A new Haiti reforestation initiative called "Haiti Forest" was launched on March 10, 2013. It is a Social Business initiated by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, founder of Yunus Social Business; Former US President Bill Clinton, and Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Unite.

Deforestation is a huge social and ecological problem in Haiti, trees are being cut and used mainly as cooking fuel. Only 2% of the country's land is being covered by forest, one of the lowest rates in the world leading to degraded soil, more damages caused by natural disasters, negative impact on agriculture, etc.
According to the Haiti Forest partners, this project aims to provide affordable food, timber, and employment in Haiti, and will be organized as a Social Business – a company set-up for maximizing social benefit rather than private profit.

This project gained the support of the Haitian government. Ten thousand hectares of land located in the North of Haiti are being promised by the Ministries of Agriculture and Environment of Haiti to be used for the Haiti Forest initiative.

"Through this partnership, we hope to create a replicable model for programs that demonstrate long-term, positive social and environmental impact, as well as economic benefits across Haiti," said President Bill Clinton.

"Haiti Forest is an example how social business represents a unique opportunity to drive economic growth in Haiti," said Nobel Peace Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, founder of Yunus Social Business. "Social Businesses, like Haiti Forest, that are aimed at an environmental or social need represent not only the solutions to these pressing issues, but the financially sustainable means for continued development in Haiti."

"This project will create much-needed economic opportunities for many and is a wonderful way to do something good for our planet and the people of Haiti," said Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Unite.

The new initiative's four main objectives are: to reforest Haiti; provide sustainable livelihoods to farmers; and over the long term help mitigate Haiti's dependency on food imports; and help identify alternative fuel sources to reduce usage of charcoal. To ensure that the benefits of re-forestation are lasting and durable, Haiti Forest plans to empower micro-entrepreneurs and local communities to preserve and maintain their country's forests.

The announcement marks the beginning of a six-month planning and preparation study that will form the basis of the Haiti Forest pilot program. The study will work closely with Haitian rural communities and small holder farmers to determine what trees and crops should be planted, engage community leaders on the reforestation aspects of the project, and work with government to identify applicable land areas.

This is not the first reforestation initiative in Haiti. Over the years a number of non-profit organizations sporadically initiated small-scale projects aimed to plant trees and fight deforestation. Haiti Forest is a pioneering campaign in terms of scope and expectations.