Parts of Honduras have experienced a drought due to last year’s rainy season, which stopped abruptly part way through. They have also experienced very high temperatures. We knew about the spoiled crops and hunger but now we have heard about another problem.

The droughts of recent years have been causing water stress in trees. This has favoured the outbreak and spread of pine beetle, in a way never before seen in the country's history. The armed forces have been mobilised and tasked to apply powerful organic insecticide in a bid to halt the pine beetle infestation which has damaged about 400,000 hectares of forest. This, in turn, has harmed the Central American nation's ecosystem and air quality.

This photo shows large areas of brown trees which have been killed by the beetle. The accompanying photos are taken in the area of Valley de Angeles, where the schools that we support with food are located, as well as some of the houses that we have been building.
 

The droughts of recent years have been causing water stress in trees. This has favoured the outbreak and spread of pine beetle, in a way never before seen in the country's history. The armed forces have been mobilised and tasked to apply powerful organic insecticide in a bid to halt the pine beetle infestation which has damaged about 400,000 hectares of forest. This, in turn, has harmed the Central American nation's ecosystem and air quality.

The steep ground and lack of trees are already causing landslides. These will become more frequent as the rainy season progresses. Storm rain is very heavy. When the mountains become soaked with rain in places where there are no trees to anchor the soil, the land soon starts to move, taking with it houses and all in its path.

 

Honduras has accepted international advice to tackle this problem, which has been encountered in Canada as well as Central America. The advice has been to clean the land and plant different types of trees. The problem is so large that, in many cases, it is left to the local community to try and keep their environment safe and good for the future.