World Environment Day June 5th 2006 -  Don't Desert Drylands!

CHAGUARAMAS NATIONAL HERITAGE PARK

Forest Fires

 Tropical forest soils are inherently poorer in nutrients when compared to temperate regions, the nutrients are found in the trees and leaves when they fall to the ground they leave their nutrients before they die. When trees are removed in fires the nutrients remaining from the burnt ash are washed away or can be lost to that particular eco system. It is important there-for to create a micro- climate with trees when they are removed. This enables the soil to become stabilized or help it remain in place, ground water relations are re-established (water is not taken immediately away and a habitat is enriched with animals that will add nutrients in a new web of life. Trees planted during reforestation exercise act as a nurse crop; if this is not done trees may be regenerated naturally after 200-250 years as opposed to 30 years with reforestation. This situation is even more critical in smaller land holdings such as Trinidad and Tobago where there is less flexibility to allow land to fallow or rest for a number of years. Countries such as Guyana and Belize for example in Caricom, have vast forest and more often than not are inaccessible to the majority of people. There for they can have sustainable system of forest trees harvesting and most of the interior is exempted from forest fires. Land holdings in Trinidad and Tobago however are under tremendous pressure from housing, industries and unmanaged agriculture. Additionally our forest has been spared the brunt of exploitation as other smaller countries that use firewood for fuel. Trinidad with its abundant of cheap petroleum is not forced to wood as fuel.

The forest is such and important entity in our survival with an estimated 1500-1800 species of plants existing. This dynamic eco system is vital to the survival of countless species that will ultimately cease to exist if particular forest types are destroyed. In Chaguaramas for example we are fortunate to have both species of monkeys found in Trinidad and they cannot and will not survive in grass land or low density secondary forest (that is forest with no closed canopy). If we continue to separation the canopies by removal with fires they will forced to live within a confined spaces having less genetic sharing , producing a weaker species to cope with diseases and other changes of the environment. This of course is one of several examples that can be sited for the impact of removal.

This year’s world environment day celebration theme is “Desert and Desertification”. This emphasizes the ease of which land that once contained a beaming forest with many life forms and eco systems can be easily transformed not necessarily to a desert like the Sahara and the Sahel but xerophytic or dry conditions can ensue leaving the environment less enriched.

One may argue that inviting a school or non governmental agency to  plant a token tree once a year, may  seems so insignificant in a myriad of trouble that face the environment at present. But it must be seen as a partnering effort, as education is a significant tool in this endeavor. Out of a group of forty people five may be convinced to adopt a more proactive  attitude and pass the message onwards to hopefully have an exponential effect. We often find our selves talking to the converted about the environment which is further testimony that this activity needs to be continued, to convince them that people really do care.

Happy World Environment Day

Michael Forde

World Environment Day activities

Forest Fires

World Environment Day

Deserts and Desertification

Conservation Efforts