Report on World Wetlands Day 2020 activities

The "Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago" project, through its Caroni Swamp Subcommittee hosted two activities at the Visitor Centre of the well-known wetland in recognition of this year's World Wetlands Day observance. 

These activities, which encouraged the participation of primary school students and teachers, as well as a group of artists and photographers, also piloted novel on-site environmental education approaches.

A report on these activities is available at this link.

World Wetlands Day - "Celebrating My Caroni"

Under the theme "Celebrating My Caroni", the Caroni Swamp Subcommittee of the Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago project shared the observance of this year's World Wetlands Day.  The actual date of the observance being 2nd February annually, the Subcommittee staged two major activities with target audiences of artists/photographers and Primary  School students, which were all held at the Caroni Swamp, one of our more well-known wetland sites.

On Sunday 2nd February 2020 - 02.02.2020 - some thirteen artists and photographers accepted the invitation to embark on a guided tour of the Caroni Swamp, assisted by Ravi Kalpoo of Kalpoo tours, and local naturalists.  After a short briefing at the Visitor Centre, the group explored the various channels of the swamp with instructions to capture "what stands out and inspires", including the "awesomeness", "the good, the bad, the ugly" and "the value and challenges" of the Swamp. 

On Thursday 6th February 2020, it was the turn of seventy-one (71) Standard Three students of four schools from communities which surround the Caroni Swamp to explore "The World of Wetlands".  In four rotations, students undertook: (i) an interpretive walk of the wetland at the Visitor Centre; (ii) a virtual tour of the Caroni Swamp's flora, fauna and associated livelihoods via a PowerPoint presentation; (iii) a hands-on activity on food chains and food webs of the Caroni Swamp; and (iv) an exploration of biodiversity of swamps and introduction to plants found at the Caroni Swamp.

It was then the turn of artists and photographers again on Friday 7th February 2020, to regroup at the swamp for "an evening corn soup lime" to close the celebration of "My Caroni" by reviewing all the pieces captured through the lens of the photographer and the brushstokes and hands of the artists.  With brief comments delivered by the Project  Coordination Unit, a representative of the National Parks Section of the Forestry Division, and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, the oohs and aahs echoed through the cool evening breeze of the Caroni Visitor Centre, as the beautiful pieces were revealed.

Both audiences were greatly appreciative of the activities and recommended that these be repeated regularly to build awareness and appreciation for protected areas, while sharing accurate information about the sites.  It is hoped that these recommendations meet fertile ground, as the mantra often repeated at the event was "another occasion, a different location", to enhance local knowledge of these sites.

New signage installed at protected areas

Main Sign located at Salybia-Matura Trace, Salybia Village

November 13th 2019 marked a significant day in the "Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago" project, with the unveiling of new signage at a protected area.  The Matura National Park Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) was the first of five pilot protected areas of focus in the project to be bestowed with these simple yet significant features, which are intended to aid in building awareness and valuing of protected areas.

Educational sign located at Orosco Road, Matura Village

The ceremony to unveil these signs took place at a main entryway to the ESA, at the corner of the Salybia-Matura Trace and Toco Main Road in the village of Salybia.  Senator the Hon. Clarence Rambharat, Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries and Mr. Reuben Robertson, Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization for Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname took part in the unveiling ceremony after addressing a small gathering of about 60 persons; several members of the surrounding community were present at the ceremony.

Boundary sign located at Salybia

A total of 30 signs will be mounted around the ESA, with some of these located within the communities that surround the site.  In 2016, a survey of persons living in these communities revealed that persons who lived outside the village of Matura had little or no connection with the Park that has "Matura" in its name.  As a result of this, stakeholders on the Project Subcommittee associated with the site decided that apart from boundary-demarcating signs, information signs that highlight key assets of the Park should be mounted in neighbouring communities, headlined with the words "In Your Neighbourhood" to stimulate a closer connection with the protected area.

Similar signage exercises are expected to take place around four more protected areas in the coming months with the intent of building interest, knowledge and appreciation of the value of these sites.

KAP surveys soon to get underway

In 2016-2017, the Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago project undertook a series of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices surveys in communities surrounding six protected areas of the project's focus.  The data gathered in these surveys, supplied information about people's knowledge and interaction or lack therefore with these protected areas, and advised communication plans for the six sites.

Now, towards the end of this four-year project, these surveys are being repeated, to determine whether areas of positive feedback are sustained and if areas of lack of awareness or knowledge have improved.  The surveys are preceded by training/re-training of enumerators in a series of training workshops, the first of which took place in the village of Plum Mitan today. 

Surveys will begin in communities surrounding the Nariva Swamp, Trinity Hills Wildlife Sanctuary and Tobago's NE marine area and Main Ridge Forest Reserve next week.

Surveys in communities surrounding Caroni Swamp and Matura National Park will begin on 25 November 2019.

Two-day Flood Modelling Workshop

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO/UN) is coordinating a two-day training exercise in flood modelling on Tuesday 30^th – Wednesday 31^st October, 2019.  The workshop is a component of the four-year project “Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago” which the FAO is implementing on behalf of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago.

This workshop activity will enable participants – including staff of the Drainage Division, Ministry of Works and Transport and the Division of Infrastructure, Quarries and Environment, THA – to become familiar with aspects of the hydrology of catchments and their influence on receiving floodplains.  The focus of the workshop will be on the development of design storms and the application of techniques for generating streamflow hydrographs emanating from catchments.

This workshop sets the stage for a follow-up session in early November in which participants can understand how the streamflow hydrographs flowing onto a floodplain may cause flooding.  It will explore the capabilities and limitations of a popular two-dimensional hydrodynamic model and how it can be used for performing hydraulic analyses for evaluating the suitability of flood control measures.  The model’s capability for producing flood hazard maps will also be covered.

The workshop is linked to a current feasibility study being undertaken in the project to identify possible options for improving freshwater input into the mangrove swamp forest of the Caroni Swamp.  If a feasible option is identified, improved freshwater flow to the Swamp may also provide an associated solution to reduce or mitigate flood challenges in surrounding areas.

Main Ridge Forest Reserve 243rd anniversary celebrations

In recognition of the 243rd anniversary of the declaration of the Main Ridge Forest Reserve, the Department of Natural Resources and Forestry and Environment Tobago jointly undertook two activities. 

The first activity took the form of a "Main Ridge Forest Fitness Challenge" in which the public was invited to take part in a run/walk/cycle challenge across the main road which runs through the Main Ridge Forest Reserve.  Participants either chose to undertake a 14 km full challenge or a 7 km half challenge, which ended at the Bloody Bay Visitor Facility.  All finishers were rewarded with medals and the fastest finisher in various age and gender categories received prizes. 

The second event was a "Kids' Jamboree" hosted for pre-school students from the surrounding area.  The youngsters enjoyed sing-alongs, stories and skits on environmental themes, as well as a petting zoo. 

The keen interest and participation from the public in these events has encouraged the organizers to consider hosting these as as annual undertaking.  A brief report on the anniversary celebrations is available at this link.

Enforcement Officers Workshop report available online

Over the period June - August 2018, three one-day workshops were undertaken as a joint initiative of the Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago project and the Environmental Management Authority (EMA), which were geared towards building knowledge of the legal framework for environmental management among senior enforcement officers.  

The workshops were attended by 114 persons, including representatives of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard, Game Wardens of the Wildlife Division, Forestry Officers, Environmental Police Unit, Police of Regional Corporations and the Customs and Excise Division (Tobago).

Key presentations were delivered on the Environmental Management Act 2000 Chapter 35:05 and rules, the Conservation of Wildlife Act Chapter 67:01, the Forest Act Chapter 66:01, the State Lands Act Chapter 57:01 an the Town and Country Planning Act Chapter 35:01.  A report on the workshops is provided at this link.

Communicating with IFPAMTT

Recently, a two-day communication workshop was held among stakeholders involved in the "Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago" project.  This workshop sought to review the journey in communication adopted by the project while building understanding of the processes involved in development of key communication products.  Read more about the activity at this link.

Vacancy Call: Animation Video and Video Production Services

IMPROVING FOREST AND PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT PROJECT

- Vacancy Announcements: 

(1) Video Production Service 

(2) Animation Video Production Service 

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 Vacancy Announcement for individuals to apply for a short-term contract to develop video products for public communication on the management of six protected areas in Trinidad and Tobago.

Please click the links below to see further details of these vacancies:

(1) Video Production Service

(2) Animation Video Production Service

Applications should be submitted to:

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

Deadline for submission of applications is: Friday 8th February 2019.

"My Caroni" session focuses on the Scarlet Ibis and Enforcement matters

The second session in the "My Caroni" information/research sharing series took place on Friday 28th September 2018. An initiative of the Caroni Swamp Pilot Protected Area Subcommittee (Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago project), these sessions assist managers in understanding the complexity of issues which face the protected area, and offer opportunities to discuss, brainstorm ideas and network to find practical solutions and/or approaches to improved management.  

At the second session which was hosted at the Head Office of the Environmental Management Authority, attendees gained insight on the process followed for designation of the most recent Environmentally Sensitive Species, the Scarlet Ibis.  

Additionally, the current challenges facing managers for enforcement within the Caroni Swamp (and other protected areas) and the novel ways in which some of these are being addressed, were shared.  

Learn more about the information shared and the discussions which ensued at this link.  The next session of the series will be held in late October.

Roaming Art Exhibition visits Trincity Mall

Following the launch of the roaming environmental art exhibit “Treasures Among Us” on June 11^th, and its first week of showing at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Port of Spain, it was time to hit the road and head east.  The exhibit journeyed to the central atrium of the popular Trincity Mall.  

The exhibit is an initiative of the "Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago" project and is part of the Environment Month celebrations of the Ministry of Planning and Development "Environmental Pride is National Pride" which promotes our local biodiversity.

Read more about the Mall experience at this link.

Roaming Art Exhibition gets underway

On Monday 11^th June 2018, an environmental art exhibition entitled “Treasures Among Us” was launched at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Port of Spain.  Under the patronage of Senator the Hon. Camille Robinson-Regis, Minister of Planning and Development, this exhibition highlights the talents of local artists in thirty mounted pieces in varied media.

The art exhibition was conceptualized as a communication vehicle under the four-year project “Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago” which is being implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations on behalf of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago.

Read more about this initiative at this link.

#EnvironmentalPrideisNationalPride

Views and Reviews at 2018 Lessons Learned Workshop

Two weeks ago, the second annual “Lessons Learned Workshop” was hosted by the Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago project.  

The workshop was attended by a wide range of stakeholders who are involved in the project.  They reviewed approaches being undertaken towards the project’s goal and discussed mechanisms for taking the main gains of this initiative forward in their respective day-to-day operations.  

Learn more about the two day event at this link.

Livelihood Study completed for Matura National Park

Over the period July - August 2017, a Livelihood Assessment Study was undertaken in communities surrounding the Matura Forest and Coastal Zone Pilot Protected Area (PPA).  The study was an activity requested by the Subcommittee for this PPA under the "Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago" project and sought to determine how people who live in these communities are currently engaging with the protected area in livelihood activities, as well as what are feasible, sustainable livelihoods that can be developed for this region that can also assist in management of the site.

In a two-part blog, principal researcher Dr. Veerle van den Eynden shares some of the main findings of the study.

The first part of the blog gives a snapshot of existing livelihood links to the PPA and can be found at this link.

Part two of the blog provides information on the recommendations for sustainable livelihood development after review of key assets associated with the site and the surrounding communities and can be found at this link.

New Issue of ProtectEd (December 2017)

The Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago project has released the latest issue of ProtectEd, the project newsletter which reports on project activities and activities of forest and protected area stakeholders.

Enjoy reading a copy of the latest edition at this link and please share with your networks.

Examining gender issues in protected area management

Representatives of  various stakeholder organisations that are engaged in the "Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago" project recently participated in a one-day workshop which explored gender issues in protected area management.

The participants learned how to conduct a gender analysis in their organisations' environmental projects and in the protected areas to which they are connected through project Subcommittees.

A call-back session planned for early 2018 will examine how their new learning has assisted in review and in the application of a 'gender lens' to their work.

Learn more about the workshop at this link.

Farmers explore self-check options for pesticide use

A farmer conducts a rapid test for pesticide residue

The second session of a special workshop for farmers in the Plum Mitan area took place on 31^st October 2017.  

This activity was an undertaking of the "Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago" project.  It was developed to assist in addressing threats to the Nariva Swamp Environmentally Sensitive Area, presented by the use of harmful chemicals including extremely toxic pesticides.  

In this session of the two-day workshop, the farmers learned about some options for conducting self-checks for their personal, produce and consumer health.  Learn more about the workshop at this link.

Farming for Food, Health and Environmental Security

With the observance of World Food Day 2017 just around the corner, the "Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago" project initiated a timely step, in hosting a farmers' workshop in Plum Mitan, Trinidad.

This workshop, entitled "Farming for Food, Health and Environmental Security" assisted farmers in examining some of their farming practices to reduce the use of harmful chemicals on their farms.

Located within the northern portion of the Nariva Swamp Environmentally Sensitive Area, this particular group of farmers was identified as a key audience for sharing information and new techniques in pest control to help improve the management of the protected area.

Learn more about the workshop at this link.

Interpretive Trail Design and Maintenance Course ends

The fifth and last module of the Interpretive Trail Design and Maintenance course took place earlier this month, with activities coming to a close in west Trinidad.

Some twenty-five participants put their earlier learning on the course to use, designing a series of trails at the Botanical Gardens, Port of Spain.

Learn more about their experiences in the last module at this link.

National Consultation on Draft Protected Areas System Plan

A meeting of key government and civil society stakeholders was held on Friday 9^th September 2017 in the form of a one-day national consultation on a Draft Protected Areas System Plan.  

The meeting sought to engage stakeholders in discussion of preliminary recommendations for harmonizing existing protected area sites with proposed sites, in order to develop the most feasible network of sites based on the criteria of representation, redundancy, resilience and realism.  The Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Senator the Hon. Clarence Rambharat addressed the consultation, which was held at the PETROTRIN Staff Club, Pointe-à-Pierre.

Dr. Howard Nelson, consultant

The development of the draft Plan was undertaken by       Dr. Howard Nelson, a consultant to the “Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago” project.  This project is currently being undertaken by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO/UN) on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (GORTT) over the period 2015-2019.

Learn more about the discussions which took place at the consultation at this link.