- NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - Hier 08:53

Conserving nature our duty

ANTONY R RAMNARINE NATURE conservation is an inherent duty of mankind. With our superior intellect and mental capacity, all of us should acknowledge that as custodians of planet Earth we are a part of nature, upon which our welfare and survival depend. We must also recognise that many thousands of plant and animal species have become extinct through our collective abuse of natural processes, creating rapid imbalances which overwhelmed such species to their detriment. Although Trinidad in particular stands out as the Caribbean country endowed with a plethora of flora and fauna species, we have nevertheless contributed to the demise of several of them over the years. One example relates to the decimation of whales which were once abundant in the Gulf of Paria, but which were over-hunted for their blubber at the whaling stations at Gasparee and Monos Islands during the last century. Overexploitation, habitat destruction, forest fires and flooding have all contributed significantly to numerous wildlife species declining and becoming endangered or extinct in our country. However, some degree of protection has been executed by the Forestry Division through legislation since the enactment of the Forests Act in 1916 and the Wildlife Ordinance in 1933, which were the genesis of conservation laws in this country. These were enforced through regular patrols conducted by game wardens and forest officers, with penalties and fines imposed for guilty parties. The establishment of private wildlife farming programmes and enlisting of civil society to assist as honorary game wardens also supplemented the efforts at conserving our flora and fauna. Over-hunting has also caused a serious decline in our native forest animals. The wildlife farming programme encouraged and supported private individuals to rear certain wildlife species in captivity. The mature animals were then sold on the market for food, similar to meat from the agriculture sector. This had the dual effect of providing meat protein to consumers while simultaneously taking the pressure off hunting, during which many females and young animals were indiscriminately killed by hunters and poachers alike. It also enabled many entrepreneurs to conduct a lucrative business without the risk of handling weapons or being shot by trap guns in the wild. The sea turtle conservation programme provided opportunities for communities to assist the state in saving the lives of these majestic marine reptiles from poachers when visiting TT beaches to lay their eggs. This was facilitated by the Forestry Division staff providing training to volunteers from turtle nesting communities and the government financing the operations through the payment of stipends to these workers. The declaration of five species of turtles as environmentally sensitive species by the Environmental Management Authority also provided extra legal support for the adults and hatchlings. The net result of these initiatives over the past 30 years has been the ecological success of leatherback, olive ridley, hawksbill, green and loggerhead turtles returning to our shores in abundance every year. The records show that Grande Riviere Beach now has the largest breeding population of leatherbacks in the world, visiting this area from February to June each year. The boost to ecotourism has also been phenomenal, with visitors from over 100 countries having already visited our shores to enjoy and remember this extraordinary sea turtle experience. This is a goldmine which could further be improved through the provision of additional guest houses, tour guides, restaurants, craft shops and other amenities in rural coastal communities around the country. TT is a signatory to several international conventions and agreements aimed at conserving our biodiversity through the application of best practices and control over trade of endangered species. However, there is greater need to address the illegal trade of wildlife since many of the imported plants and animals could potentially infect our native species with pests and diseases, or aggressively alter the ecological balance. As a country having a long history of conservation, we must acknowledge the successful efforts of organisations such as the Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust, the Fondes Amandes Community Reforestation Project, the Turtle Village Trust and the Environmental Research Institute Charlotteville for their dedicated service benefiting forestry and wildlife in our country. The conservation of natural resources requires a continued effort to maintain a collective and collaborative process among various stakeholders including the government (through agencies such as the Forestry Division, EMA, IMA and Fisheries), non-governmental organisations, civil society and the private sector pooling their knowledge, resources and efforts to improve the status of our biodiversity. This would not only lead to an elevation of TT’s standing internationally, but would also contribute to reducing the effects of climate change and the increased possibility of earning carbon credits from external sources. Conservation of the environment is everyone’s business. Let us all dedicate our efforts toward this goal.   Antony R Ramnarine is the retired conservator of forests and chief game warden The post Conserving nature our duty appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.