Trails in Paradise

Trees at the Gilpin Trail in the Main Ridge Forest Reserve, Tobago

The third module of the Interpretive Trail Design and Maintenance Course (for the "Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago" project) was held in Tobago over the period March 28th - 29th 2017.

Follow the experiences of the intrepid group at this link.

Cameras deployed in Main Ridge Forest Reserve to estimate abundance of mammal species!

For the first time in history 20 cameras were deployed in the Main Ridge Forest Reserve in Tobago to capture imagery to inform an estimation of local abundance of mammals and model activity patterns of species.  The deployment took place from the 6-10 April 2017.  Read more about this training event at this link.

GRULAC Regional Preparatory Meeting for the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions 2017 Conference of Parties

The Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions have as a common objective, the protection of human and environmental health from hazardous wastes and chemicals. Countries that have signed on to these Conventions, otherwise known as Parties, meet biennially at Meetings of the Conference of the Parties (COPs) to monitor and advance the implementation of the respective Conventions. In light of the challenges faced by many Parties in preparation for these back-to back Meetings, the Secretariat of the BRS organized regional meetings to facilitate the regional preparatory process.

In this regard, the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries (GRULAC) Regional Preparatory Meeting for the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions 2017 Conference of the Parties was held in Sao Paulo, Brazil from 28-30 March, 2017. The interim Secretariat of the Minamata Convention took advantage of the opportunity and hosted a Working Session to Address Regional Specific Issues related to Ratification and Early Implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury on the 27 and 31 March, 2017.

Trinidad and Tobago was represented at these two Meetings by Ms. Keima Gardiner, Waste Management Specialist, Environmental Policy and Planning Division, Ministry of Planning and Development and Mr. Hasmath Ali, Registrar, Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals, Ministry of Health.

The key objective of the Regional Preparatory Meeting was to provide Parties of the three Conventions in the region, with a prime opportunity for consultation with each other prior to the 2017 Meetings of the BRS COPs, identify regional priorities and challenges, review meeting documents and discuss substantive matters.  The three day session of the Regional Preparatory Meeting commenced with a formal Opening and Introductory Remarks, after which discussions on Joint BRS issues commenced. On the second day, deliberations ensued on the Stockholm and Basel Conventions. The last day was devoted to Rotterdam Convention issues, along with a presentation by the Interim Secretariat of the Minamata Convention after the lunch break, before the formal closure of the Meeting.

Trinidad and Tobago’s participation provided the country with the opportunity to contribute to the proposals and actively influence the key recommendations that will be presented by GRULAC at the 2017 Meetings of the BRS COPs. In particular, those that relate to regional initiatives, strategic issues, financial and technical support, fostering partnerships for ensuring that hazardous wastes are managed and disposed of in an environmentally sound manner and discussing matters as it relates to guidance on the operations of the Basel Convention Regional Centre for the Caribbean.

National Inception Workshop and Mercury Inventory Toolkit Training for the Project Minamata Initial Assessment in the Caribbean (Jamaica, St. Kitts, St. Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago)

Human activity has led to the re-mobilization of mercury within the environment. Mercury is a chemical of global concern since once it has entered the environment it persists, continuously cycling between land, air and water. The chemical also bioaccumulates up the food chain where it could eventually be ingested by humans.  As a mechanism to treat with the adverse effects of this hazardous chemical on humans and the environment, the Minamata Convention on Mercury was established.

Trinidad and Tobago has not signed the Minamata Convention on Mercury, however, steps are being taken to assess the local mercury status. To this end, the country is participating in the project ‘Development of Minamata Initial Assessments in the Caribbean’. The Project seeks to allow participating countries to ratify and implement the Convention through the use of scientific knowledge and technical tools. This primarily refers to UNEP’s Toolkit for the identification and quantification of mercury releases, through the population of an inventory of mercury sources in the country.

 Dr. David Persaud, Environmental Manager
delivering the feature address. Seated to his
 right are Dr. Ahmad Khan, Director,
BCRC-Caribbean and Dr. David Buck of the
BRI Institute

Workshop Participants at the National Inception

 Workshop engage in an interactive session

To officially initiate the project a National Inception Workshop was hosted by the Basel Convention Regional Centre for Training and Technology Transfer in the Caribbean Region (BCRC-Caribbean) at Cara Suites Hotel and Conference Centre on March 21st, 2017. The key objectives of the Workshop were to introduce stakeholders to the Minamata Initial Assessment Project; explain the data requirements of stakeholders; briefly explain the UNEP’s Toolkit for identification and quantification of mercury releases Inventory level 2; and facilitate meetings and site visits with the consultants and relevant stakeholders.

The participants at the Workshop comprised the key stakeholders required for the inventory component and ranged from public to private sector entities including: Ministries, academia, waste management, energy, manufacturing and NGOs.

Following the delivery of opening remarks by the Director of the BCRC-Caribbean, Dr. Ahmad Khan and Dr. David Persaud, Environmental Manager of the EPPD, Mr. Kishan Patloo, the National Project Coordinator for the Inventory Component gave an overview of the project and explained the role of stakeholders. This was followed by Dr. Winston McCalla, the Legal Consultant, who discussed his role of conducting a legislative review for the project. Dr. Buck, the Lead Technical Consultant for the Inventory Component coordinated the remainder of the proceedings, briefing the audience on the Toolkit and the inventory, highlighting numerous potential sources of mercury in the country, as well as sources of data for the Minamata Initial Assessment Report. During a highly interactive session prior to the closure of the Workshop participants were invited to confirm these sources and provide any additional data. They were also reminded of the importance of their cooperation to ensure the successful completion of the Project.

Results of Survey on Protected Areas in Tobago

A knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) survey was undertaken in communities surrounding two pilot protected area sites in Tobago in August 2016.  The survey polled residents on the protected status of the Main Ridge Forest Reserve and the proposed North East Tobago Marine pilot protected area (the latter site located around the north eastern tip of the island from the northern village of Castara to the village of Roxborough on the southern side of the island).

The survey revealed that most persons are aware of the Main Ridge Forest Reserve and its value as a watershed in replenishing the island’s supply of freshwater. While the North East Tobago Marine area is a proposed site, residents attached an important economic as well as environmental value to the site.  The survey also revealed that people in general are not aware of the boundaries of these sites, nor the flora and fauna found there; some are also uncertain of who are the managers of these sites.

The results of the survey contribute important information about people’s general knowledge about these two sites and will assist in the development of a targeted communication strategy that can address knowledge gaps and curb negative practices that impact on the management of these protected areas.  

The report on the knowledge, attitudes and practices survey can be found at this link.

Rich stakeholder sharing at "Lessons Learned Workshop"

On February 16^th 2017, stakeholders involved on five Subcommittees of the “Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago” project assembled at the PETROTRIN Staff Club in Pointe a Pierre to participate in a Lessons Learned Workshop, a few months shy of the project’s mid-term.  This all-day exercise served to facilitate the exchange of experiences and viewpoints among stakeholders in the process of project implementation and progress made towards the development of recommendations for the management of six pilot protected areas of focus in this project.

Over forty persons attended the Workshop and contributed to discussions that reviewed: the composition of the Subcommittees; the governance of Subcommittees; how priority and emerging issues were managed; decision-making on boundaries and levels of protection; and drafting of conservation objectives for protected areas.

In a post-workshop evaluation exercise, Subcommittee members shared that the exercise was useful in understanding that there were some common challenges facing each team and the potential existed for “cross pollination” among teams to assist in the way forward in the project. 

The complete report from the Lessons Learned Workshop is provided at this link.

Call for Expressions of Interest to Conduct a Socioeconomic Assessment

Improving Forest and Protected Area Management Project

Call for Expressions of Interest to Conduct a Socioeconomic assessment in and around six pilot protected areas

Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago (GCP/TRI/003/GFF) is a full scale project funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Government of Trinidad and Tobago through the Ministry of Planning and Development, the European Union and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).  The project’s overarching objective is to improve the sustainability of protected areas systems in Trinidad and Tobago.

The Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago Project (GCP/TRI/003/GFF) is issuing this Call for Expressions of Interest to Conduct a Socioeconomic assessment in and around six pilot protected areas in Trinidad and Tobago.

Please click the link below to see further details of this call:

Terms of Reference: Call for expressions of interest to conduct a Socioeconomic Assessment in and around six pilot protected areas

Applications should be submitted to:

Mrs. Neila Bobb-Prescott, Chief Technical Advisor at Neila.BobbPrescott@fao.org.

Deadline for submission of applications is: Monday 8^th May 2017.

Nationally Determined Contribution Policy Briefs

The following links lead to the policy briefs that were created in consultation with focus groups for developing the Implementation Plan of the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the Paris Agreement.

The NDC Policy Brief No. 1

The NDC Policy Brief No. 2

The NDC Policy Brief No. 3

United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)

UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION 

You are invited to review and submit comments on the draft National Action Plan (NAP) and its annexes.
Kindly submit comments or suggested changes to KAIRI Consultants, Attn. Dr. Fredricka Deare (fmdeare@gmail.com).

The comments and suggested amendments or revisions should be dated and the relevant page and section of the document cited. The deadline for such comments and reviews is April 17th.

The documents for review can be found at the following links:

Draft National Action Plan: 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0I4K5zeRGEPVnNtbHUxazRHQ3M/view?usp=sharing

Annex Review of the Policy and Legal Framework:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0I4K5zeRGEPaFZMWjd0SUZ6Zms/view?usp=sharing

Annex Multi-Year Work Plan for the Implementation of the NAP:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0I4K5zeRGEPV29yY1lrUXp2Y00/view?usp=sharing

Annex List of Policies and Legislation:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0I4K5zeRGEPc1ozZnVUeGxTTWM/view?usp=sharing

The consultation exercise for Tobago will be held on Thursday 20th April, 2017 from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm at the Policy, Research and Development Institute (PRDI) Conference Room, Sacrborough.
Registration for the Tobago Consultation

The consultation exercise for Trinidad will be held on Tuesday 25th April, 2017 from 8:30 am to 12 noon at the University of Trinidad and Tobago, Point Lisas Campus, Esperanza Road, Brechin Castle, Couva.
Registration for the Trinidad Consultation


All attendees are asked to complete the registration form and submit it is at least to days before the event. See the links for details.