E n viron men t TO BA GO n ewsl etter
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nvironment 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 and 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
ET’s News
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Ecology Notes
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Articles
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Book Review
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Community Announcements
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What’s Happening @ ET
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Notes to contributors
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Environment TOBAGO
June 2013
ET President receives Euan P. McFarlane Environmental Leadership Award Island Resources Foundation announces that Patricia Turpin is the winner of the 2013 Euan P. McFarlane Environmental Leadership Award. This award recognizes over forty years of continuous service by Turpin to the cause of environmental conservation and sustainable development on the island of Tobago, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, culminating with her service as founding director (1996) and later President of the NGO “Environment Tobago” (2000). As Managing Director of the Turpin-family -owned Charlotteville Estates in northeastern Tobago (renowned for generations of high quality environmental stewardship) she has been able to achieve enhanced livelihoods for local residents, while continually upgrading the quality of environmentally sustainable management of the Estate. Finally, in addition to her local leadership and her demonstration of the economic value of the sustainable use of local resources, Pat Turpin has been a powerful voice for the special conditions, resilience, and requirements for ecosystem protection on the small island Tobago, in distinction to its large-island, petro -producing partner, Trinidad. She has served as President of the national Council of Presidents of the Environment (COPE), various national councils and advisory boards, and serves as an Honorary Game Warden for the Cabinet of Trinidad and Tobago. She has also served on regional United Nations groups, and as a director of the Caribbean Conservation Association. On being notified of the McFarlane Award, Ms. Turpin said, “Through Environment Tobago and my work with other groups, we have positively influenced local and national ecosystem protection practices, the creation of critical national biodiversity legislation, and so much more. I see my role as a steward, empowering others to protect what is critical to our health and livelihoods — our environment. “ “It has been a privilege working with so many like-minded colleagues in this arena, locally, nationally and regionally. I intend to continue with this work as long as I am needed and am capable.” In advancing that agenda, Pat Turpin is currently working on an on-going reforestation project, the Tobago element of the new Trinidad and Tobago National Spatial Development Strategy, and an assessment and adaptation plan for climate change effects for North East Tobago. The selection committee for the Euan P. McFarlane Environmental Leadership Award offer our sincere congratulations and best wishes to Patricia Turpin for her future efforts on behalf of the people and environment of Tobago. The Euan P. McFarlane Award for Outstanding Environmental Leadership in the Insular Caribbean is a cash award, established in 1987, by Laurance S. Rockefeller to provide recognition for persons demonstrating initiative, resourcefulness and leadership in promoting conservation and
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June 2013 Editor: Jo-Anne Nina Sewlal Assistant Editor: Christopher K. Starr Design & Layout: Jo-Anne Nina Sewlal Technical Support: Jerome Ramsoondar Enid Nobbee Contributors: Jo-Anne Nina Sewlal Christopher K. Starr Bertrand Bhikkary Ian Lambie Environment TOBAGO Photographs: Environment TOBAGO
Board of Directors 2012-2014 President:: Patricia Turpin Vice-President: Bertrand Bhikkary Secretary: Wendy Austin Treasurer: Shirley McKenna Other Directors: William Trim Kai Trim Rupert McKenna Fitzherbert Phillips Renee Gift Geoffrey Lewis Darren Daly Allan Sandy
Environment TOBAGO newsletter
enhancement of the environment in the insular Caribbean, with priority given to the smaller islands of the eastern Caribbean. Euan P. McFarlane, after whom this award was named, was until his death in 1983 actively involved in environmental causes in the Caribbean. He was a former Treasurer and Board Member of the Caribbean Conservation Association, a Trustee of the Island Resources Foundation, and a founding member of the St. Croix Landmarks Society. Endowment funding was provided by the late Laurance S. Rockefeller, and the program has been administered since its inception by Island Resources Foundation, an independent, not-for-profit NGO dedicated to improved environmental planning for the development of small islands. Nominees for the McFarlane Award should be persons who have applied themselves to the preservation of the natural or built environment and whose career or avocation demonstrates an appreciation of and adherence to the advancement of environmental stewardship and balanced development in the Caribbean.
McFARLANE AWARD RECIPIENTS 1988
Mr. Yves Renard, St. Lucia
1989
Mr. Mervin Williams, St. Lucia
1990
Mr. Ronald Charles, Dominica Mr. Arlington James, Dominica
1991
Ms. Alissandra Cummins, Barbados
1992-93
Mr. Kevel Lindsay, Antigua and Barbuda
1994-95
Mr. Jalaludin Ahmad Khan, Trinidad and Tobago
1996-97
Mr. Reginald Murphy, Antigua and Barbuda Mr. Maurice Widdowson, St. Kitts
1998
Mr. Andrew Simpson, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands
1999
Mr. Ian Lambie, Trinidad and Tobago
2000
Mr. David Robinson, Nevis
2001
Mr. Charles Chavoudiga, Guadeloupe
2002
Jacqueline and Larry Armony, St. Kitts
2003
Dr. Brian Cooper, Antigua
2004
Dr. Joth Singh, Barbados
2005 2006
Ms. Diana McCaulay, Jamaica Mr. Raymond Walker (posthumously), British Virgin Islands Dr. I. Earle A. Kirby (posthumously), St. Vincent and the Grenadines
2007 2008-09
Mr. Rueben J. Thompson, Sint Maarten
2010
Mr. Albert Hugh “Errol� Harris, Dominica
2011
Mr. Karim V. D. Hodge, Anguilla
2013
Ms. Patricia Turpin, Tobago
Environment TOBAGO newsletter
ET PROJECTS Pride of Tobago Through collaboration, big ideas can emerge; ideas that can inspire communities to take on transformational projects that can change the face of society. The ‘Pride of Tobago’ Project is a Community Development initiative that encourages collaboration between people, groups, organisations and institutions in a particular community to come together to learn from each other and collectively solve a problem affecting their community. The Pride of Tobago Project seeks to revive that Tobago spirit of selfreliance and cooperation that we were once known for, and in the process assist with the creation of a caring and nurturing society. Objectives: Through this project, the Department of Community Development in Collaboration with Environment TOBAGO will seek to: 1. Mobilize communities to take an active role in addressing their own community needs. 2. Instill values of civic pride in our children, youth, adults and the elderly with the aim of inspiring an attitude change to show care for the environment. 3. Reinforce the importance of locals buying into the branding of Tobago. 4. Encourage innovation, creativity and fund raising. 5. Develop and improve social infrastructure in communities. 6. Encourage collaboration and partnership amongst community groups /organization and institutions. 7. Highlight the importance of community involvement in social development and planning.
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Environment TOBAGO newsletter
Summer & Easter Eco Camps Since 2007 we have been running our Summer & EasterEco Camps for groups of children between the ages of eight to twelve years old in Tobago. Each year the two -week and hands-on camp has been a proven success; with fieldtrips, arts and crafts, team building, environmental movies, hikes and discussions all at play, our young ‘graduates’ have left our hands more knowledgeable, aware and understand more about environmental issues in Tobago. At Environment TOBAGO we believe that understanding the importance of the natural environment is of upmost importance and that this can be achieved best through teaching children to feel responsible via the use of active examples - to engage and educate in order to raise awareness and to instil knowledge. Access to (or rather lack of) environmental education materials within Tobago’s schools plays a significant role in the alarming rate of misconceptions and misunderstandings concerning our natural environmental. Restrictions within the current education curriculum (and assigned resources) prevent the opportunity to explore and experience Tobago; children are, for the most part, limited to classroom teachings with very little hands-on and interactive methodology taking place. Our Eco Camp proposes to address just this - providing children with the opportunity for hands-on environmental education; thus enabling the students to develop their own environmental ethic.
“ To many p eopl e t hes e tall pea ks make fo r a c hallen ging b ut s cenic hike. B u t t hey a re not jus t a no the r t all m oun tain to climb . ”
Objectives: 1. To develop among students, an appreciation of the natural environment and to stimulate interest and a continued learning about the natural history, ecology and conservation in Tobago. 2. To enhance student awareness and understanding of ecological processes and how human interactions impact on the natural environment. 3. To encourage the adoption of positive environmental practices by students as well as a commitment to conservation and the sustainable use of Tobago’s natural resources.
Environment TOBAGO newsletter
Wild About Wetlands-Coral Reef and Wetland Sensitization Programme Tobago’s wetlands are seriously threatened by the abuse and the critical importance of them to biodiversity and human wellbeing is consistently ignored. Most wetland areas of Tobago have been destroyed or their capacity severely reduced. Now less than one percent (1%) of our land area is covered by wetlands. What many fail to recognize is that wetlands are closely linked to human survival and development. The benefits to maintaining healthy wetlands has both a direct, and positive effect on human health – such as provision of food, clean water, pharmaceutical products etc. – and the negative effects of mismanaging wetlands that result in the impairment of our health and even loss of life – through the effects of water related diseases, floods and water pollution. Yet wetlands continue to be drained and cleared for agriculture, urban, industrial and tourism developments. What little we have left, we continue to pollute with domestic and industrial wastes. We can no longer continue to exploit these vital resources indefinitely. To this end, Environment TOBAGO seeks to promote awareness in our island’s school about the importance of Wetlands and why we should protect these gems of nature. The objective of this project is to further promote awareness, knowledge and understanding about wetlands and its value to communities in Tobago.
Students from Bishops High School and University of Waterloo participating in ET's 2013- Coral Reef and Wetlands Education program with Education Coordinator -Barry Lovelace.
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Environment TOBAGO newsletter
Coral Reef & Wetlands Education Campaign The Coral Reef and Wetlands Education Campaign (CWREC) 2013, is an interesting educational programme designed for secondary schools throughout Tobago. This Campaign has been carded to happen during the third school term (April to June) of 2013 and has been made possible by the contributions of number of organisations, all of whom were part of the PCI Media Impact, "My Island, My Community" (MIMC), Tobago Coalition. Collaborators include: Environment Tobago (provided content, design and coordination) PCI Media Impact (provided funding of materials and resources) Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, THA (provided content and human resource) Division of Education, Youth Affairs and Sports, THA (endorsed program and funded boat trips)
“ To many p eopl e t hes e tall pea ks make fo r a c hallen ging b ut s cenic hike. B u t t hey a re not jus t a no the r t all m oun tain to climb . ”
Department of Tourism and Transportation / the Management of the Buccoo Integrated Facility. This campaign is based on the rationale that Tobago's economy in one that relies heavily on ecosystem services (Coral Reefs, Beaches, Wetlands, Forests etc). Tourism and Fisheries for instance, are major drivers of our economy, and as we continue to explore the potential of these industries into the future, it is of crucial importance that our citizens/ stakeholders (especially our youths) acquire a greater appreciation of the tremendous value ecosystems such as coral reefs, wetlands and rain forests confer to these industries, and more so, to Tobago's socio-economic well-being. The Ministry of Education also recognizes this need, by including in the school curriculum (at all levels), topics that require knowledge of, and appreciation for, these ecosystem and the services they provide. As such, the objectives of the CRWEC are to: To deliver curriculum-relevant content on the value of Wetlands and Coral Reefs of Tobago to senior students (third to sixth forms) of all secondary schools in Tobago . To engage students in an Experiential Learning Journey (guided mangrove wetland trek and glass bottom boat tour) of the Bon Accord/Buccoo wetland Complex. To empower teachers who are responsible for imparting knowledge of the Wetlands and Coral Reef aspects of the senior school syllabi, with methods, information and resource options. Key messages will include: Why Coral Reefs and Wetlands are important for Tobago with references to local valuation studies of the goods and services Tobago ecosystems provide. Coral Reef and Mangrove Geography, Ecology and Biology
Environment TOBAGO newsletter
Climate Change as a threat to coastal ecosystems and our well being What we can do to conserve and protect these ecosystems – A call to action! Where and how to find additional resources and information (E.G. Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, Department of Marine Resources and Fisheries, Environment Tobago, Buccoo Reef Trust, Speyside EcoMarine Park Rangers, North East Sea Turtles) There are two aspects to this campaign. First, an informative PowerPoint lecture on topics stated above. Then, an experiential Learning Journey (field trip) of the Buccoo Reef Wetland Complex. Both aspect can happen on the same day or if preferred, on different days, according to logistics agreed upon. This campaign should be of particular interest to Teachers and Students of Geography, Biology, Caribbean Studies and Environmental Science, since it will cover topics in their respective syllabi. However, all students will benefit since the resources belong to all.
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Environment TOBAGO newsletter
ECOLOGY NOTES Guilds and Life-Forms Jo-Anne Nina Sewlal Dept of Life Sciences, University of the West Indies
“ To many p eopl e t hes e tall pea ks make fo r a c hallen ging b ut s cenic hike. B u t t hey a re not jus t a no the r t all m oun tain to climb . ”
Scientists love to organize things simply because it helps to understand them better. One such organization method is through the use of guilds and life-forms. A guild is defined as a group of animal species (related or unrelated) that exploit the same resources often using the same methods. However, one must not confuse occupying the same ecological niche with belonging to the same guild. Guilds are also not to be confused with trophic levels as in this system the animals are placed in each level according to what they eat for example, if they eat plants of any kind they are placed in the herbivores tropic levels. If they feed on herbivores then they are placed in the carnivore trophic level. The term guild is used to emphasize the similarity between these groups and associations of craftsmen that use similar techniques in their trade. It is not uncommon to find that the species in a guild are closely related and arose from a common ancestor, which would account for their similarity in exploiting the common resource. However this is not a hard and fast rule and guilds can also contain unrelated species. Because of this commonality it is not unusual that species compete with each other, killing and eating each other in some cases. But species do cooperate with one another to search for food and avoid predators. There are various ways to define a guild, such as the method used by the species to exploit the resources for example, with spiders there are web-builders which construct webs to catch mostly insects. Then there are active hunters which do not depend on webs or do not build them altogether but search for and ambush their prey. Guilds can also be defined based on location. Again using spiders as an example, active hunters can be further sub-divided into two guilds; plant wanderers and ground wanderers based on the location of their hunting grounds. From this one can see that there are no clearly defined boundaries guild. Guilds for plants are referred to as life-forms and refers to the plants “adaptedness” to the environment. Species share similarities within life-forms in that they may be comprised of related as well as unrelated species and they also compete for the same resources. However, life-forms contain more flexibility in terms of the type of life-form they exhibit in that the same species can exhibit different life-forms depending on the conditions it is growing in for example, deciduous trees shed their leaves when it becomes cold. Another example includes tree species that are of normal height and appearance under normal conditions however at certain altitudes they are reduced to shrubs. Life-forms and guilds are quite useful when it comes to studying the ecology of an area. An advantage is that one does not spend money and identify all the species in an area. The structure and form of the species in the guild can be used as an indication of the environmental conditions present. Therefore these classifications are beneficial to both scientists and governments in terms of the time spent gathering biodiversity information which can used to maintain global biodiversity.
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Environment TOBAGO newsletter
ARTICLES Looking at Better Building Practise in the Face of Sea -Level Rise Bertrand Bhikarry Environment TOBAGO The habit of building close to the coast was a common practice in the old Tobago days, and no doubt was influenced by harsh memories the general population at that time bore for the estates further inland. But a century and a half has passed and new realities exist now. One; the great grand-children of the African slaves who were brought here are the embedded natives and they have taken charge of their destiny. Two, the island itself is in the throes of climate change. Which means, among other problems that will arise, those coastal developments begun well over a hundred years ago are at risk of the rising ocean. For the island resident fifty years from now, if the sea level rises even just a meter – and it will, Tobago stands to suffer loss to a major portion of its road network, most of its tourism accommodation, all of its wetlands, and more than likely, the port infrastructure. But the real sting would be the cost to the individual of resettling further back inland. Consider the following ramifications: Major urban centres will have to be relocated deeper into the hinterland, food will cost more - since large tracts of agricultural land will become unproductive, and the most valuable (expensive) tourism properties would need to be rebuilt further away from the water. Scientists predict a one meter SLR for this region as soon as 2050. For children born now, their financial outlook will be horrendous in adulthood. Think of it: If a couple has a house on the coast at this time, and harbours the expectation their offspring will have it relatively easy – in part because of an inherited structure, it may arise the inheritors will have to rebuild elsewhere. In essence those ‘kids’ will not have the luxury of seaside property as collateral for mortgage financing; since general coastal inundation would have removed its value. Is there a way out for the Tobago coastal zone dweller? There could be, but it would require sweeping changes to the current way of doing things. Given that populations almost never do things voluntarily though, it may not be the civil sector that makes those first moves. Indeed present government might want to consider the imposition of a property tax, specifically to be paid by waterfront property owners and users. Those monies would feed and finance insurance scheme to offset costs of moving or amelioration to flooded areas. The latter might not be an option, since the reality of a one meter SLR is not quite a temporary as an overnight flood. The other option is building dykes. But the cost to keep seawater away from coastal areas that were developed for different hydrologic situations is not one that Tobago ought to look at -even if it promises employment as the short term gain. The better approach is a lateral spatial policy where the water is allowed to come inland, and allowed to go where it finds its level. However given the old school engineering tendency here to fight nature, that is yet a lesson for the learning. Actually, in preparing itself for the big events of the next four decades and onward, Tobago people of the now might want keep in mind a sobering thought: That they will be searching for solutions to problems that will only manifest after they are gone. But if that’s done well, there could be no better gift for the children.
“Is there a way out for the Tobago coastal zone dweller? “
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Environment TOBAGO newsletter
Will it be Sustainable Tourism including Eco-Tourism or Will it be Hunting and Bird Catching Ian Lambie
“ To many p eopl e t hes e tall pea ks make fo r a c hallen ging b ut s cenic hike. B u t t hey a re not jus t a no the r t all m oun tain to climb . �
We have a long way to go before politicians and decision makers put a DOLLAR VALUE on our country's renewable natural resources, other than when they give our lands to quarry operators) and to implement adequate land use planning and appropriate legislation for the proper and sustainable management of these resources. The government (whether PNM, UNC or PP) believes, from its actions, that it is exempt from the laws and procedures which were passed in the Parliament for example, Town and Country Act and the requirement of the EMA Act. Governments must accept that the environmental laws also apply to the government and to government projects. Just think of what is happening with the construction of the San Fernando to Pt. Fortin highway. It appears to me that the government believes that it is exempt from the laws which require the submission and acceptance of an environmental impact assessment. I am not opposed to the construction of the highway but the rules relative to the submission to and acceptance by the EMA of the required environmental impact assessments and other reports, must be followed. I am also of the opinion that the landowners must also receive, before demolition of their respective properties, the "market value" for their respective properties, as may be agreed upon by both parties, in addition to payment for dislocation even if alternative relocation sites are identified. Remember the rise of Hulsie Bhagan and her fight for fair compensation for lands acquired for the widening of the Uriah Butler Highway (or was it still the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway). It has also been reported, to compound the "unfair treatment" to the owners and occupiers of the land, that the then Minister of Works (or was it the Minister for National Security) accompanies a team of police officers to the site of the proposed highway extension to remove the land owners from their own land. Could this report be true? It took the Asa Wright Nature Centre 14 years before it received compensation for its lands which had been acquired in 1981 for quarrying purposes. We now understand that the quarrying operations on this land is being conducted by a privately-owned company and is threatening the continued existence of the Nature Centre. There are other government construction projects which did not receive the approval of the EMA. The construction of an aluminium smelter in South Trinidad (now either abandoned or put on the "back burner"). However the forest cover was already removed from the site even before the necessary permission had been granted by the EMA; and what of the proposed development of Port Facilities at Charlotteville, Tobago etc. etc. Imagine that a Minister by the stroke of her pen over-ruled the decision of the professionals at the EMA and give permission to quarry operators to destroy an area equivalent to 2550 Acres (17 parcels each not exceeding 150 acres) or approximately 13 times the size of the Queens Park Savannah. ..... Just so? Dat is Power eh!!!! It is my belief that this and similar "job related" frustrations caused my friend and mentor, Professor Julian Kenny to die of "a broken heart". And we talking about "sustainable development" while priority is given giving to spending "scarce" taxpayers money on expensive full page colour newspaper advertisements to highlight the achievements of the government agency in environmental conservation. This money may be better spent in environmental education programmes aimed at stimulating an interest among senior students in secondary schools of the benefits to be derived from the sustainable management of our country's renewable natural resources.
Environment TOBAGO newsletter
Imagine a country like Trinidad and Tobago with a heavy annual rainfall having to depend on expensive desalinated water to supplement our requirements while the rain water is lost to the sea. The desalination plant is not 100% owned by the state. What an excellent and rewarding investment this has been for the minority shareholder, the Karamath Family. Was Mr. Hafeez Karamath, now deceased, the regular visitor, wearing short pants, to the Panday residence? Remember that the effluent from the desalination plant is itself a polluter of the environment. By the way, with the mention of the name Karamath, I recall that nearly a year has elapsed without any charges being brought against any member of the Karamath family in whose home at Valsayn several automatic weapons and ammunition were reported to have been found. Has this matter been swept under the carpet or are the Police still continuing their investigations? And what about the matter with Minister Tim Gopeesingh's son "planassing" a man in full view of the public and with the images being televised later in the day? And what about the drugs found in a container of frozen chicken on examination by the customs and the matter, as is the procedure with drugs and firearms, handed over to the police for further action? Is this matter still being investigated by the police? And what about the fatal stabbing of a man over payment for "a doubles" which took place on Cipriani Boulevard some months ago. It was reported in the media that the suspect was a member of the Monteil family? It is rumoured that he left for the UK later the same day. I assume that police investigations are continuing in this matter. This week I read about the removal of Samaan Trees from the Queens Park Savannah and the removal of Pink Poui trees from the verge of the Churchill -Roosevelt Highway. The questions may be asked (a) Did the EMA give its approval for the removal of these trees; (b) Are there plans to replant or replacement trees and (c) Who receives the money when these trees are delivered to or purchased by a sawmiller. And what about ...........................................................I can go on and on. Enough for now.
The Last Cry for Buccoo Bertrand Bhikarry Environment Tobago It has been an interesting month of Sundays since the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) last brought Assembly guns to bear on the Buccoo Reef. Unfortunately Gary Melville who was Secretary for Environment at the time, did not get to finish his and the governing organisation’s stated intentions. Still, the Reef continues to die, even as everyone makes the usual sympathetic noises, cosy up even more to self interest, and generally pretend we still have something special to sell to nature lovers. The fact is, ladies and gentlemen, Tobago may soon have the only truly dead reef in the Caribbean. The real challenge then will be to position it into a viable tourism product. Granted, it is more fun for our marketers and branders to travel around dispensing brochures and cutting deals than it is to deflect the sewage which flows into the Lagoon. But at some point the nutrient shall hit the fan and there will be nothing much of interest there. Can we imagine a Tobago tourism product without our reef? We should. Unless the THA and other powers that be get cracking.
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“ To many p eopl e t hes e tall pea ks make fo r a c hallen ging b ut s cenic hike. B u t t hey a re not jus t a no the r t all m oun tain to climb . �
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“Tobago m ay soon have the only truly dead reef in the Caribbean. “ “ To many p eopl e t hes e tall pea ks make fo r a c hallen ging b ut s cenic hike. B u t t hey a re not jus t a no the r t all m oun tain to climb . ”
Environment TOBAGO newsletter
Buccoo Reef is the only natural tourism asset we really have – aside from the much vaunted rainforest up at Main Ridge. We do have Pigeon Point, but a large part of the peninsula’s allure is the adjoining patch of coral, azure blue waters, and the green mangrove-fringed coast. However, if either the reef or the surrounding mangrove dies, Pigeon Point Heritage Park may be as useless to us as any other concrete-covered Caribbean cape. Tobago may want to look long and hard at developing alternative tourism attractions, but really, can anyone here do that? We could indeed, if we use outside talent, bring in amusement and entertainment devices – that sort of thing. But such an approach will merely leave us with non-local interests to pay, and eventually someone still has to learn to maintain things. Do not forget, lack of maintenance is why we’re losing the reef. It would be simplistic to say we could just drop the tourism thrust and focus on life without foreign money. No way Jose, if in doubt, perhaps we merely need to ask around for an opinion from the 16-thousand or so Tobago-based people who depend on tourism for a living. The answers from the white-shirted taxi-drivers, head-cloth bound vendors, and young guides at the trail heads might not surprise - they want tourism. We do not need to solicit the view of larger stakeholders already heavily invested into property; like restaurants, extra rooms, apartments, and full blown hotel accommodation - they want tourism. But none of those folks really have the clout to protect the reef from pollution, its overuse, and of course, global warming. Which brings it right back into the sights of “ye olde THA,” if only they’d fire their shots. The THA owns the reef mind you. It was given to them to control under the Marine Preservation and Enhancement Act (1973). Interestingly, Buccoo Reef being the only such area in the country, one would want to think that the House of Assembly might be keen to show off its capacity for managing it properly. Unfortunately this does not really seem so given the dead diatoms and the crumbled coral. However the THA ought not to give up. They could enlist the help of the ordinary people who do not have a Government pay packet; the Civil Society; the taxi-drivers, restaurateurs, hotel and guest house owners. That forty-seven percent of the working population who are Tobago’s nature stakeholders – let’s call them that, are actually keen environmental management assets, because they realise the value of the Reef (and other unique Tobago things) to their livelihood. The mechanism by which the THA and Civil Society could work together is called a co-management system. Co-management is a proven concept of which the THA is very well aware. Somebody, maybe a key outgoing politician aware of legacy, needs to understand that the civilised world actually use co-management to get the best deal out of all of its natural resources. That person may also need to understand that legacy has two sides, both of which depend heavily on documentation. Obviously a concerted and sustained effort to protect Buccoo Reef led by a concerned Administration will look good in the books. However one is not too sure if sporadic and disorganised efforts, left to own devices, will read as well for posterity.
Environment TOBAGO newsletter
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SO NEAR, YET SO FAR Thomas Barbour 1945. A Naturalist in Cuba. Boston: Little, Brown 317 pp. [Thirty-second in a series on "naturalist-in" books.] Christopher K. Starr Dept of Life Sciences, University of the West Indies ckstarr@gmail.com
The American biologist Thomas Barbour (1884-1946) was something of a nerdy in his youth, with an orientation toward natural-history museums and their specimens. He later served as director of Harvard University's Museum of Comparative Zoology for almost 20 years. Barbour had broad interests in animals, especially amphibians and reptiles, and traveled widely on field studies. He was especially fond of Central America and the Caribbean and explored Cuba during about 30 visits. He was mainly engaged in collecting specimens, but with a naturalist's keen interest in the living organisms. The joy in his many returns is seen in his loving descriptions of the various approaches to the island, especially to the port of Santiago. He characterized himself as "not only a Cuban by adoption but a devoted friend of the land and its people." And in his autobiography (Barbour 1943) he remarked that "If I grow loquacious and prolix when it comes to talking about Cuba I do not care a reap, for I love the country with a deep, passionate affection." For a biologist from Massachusetts, the largest of the West Indies was conveniently close at hand, yet a very different world. His main base in Cuba was the Soledad Botanical Garden, near Cienfuegos. This garden, founded in 1901 and continuing today, was a Harvard facility at that time. It made perhaps the greatest contribution in allowing young North-American biologists of the time to acquaint themselves with a tropical biota. Barbour's broad interests are on display in this book. There is much attention to caves, and perhaps the most engaged chapter is on collecting in caves with emphasis on fishes and crustaceans. The chapter on extant mammals focuses on the Zapata Swamp on the south coast of Cuba. The dwarf hutia, Capromys nana, was known only from fossils until it was discovered in the swamp. Of special interest is the endemic large shrew Solenodon cubanus -- a second species Endemic shrew of Hispaniola (Solenodon cubanus) is endemic to Hispaniola -- that retains some markedly primitive features. A chapter on bats includes extensive treatment of the horse bat, Molossus tropicorhynchus (Gray). At one time he collected a great number of live specimens for dissection, put them in bags in his hotel bathtub and went to dinner. One bag was insecurely tied, and the) bats got loose and flew about the dining hall, to the consternation of many. Barbour discreetly tied the bag, finished his dinner and then addressed the huge task of dissecting. Then there was the matter of disposing of the bodies. Early the next day he put them all
“ To many p eopl e t hes e tall pea ks make fo r a c hallen ging b ut s cenic hike. B u t t hey a re not jus t a no the r t all m oun tain to climb . ”
“the bats got loose and flew about the dining hall, to the cons t er nat io n of many. “
Environment TOBAGO newsletter
into a cheap suitcase, took a train out of the city -- before he reached his destination, "the bats had become aromatic" -- and then rowed out to sea and discarded the suitcase. This sort of true-life anecdote is an essential element in a naturalist-in book. Barbour's interests extended to the physical environment. The book includes an appendix reviewing the physical geography and geological history of Cuba, with remarks on fossils. There is also much about hurricanes, although in terms of force and immediate destruction, not their roles in shaping island biotas. He regretted that he never got to explore caves in the company of Felipe Poey (1799 -1891), regarded as the founding father of Cuban biology (Poey 1851-1858, 1865-1868). He also would have loved to go into the field with German-born Johann Christoph “Juan� Gundlach (1810-1896). Gundlach first went to Cuba in 1839 and lived there continuously from 1845 to 1865, returning from time to time after that. He sent many papers to European and American journals (Ramsden 1915). Gundlach was a very modest man, much loved by the local people and characterized by Barbour as "one of the noblest men the world has known." I have heard Cuban biologists who missed meeting him by more than a century refer to him with similar appreciation. However, Barbour was a personal friend and admirer of Carlos de la Torre, "one of the most captivating characters with whom I have ever come in contact." De la Torre (1858-1950) was a formidable field naturalist who specialized on land snails. Barbour was a sociable man, remarking that "I love to chin and chaffer with all the country folk. I came in contact with them for the sake of finding out not only what they knew about the habits and distribution of the birds in which we were interested, but also what they could tell me of their children and their children's children, as well as all the local gossip." Accordingly, he gives much attention to such aspects as home life and manners, religion, public entertainment, cursing, education and especially food and drink (with recommendations; Barbour was quite a trencherman). The 16 pages of black-and-white photos show more buildings and street scenes than plants and animals. Today, accounts of tropical field work by biologists from the industrialized north make a point of an egalitarian outlook -- mostly sincere, I have no doubt -- toward the other peoples and societies. This was not always the case, and Barbour's contemporary readers likely saw no contradiction his deep affection for Cuba and its people, on the one hand, and a solidly paternalistic attitude on the other. He refers to Cuba as "independent", which of course it was not in any real sense until 1959. It is treated in the book as a colony of the USA, including in scientific terms. He mentions, for example, that Cuban biologists utilized the Soledad Garden for research on the same basis as their American colleagues as if this were something noteworthy, as it probably was. His work in Cuba and Central America was much facilitated by United Fruit Company officials, and his reference to the company's "civilizing influence" might well flabbergast modern readers. Barbour had the makings of an ideal naturalist-in author: a professional-level biologist of long experience, who retained the amateur's enthusiastic eye and conveyed original observations with strong, lyrical expression. However, while A Naturalist in Cuba is a worthwhile read, I regret that it is not the splendid book it could have been. It was written close to the end of Barbour's life, and the waning of his powers is apparent. The key shortcoming is one of focus. The text is rather superficial, often skipping from species to species, with no in-depth treatment of the life and habitat of particular species. The genus Anolis is especially juicy in Cuba, and Barbour gives it considerable attention, yet even this is treated in a rather airy, distracted manner. The chapter on "Reptiles and Amphibians" is mainly a breezy survey of what is there, with occasional notes on personal encounters. His frequent asides regarding the Boston home area and other places away from Cuba are a distraction.
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Barbour often gives the local and english vernacular names of species, but is rather casual about scientific names. For example, he devotes a page to the habits of a certain spider wasp without even mentioning its genus, Pepsis. References Barbour, T. 1943. Naturalist at Large. Boston: Little, Brown 314 pp. Online at http:// archive.org/details/naturalistatlarg00barb. Poey, F. 1851-1858. Memorias sobre la Historia Natural de la Isla de Cuba. Vol. 1-2. Havana: Barcina. Poey, F. 1865-1868. Repertorio FĂsico-Natural de la Isla de Cuba. Vol. 1-2. Havana: Gobierno y CapitanĂa de S.M. Ramsden, C. 1915. Juan Gundlach. Entomological News 26:241-60.
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WHAT’S HAPPENING @ ET Environment TOBAGO Environmental and Services Map of Tobago
ET is now on Facebook and Twitter We invite everyone on Facebook to join. Here we will post upcoming events, links, photos and videos on ET matters and other environmental issues.
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GUIDELINES TO CONTRIBUTORS Articles on the natural history and environment are welcome especially those on Trinidad and Tobago.
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Articles should not exceed approximately 1200 words (2 pages) and the editors reserve the right to edit the length. Images should be submitted as separate files. Submit material to any of the following: 1) jo_annesewlal@yahoo.com 2) envirtob@tstt.net.tt Deadline for submission of material for the 2nd Quarter 2013 issue of the Bulletin is September 10th, 2013.