Environment TO BAGO new slett er
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Volume 2 Issue 2
n vi r on m e n t TOBAGO (ET) is a nongovernment, non-profit, volunteer organisation , not subsidized by any one group, corporation or government body. Founded in 1995, ET is a proactive, advocacy group that campaigns against negative environmental activities throughout Tobago. We achieve this through a variety of community an environmental outreach programmes. Environment TOBAGO is funded mainly through grants and membership fees. These funds go back into implementing our projects. We are grateful to all our sponsors over the years and thank them for their continued support
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hat’s inside
Environmental Issues in Tobago
1
New Turtle Disease?
3
Carpenter Bees we Got
4
Our Paradise Lost in Garbage
5
What is Bioprospecting?
6
Field Trip Report— Little Tobago
6
Upwards and Onwards! 7 Book Review
7
What we’ve been up to @ ET
8
What’s Happening @ ET
9
Readers’ Forum
10
Notes to contributors
10
June 2008 Burning Environmental Issues in Tobago Environment TOBAGO
1.
Placement of Jetty at Charlotteville Environment TOBAGO
The following letter was circulated to the members of Environment TOBAGO urging them to support our organization in opposing the proposed development of a jetty at Charlotteville. Dear E.T. Member Environment Tobago is writing to you about proposals by Tobago House of Assembly to develop and extend the jetty in Charlotteville for large cruise ship liners. This huge structure would dominate the village and change it forever. Look at the size compared with the sport field. Charlotteville residents fought off in 2001, proposed developments to convert the beachfront into an industrial port. These new proposals would also damage the environment and spoil the character of the village. At 300 metres, the proposed jetty would be 5 times the length of the existing one. It would accommodate two ships of 250 metres length, or several shorter ships. There would be a pipeline along the side of the jetty to bring sewage on shore. There would be a fishing port and a pleasure boat marina. This proposal spells disaster for Charlotteville and we must resist it. The construction process and the activities of big ships would damage the natural environment in and around Man-o-War Bay and would destroy the very special charm of Charlotteville village. Your president, Pat Turpin has written to Mr. Hilton Sandy Secretary of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Environment objecting to the proposals on behalf of ET. Pat is on the Environmental Impact Assessment Team (EIA) which is advising the national government of Trinidad and Tobago on anticipated environmental effects of the proposals. Charlotteville is a unique place: an unspoiled village in an environment of great natural beauty. It is relatively unspoiled by big business or terrible pollution. The hospitable people benefit from small scale tourism businesses - sale of locally caught fish, small guest houses, small restaurants and bars, boat trips, fishing trips, small shops, diving, guided walks, car hire etc. All this is under threat. Cruise ship tourists do not use these kinds of businesses and the type of tourists who do use them, would no longer come to a Charlotteville which had been spoiled. Proposed plan for Jetty at Charlotteville
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June 2008 Editor: Jo-Anne Nina Sewlal Assistant Editor: Christopher Starr Design & Layout: Jo-Anne Nina Sewlal Technical Support: Nolan Craigwell, Jerome Ramsoondar Nigel Austin Enid Nobbee Contributors: Jo-Anne Nina Sewlal Christopher Starr Patricia Turpin John E. Cooper Bertrand Bhikkary Wendy Austin Environment TOBAGO Photographs: John E. Cooper Reginald Clark Environment TOBAGO
Board of Directors 2007-2008 President:: Patricia Turpin Vice-President: Kamau Akili Secretary: Fitzherbert Philips Treasurer: Shirley Mc Kenna Committee members: Bertrand Bhikarry Geoffrey Lewis Hyacinth Armstrong Claudette Allard Kay Seetal Wendy Austin
Environment TOBAGO newsletter Cruise ship tourism brings no benefit to small communities. Passengers often don’t even have any local money. They do not normally consume food close to the docking site, and if at all, a huge amount is needed quickly. Charlotteville vendors do not have the facilities for such a high demand. This would open doors to unwanted fast food operations. Most people from Charlotteville and surroundings do not have the financial and training background to operate expensive jewellery / perfume / fashion stores. Outsiders will own / operate these. There would be severe pollution. During construction, driving piles would cause extensive damage to the nearby fragile coral reefs, alter the wave patterns of the bay and cause sediment loading, all of which would affect wildlife and fishing. After completion, the activities of large ships, emptying of bilges, leakage of engine oils, would pollute the sea water. A sewage pipeline to the shore would lead to leakages. Lighting and noise from ships would affect the villagers, the fisheries and nesting turtles. Crimes like stealing, mugging and all the ill effects of an unwanted type of tourism would increase. Oil and gas rigs are being developed off Charlotteville. It is likely that personnel on the rigs would come and go from the new jetty as the closest convenient port. There would then be a demand for facilities in the village such as night clubs, casinos and brothels. Outside investors would profit from this demand and Charlotteville would suffer. Ecological surveys have identified Man-o-War Bay as the location of one of the main coral reef systems of North East Tobago with the highest species diversity of coral and fishes in North East Tobago. The IMA which conducted the surveys recommended that the area be designated as restricted, under the Marine areas Preservation and Enhancement Act 1970. The beaches are classified as sensitive habitat. Leatherback, Hawksbill and Green turtles lay their eggs here. A large pier and large ships would alter the hydrology and wave patterns and lead to coastal erosion. The North East Tobago Management Plan states: 1. The Future development of North East Tobago will be dependent on the preservation of environmental values related to the biophysical environment of the area. 2. The biophysical attributes present significant constraints on the type of activities that can be sustained without causing damage to the natural environment. As the terrestrial and coastal ecosystems are fragile, development will impact on the marine environment, carrying a high risk of sediment loading to coastal waters. 3. Scenic corridor. The type of tourism- rural, focusing on the marine environment and limited to sea bathing, diving, snorkeling, fishing, nature tourism. Integrated tourism within the community to maintain the natural and rural character of the area. The proposed new jetty is not in keeping with these requirements. ET supports development that would improve the natural environment and strengthen the village community. For example a modern fishery in the existing fishery site, with modern facilities for freezing and for disposal of entrails, sensitive development of local organic agriculture, help and training for small tourism related businesses, would benefit the community and the environment. The main attraction in Charlotteville is the ambience of a tranquil fishing village. Every tourist is known personally after some days stay. The beaches, friendly people and unspoiled environment are the main resources. But who wants to bathe or snorkel next to a cruise ship or a ship from a rig? Do you see any sunbathers in the Scarborough Port ? What happens if Charlotteville people get fed up with five hundred or a thousand or more tourists blocking access to their fishing boats? Can Charlottevillians still pull seine? ET opposes the proposed jetty and has written to the Environment Secretary. 2.
Cove Eco-Industrial and Business Park Wendy Austin Environment TOBAGO
The decision to develop a Business and Industrial Park at the Cove Estate was taken by the Tobago House of Assembly as part of its strategy to diversify the economy of Tobago . The Cove is located on 140 acres of the island’s Canoe Lowland region south of Mt Pleasant and east of Canaan , Bon Accord, two of the island’s largest residential towns, and approximately ten minutes from the airport. This TT$100M project is intended to be a platform for Tobago ’s industrialization, with the aim to get it to become a world-class facility. TTEC electricity generating plant was an opportunity for Tobago to generate its own electrical power. Electrical power is currently supplied through submarine cables from Trinidad . Cove is expected to be a hub for • Knowledge-based Industries
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will be putting up their building straight out to the sea. At the time of the visit there was a Bob Cat machine running up and down the drain. To put it in to perspective this vehicle did not look much bigger than a child’s toy car. So we can all guess what is going to happen when the first heavy rains come. Not only will the soil be going in to the sea but it will go down this drain like an express train. Tobago’s coral reefs are only now recovering from the stresses brought on by the coral bleaching event in 2005 and further compounded by unmitigated silt run offs from on land construction. Cove Reef which is one of the most beautiful reefs on the south end of the island will die. The Elk Horn coral which has survived the coral bleaching is unlikely to survive this. The young fish will lose their nursery grounds. Then this will also spread along to the other reefs in the area and kill them. The reefs are not only beautiful but they also protect the land from erosion. So not only are we affecting the fish and our fishermen, we will experience a receding shoreline. Tourism in this area will be affected as there will be yet more dive sites in the South which will disappear. As this project continues, we urge the relevant authorities to ensure that our coral reefs remain unharmed. Stringent mitigating measures must be explicitly stated upon granting a Certificate of Environmental Clearance and monitoring that these measures have indeed been implemented is imperative. Economic progress is ambitious but are we willing to pay any price for it? MISSION STATEMENT
E
nvironment TOBAGO
conserves Tobago’s natural and living resources and advances the knowledge and understanding of such resources, their wise
Construction at the Cove Estate Photos by: Environment TOBAGO
and sustainable use and their essential relationship to human health and the quality of life
A New Disease Of Turtles? Can You Help? Prof. John E Cooper School of Veterinary Medicine, University of the West Indies, Mt Hope. A dead green turtle (Chelonia mydas) was recently sent by the T&T Wildlife Section for postmortem examination at the School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM), UWI, Mount Hope. This turtle was found to have a disease called fibropapillomatosis and this is possibly the first report of this condition from Trinidad waters. As can be seen papillomatosis (FP) is characterised by the presence, mainly on the skin, of multiple raised tumours. This a form of cancer, caused by a virus, which was first described in turtles seventy years ago. FP has been reported from all species of sea-turtles except the leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea). The green turtle, Chelonia mydas, appears to be most commonly affected. In recent years there has been much research on FP. It is believed that various human factors may predispose turtles to the disease, including chemical pollutants, toxic algae and climate change. Although much of the research on FP has been carried out in the USA, studies have also been reported in other parts of the world. In a report Tumors of FP on dorsal in 2007 from Costa Rica Santoro and colleagues side of turtle
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Environment TOBAGO newsletter emphasised the need for more involvement in such work by people living in the West Indies. In particular, they stated that "there is little information about ... pathological findings in free-ranging Caribbean green turtles". We at the SVM are keen to rectify this situation and are therefore publicising our findings in this animal in the hopes that Trinidadians and Tobagonians may be encouraged to look out for FP and other diseases that may be threatening the health or survival of our turtles. Fibropapillomatosis is an unpleasant disease that causes suffering and death in sea turtles. Quite apart from this, the presence of FP may be an indication, an "early warning system", that our seas are polluted and that environmental changes are affecting the ability of wild animals to resist infectious diseases. We therefore appeal to members of the public, naturalists, fishermen, yachtsmen and others to report to us if they see any turtle, live or dead, that might have this disease. We can be contacted direct at Mount Hope Tumors of Fibropapillomatosis (FP) on ventral side (extension 4213) or through the Government Wildlife of turtle Section.
Carpenter Bees We Got Christopher K. Starr Dept of Life Sciences, University of the West Indies ckstarr99@hotmail.com
“ To many people t hes e t all pe aks mak e for a challe ngi ng but sce nic hike. B ut t hey are not j ust anot her t all mount ai n to clim b. �
On a recent field trip a young naturalist told me that he had just seen a "bumble bee" flying by in a great, noisy hurry. Well, no, not exactly, I had to tell him, but even before he described it to me I knew what he meant. Bumble bees, genus Bombus, are a mostly temperate-arctic group of social bees, very common in most of North America. They occur in mountainous areas of Central America and down the Andes, and there is at least one lowland species in Brazil, but no species is found within a thousand kilometers of Trinidad & Tobago. What we do have are carpenter bees. Xylocopa is a worldwide genus of mostly solitary bees, well represented in both the New World and Old World tropics. They are so common and conspicuous in the Philippines, for example, that I found the vernacular name for them, bubuyog and variants, also used to designate bees in general. About 100 species are known from this hemisphere, of which one in Tobago and four in Trinidad (Hurd 1978, Ospina 2000). Carpenter bees are very large, robust bees, whose loud buzzing flight is so like that of bumble bees that one is forgiven for confusing the two. You have probably noted the noise of their foraging flight, even if you weren't aware of it. They often gather in sizeable, jostling masses in the tops of flowering trees, so that their buzzing can be heard from below even if the bees, themselves, are not in sight. In my experience, the females of most tropical species are shiny black, while the males tend to have a uniformly yellowish or rusty body. Much as I cherish and admire carpenter bees, I must say that they are very uniform in physical structure and differ only moderately in size. To put it more bluntly, if you have seen one you have seen them all. The common name in English -- and in at least a few other european languages, e.g. abeja carpintera, Holzbiene, houtbij, pchela-plotnik -- derives from the habit of many species of forming nests by burrowing into wood, where they provision their brood cells with a mixture of protein-rich pollen and energy-rich honey, as do most bees. I characterized carpenter bees above as mostly solitary. That is, in most studied species the female provisions her cells, lays an egg in each, and then flies away, so that she has little or no contact with the offspring past the larval stage. Some, however, have a social system comparable to that of the many birds that are now known to have helpers at the nest (Skutch 1987). In these, adult offspring delay going off to nest on their own, remain-
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ing for a time to assist their parents in rearing younger siblings. In carpenter bees the helpers are all females, and their father has no role in brood-care, but the pattern is otherwise similar (Gerling et al. 1983, Michener 1990, Velthuis 1987). These few remarks do not by any means exhaust the diversity of social behaviour in Xylocopa -- including, undoubtedly, some details that are yet to be discovered -- but it gives an indication of the main known departure from the solitary condition. References Gerling,D., P.D. Hurd & A. Hefetz 1983. Comparative behavioral biology of two Middle East species of carpenter bees (Xylocopa Latreille) (Hymenoptera: Apoidea). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 369:1-33. Hurd, P.D. 1978. An Annotated Catalog of the Carpenter Bees (Genus Xylocopa Latreille) of the Western Hemisphere (Hymenoptera: Anthophoridae). Washington: Smithsonian Inst. Press 106 pp. Michener, C.D. 1990. Caste in xylocopine bees. Pp. 123-46 in: W. Engels (eds.), Social Insects: An Evolutionary Approach to Castes and Reproduction. Berlin: Springer. Ospina, M. 2000. Abejas carpinteras (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Xylocopinae: Xylocopini) de la región Neotropical. Biota Colombiana 1:239-52. Skutch, A.F. 1987. Helpers at the Nest: A Worldwide Survey of Coopeative Breeding and Related Behavior. Iowa City: Univ. Iowa Press 298 pp. Velthuis, H.H.W. 1987. The evolution of sociality: ultimate and proximate factors leading to primitive social behavior in carpenter bees. Pp. 405-30 in: J.M. Pasteels & J.-L. Deneubourg (eds.), From Individual to Collective Behavior in Social Insects. Basel: Birkhäuser.
Carpenter bee © 2008 Wikipedia.com
OUR PARADISE LOST IN GARBAGE President, Environment TOBAGO Pat Turpin The residents of Tobago are at serious risk. Our health and environment are so closely entwined yet we are creating situations of massive degradation, with the illegal dumping of household garbage and solid waste all over the Island. Perfect breeding grounds for Aedes Egypti mosquito and Dengue Fever, Gastroenteritis, skin infections and lead poisoning have been created. Our natural assets which form the foundation of Tobago’s present economy are fast disappearing. Everywhere from Crown Point to Charlotteville illegal dumping takes place. No one is prosecuted for creating these unsightly and unhealthy situations. It is past time for drastic measures to be taken. Cleaning up, educating and prosecuting the offenders is needed urgently. The anti-littering laws must be enforced by wardens with the authority to enforce them, LITTER ABOUNDS At every road side and street corner - Speyside, Delaford,Pleasant Prospect. Over cliffsides - Plymouth, Goat Rock, Campbleton, L’ans Fourmi. Next to public buildings and Health centers - Roxborough, Delaford Catholic cemetery, Plymouth Tombs. In our parks - Bon Accord housing Scheme Park, Mt Pleasant development. On our road ways - Lambeau old road, from the Abattoir to Hilton boundaries. On our beaches - Speyside, Kilygwn, Grafton, Mt. Irvine, Lambeau, Buccoo. In our wet lands - Kilygwn, Louis D’or, Laucyvale, Buccoo. In our rivers - Lambeau, Courland River at Turtle Beach, Roxborough. In our marine environment - Buccoo, Pirates Bay, Speyside, Kilygwn, Lambeau. And the list goes on. Let us get serious. We seem to be unable to manage our environmental problems. Will there be any place left untouched by garbage? Will there be any rivers, beaches and parks that we can enjoy in a pristine state? When are we Tobagonians going to take responsibility for the problems we create for our health? When are the authorities going to enforce the anti-litter laws? When are we going to be given adequate facilities for storing solid waste and hazardous materials? It is not enough to do clean up campaigns. The time for action is here. Tobagonians wake up to what you are doing before it is too late.
“ the presence of FP may be an indication, an "early warning system", that our seas are polluted and that environmental changes are affecting the ability of wild animals to resist infectious diseases”
One of the many piles of garbage Photo by: Environment TOBAGO
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Environment TOBAGO newsletter What is Bioprospecting? Jo-Anne Nina Sewlal Dept of Life Sciences, University of the West Indies The term bioprospecting refers to the process of searching, collecting and obtaining genetic material from living organisms that can be used in commercial, pharmaceutical, industrial, agricultural or chemical end products. This is a long and tedious process and thousands of dead-ends may be investigated before encountering a positive result. Ascertaining and developing a commercial product from the biota around us involves more than numerous tests and experiments. It also involves tapping the wealth of knowledge accumulated over the centuries or millennia in the local populations in the area it is found. Some well known examples include the Hoodia cactus (Hoodia sp.) from the Kalahari Desert in South Africa, where the San tribe? Have used it as an appetite suppressant. Its commercial value is evident in its presence in a variety of weight loss products on the market. Another example is the Rosy Periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus), which is a native of Madagascar and is grown in many tropical countries around the world. Initially researched as a potential cure for diabetes, it was later discovered as a cure for different types of cancer, where the chemical viscristine is used to produce the drug vinblastine which is used in Hodgkin’s Lymphoma chemotherapy. A negative side to the process of bioprospecting is the exploitation of resources, where a company or country benefits from patents on indigenous knowledge so that the indigenous groups that developed the knowledge get no compensation. As a result many countries have implemented laws on bioprospecting and removal of biological material from their country for this purpose, for example, Antigua and Barbuda. A misconception is that pharmaceutical companies patent the organism which is not possible. Rather what is patented is the chemicals isolated from the organisms.
An observation from the ET field trip to Little Tobago Bertrand Bhikkary Environment TOBAGO
Photos by Reginald Clark
The colonial seabirds of this islet needs help to ensure they continue to prosper around the reserve. With information, consideration and a little restraint during their nesting season, which is the most critical part of their year, we can all help the red-billed tropicbird, the red-footed booby and other birds who nest on the Rock. Although most of these birds spend an inordinate amount of time in the air, nesting space on the islands are essential to their survival as a species. Each year, they establish colonies for breeding and raising young, preferring to breed on the smallest of ledges, which they would think to be predator free. They create extremely well defined 'territories', some species even having a neck to neck space away from each other. While seemingly crowded, they use the group sense of togetherness to mob trespassers or would be predators. On Little Tobago the sanctity of those spaces are now being violated by unsupervised groups of person threading not so lightly, and not too considerately among the colonies and therefore the territories. The effects are already visible. There are worn footpaths down the steep cliffs at the nesting sites of the Island . These indicate extreme incursions into the nesting zones, and may have resulted from well-intentioned observers, photographers, or more likely sustained poacher traffic. These paths are detrimental to the island and its residents (all species) as they cause soil compaction, create waterways leading to erosion of the hillsides, and more benign but just as potentially dramatic, they offer ingress into the birds nesting and breeding sites. The birds of Little Tobago nest in hidden crevices, burrows, select vegetation, or even exposed rock ledges. Careless footsteps can break eggs, damage the surrounds leading to erosion at the first heavy rainfall, and lead to loss of vegetation which some bird families claim as their own. Even approaching the nesting sites can cause birds to abandon nests and young, or at the very least create extreme agitation, leading to poorly defended nests or badly nourished young. It is fairly apparent the procedure to access Little Tobago is flawed to a large extent, but it is easily and inexpensively rectified. Similar nesting sites exist worldwide, as do the management plans to guarantee their survival over time. Keep in mind tourism can be a good thing, but so too it can be bad. Let's take our responsibility seriously if we are to leave anything at all in our country for the generations to come.
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Upwards and Onwards! Jo-Anne Nina Sewlal Dept of Life Sciences, University of the West Indies The geography of a few islands in the Caribbean have high peaks, and many others rise to at least moderate elevation, Trinidad and Tobago included, The presence of such elevations are found on islands that are oceanic, which means that they came to be through volcanic activity, or continental in nature, meaning that they broke off from a larger land mass. To many people these tall peaks make for a challenging but scenic hike. But they are not just another uphill hike. If you were to look at them from an ecological aspect, these peaks provide a variety of habitats which are arranged in layers. On most mountains (if they are high enough) you would find three main layers; montane rainforest, palmbrake and elfin woodland at the very top. So let’s take a virtual walk through these habitats up Cerro del Aripo in the Northern Range in Trinidad, which is the highest point on both islands, and try to keep up it is a long walk. Although there are three main layers, at the base of most peaks you might have to walk through some secondary vegetation, which is basically land that was at one time once cleared for agriculture or disturbed for firewood or timber extraction. As you proceed up you would first encounter montane rainforest usually found at around 244 to 752 metres in altitude. One of the first indications that you are entering the rainforest is the presence of ferns. The vegetation here usually consists of broad-leaved trees and has a continuous canopy, commonly 30 to 36 metres in height. This layer comprises of trees of many different sizes, including pygmies, which reach only a metre. There are also emergent trees which can reach 60 metres or more in height. Next you would enter the palmbrake, so called because it is comprised almost entirely of Mountain Cabbage (Prestoea montana), which vary from 3 metres in exposed areas to 12 metres in sheltered areas. A sub-layer of immature trees and palms are also present while ferns and heliconias comprise the understory vegetation. Finally you reach the Elfin Woodland which is characterised by small trees and shrubs stunted by constant wind exposure. The high humidity present is ideal for epiphytes, like bromeliads, orchids, ferns and mosses. You would usually start to see this type of vegetation from 853 metres and upwards. Of course in each habitat you would find different fauna that call there home. But don’t be too surprised if you see less diversity the higher up you go. This is expected, probably due to the extreme conditions therefore only the most tolerant species can survive there. So the next time you visit any of our high peaks or on many of the other islands in the Caribbean, or if you are planning to, take some time and enjoy the nature around you as journey to the top.
“To many people these tall peaks make for a challenging but scenic hike. But they are not just another uphill
Book Review: A PIONEER’S LIFE Alexander F. Skutch 1971. A Naturalist in Costa Rica. Gainesville: Univ. Florida Press 378 pp. [Eleventh in a series on "naturalist-in" books.] (Continued from previous issue) Christopher K. Starr Dept of Life Sciences, University of the West Indies ckstarr99@hotmail.com There is much attention to migrant birds, and Skutch makes the key point that one who observes these species only in their summer range (usually in North America) is missing half of their life. In other words, many of the birds that seem familiar to North-American ornithologists are, in fact, only half known. It was earlier generally believed that migrants do not sing at their winter grounds, and it is mainly through Skutch's observations that we now know that some do, often a great deal. As expected, the book gives special attention to helpers at the nest. Early in his time in El General, Skutch noticed that fledged house wrens (Troglodytes musculus) from a calabash nest-box that he had set up beside the house remained for a time to help their parents rear the next brood, instead of flying off to nest on their own. He observed several other pairs in successive years and found that helpers at the nest are quite common. Skutch description of this phenomenon in this and later in other species led to the recognition that it is actually quite widespread in birds. At present it is known from more than 150 species (Skutch 1987). After 20 years in El General, there were still some local birds whose nesting habits he been able to study only in fragments or not at all. Skutch figured that he had reached a point of diminishing returns at which it
hike.”
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Environment TOBAGO newsletter made more sense to spend the breeding season in other parts of the neotropics, where he was much more assured to observations of novel species. Accordingly, he developed the habit of choosing a particular area for each breeding season, with a focus on a selected species. The book includes a chapter on a season spent at La Selva in the Atlantic lowlands, a location of extraordinary biodiversity, from which 331 species of birds are now known. I should note that Skutch's description of the area has since been superceded by a substantial multiauthor book (McDade et al. 1994). The last chapter treats the changes seen in El General in the decades since Skutch first arrived. These are mostly changes for the worse, from the naturalist's point of view, as the population grew and the habitat was degraded. Stated another way, as the economy improved the environment was impoverished. Even as much was lost, however, Skutch was proud to have been able to save much. It is not said openly, but one senses his disappointment that he had little success in persuading his peasant neighbours to change their ways, and he was even fearful of the long-term fate of Costa Rica's famed system of national parks. Skutch regarded the search for ways to stop worldwide population growth as the foremost task facing humanity in our time. And, for him, the meaning of life in our time was the struggle to find our proper relationship to other species and our shared environment. References McDade, L.A., K.S. Bawa, H.A. Hespenheide & G.S. Hartshorn (eds.), La Selva: Ecology and Natural History of a Neotropical Rain Forest. Chicago: Univ. Chicago Press 486 pp. Skutch, A.F. 1987. Helpers at the Nest: A Worldwide Survey of Coopeative Breeding and Related Behavior. Iowa City: Univ. Iowa Press 298 pp.
WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO @ ET
Earth Month display
1. Little Tobago Trip On April 20th ET invited our members to accompany us on a guided tour of Little Tobago. Before reaching the island we were given a brief reef tour and some for the very first time saw the large brain coral spectacle in Speyside. We had the pleasure of Mr. David Rooks to lead the pack on Little Tobago. For approximately two and a half hours we were given interesting lessons on the history, biology and wildlife of the island. The island, a bird watching paradise did not disappoint the birdwatchers on board. Special thanks to Mr. David Rooks and Photographer Reginald Clark.
Group shot Photo by Reginald Clark
2. Earth Day Exhibition The month of April was called Earth Month and Environment Tobago in addition to planning the Little Tobago trip decided to host a two-day exhibition at the Lowlands Mall. Information on the environment and environmental conservation issues were disseminated. There was also a section for children’s activities. Our Word Sleuth winner was Shadae Lewis from Union Village in Tobago . Congratulations Shadae!!
Sea-grass removal volunteers going to the site and at work Photo by: Environment TOBAGO
3. Sea-grass Removal Project The Fisheries Department in Tobago together with the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, the Buccoo Reef Trust and Environment Tobago came out in full force to weed away sea grass beds that are rapidly encroaching on the Nylon pool bathing area. Approximately twenty persons gathered at 6:30 am on the pier at Buccoo Bay on the 7th of May to begin this massive task. This activity continued for two additional days in the unforgiving sun. In the end, it is estimated around 300 bags of sea grass was removed.
One of the many aquatic organisms encountered during the project Photo by: Environment TOBAGO
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WHAT’S HAPPENING @ ET Thanks from ET Scrip J Jaric Environment Safety & Health Services Ltd. Mr. Anthony Mohammed Manager of Gulf City Lowlands Mall Mr. Ean Mac Kay Mr. Daryl Harmon Mr. Reginald Clark Mr. Matt Kelly
Volunteers needed! Persons who are interested in helping with cataloguing and filing of ET’s educational, research and operational material and archiving.
Environment TOBAGO t-shirts now available!!!
Type: Polos Size: Small, Medium & Large Price: TT$150.00 Colours: Kelly green, royal blue, red, gold and ash grey Description: ET logo embroidered on left breast, sponsor’s logo printed on the back.
Type: Lady’s tees Size: Small & Medium Price: TT$100.00 Colours: Lime green, red and black Description: ET logo printed on front and sponsor logo at the back centre
Type: Regular tees Size: Small, Medium & Large Price: TT$100.00 Colours: Kelly green, red, black, navy blue, ash, purple, royal blue and black forest Description: ET logo printed on front and sponsor logos on sleeves at the back centre
Orders can be made through the office.
Environment TOBAGO—Environmental and Services Map of Tobago They are excellent and will be published every two years. Published in January 2008. Requests for these maps can be made to ET office.
New Members
With a membership of 377 worldwide, ET welcomes the following members: Herb Balfour Giselle Kuruvilla Nicole Gomes Ryan Allard Alina Lange Petra Schwendner Askala Sanjua George
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Environment TOBAGO newsletter
READERS’ FORUM Dear Editor,
Office:
Mailing address:
11 Cuyler Street Scarborough, Tobago, W.I. P.O. Box 503, Scarborough, Tobago, W.I.
Phone: 1-868-660-7462 Fax: 1-868-660-7467 E-mail: envirtob@tstt.net.tt
I read with interest the article “A Dip in a Salt Pond” about the salt pond at Chacachacare. I was intrigued also at the discovery of the warm layer of water over the bottom surface of the lake. The writer and colleagues seem to have deduced that this was caused by the decomposing algae in the pond. I have not been there, but I noted something significant in the article which perhaps may have been overlooked as a possibility. It was mentioned that a previous explorer, Peter Bacon (1967) commented about the smell of sulphur in the area, but the recent explorers did not detect any such odour. Bacon's observations may have indicated that there may be a fumarole or fumaroles in the area. The sulphur content may have subsided, but the fumarole(s) may still be active beneath the surface of the water in the pond, hence the significant heat near the bottom. In fact it is not farfetched to enquire whether the pond itself is not indeed a small volcanic vent or crater. The areas/ depressions on the bottom where the layer of algae is not present, but the bare gravel, may be the actual fumarole vents. Has this possibility ever been considered? Dear ET Newsletter Readers, We want to hear from YOU! Cheers Comments may be edited for length and clarity. Percival Hanley Send your comments to: jo_annesewlal@yahoo.com or (St. Kitts-Nevis) envirtob@tstt.net.tt
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Submit material to any of the following: 1) jo_annesewlal@yahoo.com 2) envirtob@tstt.net.tt Deadline for submission of material for the 3rd Quarter 2008 issue of the Bulletin is September 10th, 2008.
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