04/22/2026
Happy Earth Day from AIR!
The trees we plant with our Maya farmer partners provide many benefits for people—preventing erosion and deadly mudslides, building soil, sequestering carbon, protecting water sources, and providing cool shade.
But one benefit we highlight here in honor of Earth Day is biology: The IMPACT of almost 10 million trees planted by AIR for Guatemala’s natural environment is thrilling to witness. Many community members report the return of squirrels, coyote, several bird species—and last month, Juan Leja Tax, one of AIR’s Senior Technicians, saw a family of deer for the first time since he was a boy. They are now so rare, they are a protected species. The deer were in an area above Lake Atitlan where Juan Leja and farmer partners have planted thousands of trees over the years. He was just quick enough to take this beautiful photo.
What is the significance of seeing a family of deer? It shows that the AIR forest growing there is an example of the “habitat mosaics” we are creating in south-central Guatemala. The stands and patches of native trees AIR groups have planted provide areas of forested habitat across the rural agricultural landscape. This mosaic of forests provides food sources and refuges for forest-dwelling species—connections to help the movement of wildlife between larger areas of protected habitat.
