. For many participants, the Urban Birds Celebration was a fun, meaningful way to learn, connect, and share knowledge about protecting birds and nature in their own communities in southeastern Haiti.

Written by Lani Lin-Kissick of CUBs — lkl34@cornell.edu