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hoto By Sebasan Africano

The newsleer of Trees, Water & People

Forests Forever

 S p r i n g 

 2 0 1 1

Connued on page 2

By  Megan Maiolo , Markeng & Communicaons Coordinator  

On April 30th Stuart Conway, Internaonal Director and cofounderof Trees, Water & People proudly accepted the Francis K. Hutchinson Medal from the Garden Club of America (GCA). Since 1940, the GCA has awardedthis medal to gures of naonal importance for their disnguished service

to conservaon. Stuart shares this medal with some of the most prominentenvironmental leaders of our me, including Rachel Carson, Walt Disney,Stewart Udall, Edward O. Wilson, Lady Bird Johnson, and The RockefellerFamily. With this medal, the Garden Club of America brings awareness tothe importance of environmental leadership in America and throughout theworld.

Stuart Conway accepted this award and had these words to say:

This award oers me a moment to look back on my path to

becoming a conservaonist, especially the last 13 years of my life

that I have devoted to Trees, Water & People. I learned to appreciate

Garden Club of America Honors Stuart Conway What’s Inside

From the Board Presid

Page 2-3

Side By Side

Page 3

Seeking a New Way

Page 4

The Gi of Heat

Page 5

Looking for a Ray of H

Page 5 & 8

Meet Don Jorge Orch

Page 6

A Humbling Journey

Page 7 

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2

By Jon Becker, Trees, Water & People Board President 

Our mes connue to be interesng. No shortage of disasters – from earthquake in Hai, which remains an emergency over a year later, the BP blowin the Gulf, to the three headed monster of quake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdin Japan. Let’s not overlook some remarkably posive events such as wind and semerging as the fastest growing source of new energy in the world, and the formaof the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves (GACC), which elevates the internaeorts to design, manufacture, and disseminate improved cookstoves.

We ask ourselves, “How can we be of greater service?” - realizing that if wnot part of the soluon, well, you know the rest. At Trees, Water & People, wbusy implemenng, partnering, and evolving our programs to improve lives.

GACC lights our re to expand our work with new collaboraons and heightegoals in Hai and Central America. team is contribung to GACC commion technology and outreach that extend our impact worldwide, including

preliminary eld work and assessment of a potenal stove project in Uganda.work of the Tribal Lands Renewable Energy Program connues to draw aenthroughout Indian Country and beyond, including a feature story in the March Iof Solar Today, the presgious journal of the American Solar Energy Society.

“We ask ourselves, how canwe be of greater service?”

From the TWP Board President

our environment by hiking the forest around my grandfather’s farm in the

Cuyahoga River Valley near Cleveland. From there it was a natural progression

 for me to study forestry in college and join the Peace Corps to help conserve

the forests in Guatemala. When I started Trees,

Water & People along with Richard Fox and my

wife, Jenny Bramhall, we wanted to expand ourvision of protecng the natural world. I believe

that we have worked hard to do that and so

much more. Together, with sta, community

members, partners, donors, and our dedicated

 friends and family, we have helped to not only

improve the environment, but also the lives of

community members both here and abroad.

 At Trees, Water & People, we believe

that local people should be inmately

involved in the protecon of their forests andwatersheds. We have worked to establish

community-led, sustainable development

  projects that encourage cizens in eac

community to take the lead in conserving

natural resources and the environment.

Garden Club of America Connued...

Join TWP

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receiveupdates on

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By Dale Dow and Vern Delk, Trees, Water & People Donors

We rst met Stuart Conway, Trees,Water & People cofounder and his wife, Jenny,in Miami in 1984, as we were preparing for ourPeace Corps service in Guatemala. Naturally,we were in contact with them over the nexttwo years. This was especially true with Vernand Jenny, as they were in the same programas 4-H Promoters. Stuart was in the forestry

program and got a rst-hand view of thedeforestaon and general lack of reforestaonin Central America, especially Guatemala.Dale was with public health, working as anurse in a dispensary in our village. Oneof the primary programs in Guatemala wasproviding more ecient stoves, both forbeer cooking condions and to preventconnued overuse of rewood leading tomore deforestaon.

We returned to the states in 1986, resuming a life quite altered by theexperience. Guatemala will always be our second country. We have stayed in contactwith Stuart and Jenny ever since, as much as the distance allows. One of these days,we hope to go on an EcoTour as a good excuse to revisit Guatemala.

When Stuart and Jenny started Trees, Water & People (TWP) in 1998 basedon their work in Central America, emphasizing reforestaon and fuel-ecient stoves, we jumped on board with nancial support. Over the years, our contribuonshave uctuated somewhat ranging from $200 to $1,000. This year, we have starteda monthly pledge of $50 so that TWP will receive a steady amount (also it makesit easier for us). This of course doesn’t preclude special emergency appeals such

as Hurricane Mitch in 1998 or the morerecent earthquake in Hai.

Our Peace Corps experienceshowed us the need for reforestaon andfuel-ecient stoves in Central America.Working side by side with Stuart and Jennyin Guatemala insured us of the integrity and ability of the founders. The many awards 

that Trees, Water & People has received reinforce our belief that the credibility andeciency of the program is topnotch.

“The many awards that TWPhas received reinforce our belief that the credibility and eciency

of the program is topnotch.”

Side by Side in Guatemala

We all want to be part of the soluon and to go beyond symbolism to realacon with tangible results. That’s what we’re doing every day at Trees, Water &People. We value your support, and hold sacred the trust you put in us. I alwayswelcome you to contact me directly ( jon@treeswaterpeople.org, cell 303-579-8040,or mail) with your quesons and ideas.

When you donato Trees, Water People you can b

confdent that yo

hard earned monis used responsibto bring about resustainable chan

Like our new

full color

newsleer?

A special thanks

ColorPro Prin

for bringing uCOLOR at no ex

cost!

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4

By Lacey Gaechter  , Assistant Naonal Director  

This March, we hosted the rst Alternave Spring Break for Colorado SUniversity (CSU) students on the Pine Ridge Reservaon in South Dakota. Fortuitoarriving aer a major spring ood swept through the Red Cloud Renewable EnCenter and the homes of Henry Red Cloud and his extended family, thirteen stud

donated a week of their me to help rebuild. In the process, they renewed hopeHenry, who is so used to bringing hope to others. At the same me, the stud

learned about Lakota culture, life and polics on Pine Rirenewable energy, and how Henry and Trees, WatePeople work together within this reality.

Liz Harrison, a CSU student and an Alternave Bparcipant shares her experience:

I was already a believer in the power of

renewable energy on Nave American reservaons

before even stepping foot on Pine Ridge. Howeverin my me there I learned rst-hand why renewable

energy is culturally, socially and emoonally benecial

The people I met on Pine Ridge told me their exper

insights on the power of this new technology and the

lessons I learned there could ll an enre novel.

The Lakota people I met oen menoned

Chief Red Cloud’s “seventh generaon” prophecy

In the late 1800s, in the midst of intense conic

between Nave Americans and the United States

government, Chief Red Cloud made a prophecy thain seven generaons Lakota life would nally be

returned to balance. I met Henry’s grandchildren and others born into this

 prophesied generaon. Only me

will tell how they may accomplish

this monumental feat, but many 

  people believe that the spread 

of  renewable energy technology  

could aid in this restoraon of 

harmonious living with nature.

Renewable energy honors tradional Lakota values and spreadshope. In addion, the job creaon, nancial independence, and poverty

alleviaon that can be achieved with renewable energy brings great hope to

the reservaon. According to Richard Fox  “Hope is our currency,” and that is

the most valuable asset of all.

Sincere thanks to everyone at Lakota Solar Enterprises , Colorado State

University Alternave Breaks and Trees, Water & People for their support and

insight.

“Many people believe that thespread of renewable energytechnology could aid in the

restoraon of harmonious livingwith nature.”

Seeking a New Way to Live in Harmony

*From U.S. Census Bureau

20-30%

A TWP solarheater can

reduce afamily’s

monthly heatbill by

of people onPine Ridge

live below the

federal povertyline. *

49%

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Connued on page 8

By Lucy Stroock, Trees, Water & People Donor 

As a new high school graduate in 1959, I drove across America with my familytaking the northern-most route. Aer we crossed the headwaters of the Mississippi,the landscape became bleaker and bleaker. We learned we were now in IndianCountry - miles and miles of windswept land with no signs of producvity of any kind.This was what had been given to the Nave people to call “home”. I was shocked anddismayed by the visible cruelty and injusce which those lands revealed. It had beeneasier to think of the nave peoples as dead and gone, than to recognize that their

Looking for a Ray of Hope

By Lacey Gaechter  , Assistant Naonal Director 

“The heater works great,” says Leonard Lilenger of the solar heater thatTrees, Water & People supporters donated to his Lakota language school in 2010. Ourpartner, Henry Red Cloud, installed the heater in the school’s meeng room, whichLeonard said came in handy this winter as he consulted with tribal elders who are

helping him establish his curriculum’s vocabulary and grammar. In Leonard’s words,the heater “did the trick.” “It just quietly did its job,” he added, “you know, when youget to be our age, you need a good heater.”

Leonard is the founder of the Sacred Hoop (Cangle’skaWaka’n: “chan-GLAY-shka wah-KAHN”) School, which is apart of the eorts on the Pine Ridge Reservaon to preservetradional Lakota culture. Part of learning a language, saysLeonard, is understanding the way a society’s culture isintegrated into its words. For instance, the Lakota word forhoop carries with it undertones of “the circle of life”. It is for

this reason that Leonard chose the word hoop instead of circle for his school’s name.

The Sacred Hoop School’s rst group of students isscheduled to arrive this June. Currently, Leonard is nalizinghis curriculum with, as he puts it, “the combined knowledgeof over 500 years of Lakota language and culture” betweenhimself and the other elders. At this inaugural two-weekimmersion program, Lakota students, parents and siblingswill be invited to bring tradional language back into theirhome.

Leonard is truly a leader in his community and hasbeen selected for an honorary Doctorate of Humaniesfrom the College of Mount Saint Joseph in Ohio, wherehe is delivering this May’s commencement address. Wehope all Trees, Water & People supporters take the same pride that wedo in playing a small role in the amazing endeavor of preserving the Lakota language.

The Gi of Heat, The Preservaon of Culture

*From U.S. Census Bu

tribal membetrained in

renewableenergy by TW

150

of people oPine Ridge aunemployed

80-85%

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6

By Claudia Menendez , Internaonal Program Coordinator 

I have seen a number of nurseries in my travels to El Salvador, but on hot and muggy April aernoon, the seedlings at our partner Árboles y Agua paPueblo’s (AAP) nursery seem especially content. When I asked the Execuve DirecArmando Hernandez, what his secret might be, he looked up and answered sim

“Don Jorge Ochoa.”

Mr. Jorge Alberto Dorado Ochoa began working in 2007, when Trees, W& People (TWP) and AAP set up their operaons in El Porvenir, El Salvadorimmediately set to work establishing the planng rows, preparing the soil, planthe seeds, and caring for those 30,000 newly established plants. Although Jowas never formally trained as a forester, he learned empirically what each spepreferred by spending countless hours among them, watering, weeding, prevenng the scourge of all nurseries - pests and fungi.

On this day, the corn on the west side of the nursery soly lters the aern

sun and protects the ny trees from wilng. On the other side is an abundvegetable garden complete with cabbage, tomatoes, spinach, peppers, cilanbasil, pineapples, papayas, and greens, eecvely deterring pests from snackingthe seedlings. It was through his years of work on coee plantaons that Jorge gto understand plant interacons and started praccing these creave and invalumanagement tools.

Late last year, Jorge was diagnosed with prostate caand we were uncertain if he would connue working wTrees, Water & People. As he stepped away from his posito care for his health, his absence in the nursery was felall. Throughouthis illness, hewould walk fromhis house to thenursery just tospend me withthe plants hehad worked sohard to nurture. With an amazing recovery, Jorge sreturned with renewed vigor and ambion.

“I feel strongly that my dedicaon to the nurand the work of TWP gave me purpose and helpedrecover my strength and health,” said Jorge aboutTWP community.

Aer spending many an aernoon in this lile nursery, I know that Jogives thanks each day for his job, his health, and every dollar that Trees, WatePeople has contributed. Our supporters truly understand the value of his work the jobs that our partners are bringing to these rural communies.

“I feel strongly that mydedicaon to the nursery an

the work of TWP gave mepurpose and helped me recov

my strength and health.”

Meet Don Jorge Ochoa

*From the Food and 

Agriculture Organizaon

of the United Naons 

trees plantedby TWP to date.

4,191,485

cubic meters

of wood wasburned for

fuel in CentralAmerica in

2009.*

79,974,186

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By Richard Fox  , Naonal Director 

While in Port-au-Prince this April I witnessed a city that is sll experiencingoverwhelming need. Today much of the rubble from thousands of destroyedstructures remains where it fell and many people sll live in tent communies. Life,though, has been slowly improving and Trees, Water & People (TWP), in partnership

with Internaonal Lifeline Fund (ILF), is connuing to build low cost, fuel ecientcookstoves that not only lessen the exorbitant price families pay for charcoal, butalso help relieve pressure on the disappearing Haian forest.

Aer collecng valuable feedback fromour stove beneciaries, TWP and ILF workedtogether to design the Zanmi Pye Bwa (“Friendof the Forest”) fuel-ecient cookstove. A groupof nsmiths was then brought together to cutand assemble 1,000 Zanmi Pye Bwa cookstoves

over a six week period. Centralizing produconwithout a factory site is challenging, but

allows us to improve standardizaon of ourproduct while oering these skilled metalworkers a posive change of environment –geng them away from rough neighborhoods characterized by burning trash,

dilapidated buildings, crowds, and trac. All in all, these workers have embarked onwhat we hope will be an upliing rise out of poverty, gaining access to steady anddignied employment in what TWP & ILF intend to develop into a signicant localcharcoal stove manufacturing operaon over the next year.

I was greatlyhumbled by my  journey and itreminded me onceagain to be thankfulfor all I have. It was

heartening to see howeecve TWP and ILFare at ulizing ourdonors’ contribuonsand to witness theposive and lasngimpact our work ishaving for thousandof Haian families.

“These workers have embarkedon what we hope will be anupliing rise out of poverty.”

A Humbling Journey to Hai

*From the Library o

Congress

less on dailcharcoal

expenses withe Zanmi PyBwa cookstov

33%Families spe

of forests inHai have

been removeprimarily fo

charcoal.*

97%

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Printed on recycled paper and 100% Replanted. To nd out how you can be 100% Replanted, please visit  www.replanrees.org

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 .

Program PartnersAnanda Marga Universal Relief Team (AMURT), Hai 

Internaonal Lifeline Fund, Hai 

Leonel Jarquín, Guatemala

PROLEÑA , Nicaragua

Árboles Y Agua Para El Pueblo (AAP), El Salvador 

Honduran Associaon for Development (AHDESA), Honduras

Lakota Solar Enterprises, South Dakota

Wildlands Restoraon Volunteers, Colorado

Consultants and InternsAprovecho Research CenterShannon Conk, Internaonal Development Intern

Catherine Franzese, Tribal Development InternChrisna Koutsogiannis, Tribal Development Intern

Kari Lamphier, Development Intern

Joe Maria , Development Intern

Deborah Mayer, Internaonal Development Intern

Christy Proulx, Markeng Intern

Jamie Suess, Internaonal Development InternDavid Ta, Internaonal Development Intern

Board of DirectorsJon Becker, President 

Jim Volpa, Vice President 

Kevin Shaw, Treasurer 

Adele Dinsmore, Secretary 

Jenny Bramhall, Gerry Conway Jr., Patrick Flynn, Jeremy Foster,Kathy Cosgrove Green, Mona Newton, Garth Rogers

Sta Stuart Conway, Internaonal Director 

Sebasan Africano, Deputy Internaonal Director 

Claudia Menendez, Internaonal Program Coordinator 

Richard Fox, Naonal Director 

Lacey Gaechter,  Assistant Naonal Director Craig Coleman, Tribal Development Assistant 

Diane Vella, Finance Director 

Pete Iengo, Oce & Facilies Manager 

Heather Herrell, Development Director 

Carol Johnson, Major Donor Manager 

Amanda Haggerty, Data & Mailings Manager 

Megan Maiolo, Markeng & Communicaons Coordinator 

Trees, Water & People633 Remington Street ● Fort Collins, CO 80524 ● 877-606-4TWP ● www.treeswaterpeople.org

life connued under these harsh condions.

As an adult, I gained an understanding from the Naveart and wring of the survivors and their struggle to maintaintheir cultures. Voices are being raised, and somemes heard,proclaiming that the “dead Indian” isn’t dead aer all. But othernews also tells me that the reality of those bleak lands has not

changed. Poverty, depression, alcoholism, and suicide too oenoverwhelm the lives of those living on and o the reservaons.

Looking for a ray of hope in this dismal story, I was gladto learn of the work which Trees, Water & People (TWP) issupporng on the Pine Ridge Reservaon in South Dakota. As adonor to TWP for its work in Central America, I trust and admiretheir methods. They bring resources and empower people tond the soluons which work best in their lives. Training andlocal jobs assure that the soluons grow roots.

This same community-based approach is guiding TWP’swork with Henry Red Cloud. In ve years, a small pilot has grown into a manufacturing center andtraining site which provides solar heaters that warm homes and save dollars. It is teaching skills for a green induand spreading the word and training beyond Pine Ridge. The simple soluon of  planng trees as wind breagainst the winter blasts is expanding and the advanced technology of wind power is being introduced alongsolar. All this gives me hope.

Looking for a Ray of Hope Connued...