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 News
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Articles
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Ecology Notes
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Book Review
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What’s Happening @ ET
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Notes to contributors
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Environment TOBAGO
September/December 2015
President’s Report Pat Turpin President Environment TOBAGO
Congratulations!! It has been a long journey to this point, fraught with challenges and successes in equal part. It has been hard to remain optimistic about environmental issues affecting this island, when faced with the indifference and ignorance which surrounds us. However, we have made inroads, let us not be totally negative here. There have been many successes behind the scenes. Twenty years is a long time to be “fighting the fight” for conservation. For all of us, it has required commitment and passion and will continue in this way for as long as there is an opposing ideology between the governing bodies and the environmental lobby. In the present and coming years we have serious issues that affect us all to deal with and all are related to Climate changes which are already affecting our island- water shortages, saltwater incursions to existing water tables, loss of tree cover/thus reducing rainwater and Environment TOBAGO’s 20th AGM endangering /extirpating our biodiversity, which took place on 30th August 2015 and ocean acidification affecting our fisherPhoto: Environment TOBAGO ies. These issues will require that we as an advocate for the environment-do all in our power to educate, spread awareness and address these issues through tangible projects. In the spirit of togetherness, let us consider our 20th year of existence. Our profile in the national, regional and international arena has increased due to the activities that have kept ET’s Directors, members and staff very busy in different forums. As the RFP for the Caribbean/GEF Network we have had to attend GEF council meetings in Washington, give lectures to the meetings of UNDP/SGP country focal points and hold CSO meetings at the ECW of the GEF. We were also required to attend meetings in Chile and St. Lucia with regard to the ECLAC/UN Principle 10 freedom of information policy. Apart from all the other issues within our country and Tobago –it has been extremely busy. ET has been working at the national level on several policies-Integrated coastal Zone policy, Minerals policy, off shore seismic survey guidelines, Draft Hazardous Man-
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Sept/Dec 2015 Editor: Jo-Anne Nina Sewlal Assistant Editor: Christopher K. Starr Design & Layout: Jo-Anne Nina Sewlal Technical Support: Jerome Ramsoondar Enid Nobbee Contributors: Barry Lovelace Bertrand Bhikarry Jo-Anne Nina Sewlal Christopher K. Starr Patricia Turpin Photographs: Environment TOBAGO Mike Rutherford Wikipedia.com
Board of Directors 2012-2014 President:: Patricia Turpin Vice-President: Bertrand Bhikkary Secretary: Wendy Austin Treasurer: Shirley McKenna Other Directors: William Trim Hugh Baker Fitzherbert Phillips Renee Gift Andy Roberts Darren Henry Ken Biscombe Nathaniel Licorish
Environment TOBAGO newsletter
agement rules, and the Environmental Democracy Index. The Bills that were collaborated on are, the Waste recycling bill, the Forests and Protected Areas bill and the Public Procurement & Retention and Disposal of Public Property Bill. All of these bills have lapsed in Parliament and will have to be re-introduced after the upcoming elections. This means that the designation of the 6 protected areas in T&T will have to also be reintroduced. Locally, we have been dealing with proposals, both private and THA such as, development of the Gibsons jetty/Bon Accord Lagoon in a protected Ramsar site, The reintroduction of Plantations proposal for a marina development in the Petit Trou Lagoonboth of which are not supported by ET. Our complaints log has included concerns from the general public such as illegal logging, garbage disposal, poaching, sargassum seaweed on the beaches, river mining, noise pollution and dolphin beaching. We have done our best to deal with these issues. Interviews and consultations on a variety of issues of local concern for the newspapers and on television helped to clarify them and put our opinions in the Public domain. In our Education program, Education Coordinator-Barry Lovelace, as reported on a successful year with our ongoing programs- new and innovative ideas have been incorporated to them. The Eco-camps will be including more marine and wetland based activities. The camps now include secondary schools. The UNDP Knowledge Fair held in May in Trinidad allowed us to connect with many NGO’s dealing with environmental education in schools and to partner with them for that purpose. Mr. Lovelace will make a presentation on the years’ activities today. The Directors, Bertrand Bhikarry and William Trim delivered several lectures on the Environment at the Scarborough Library on the occasion of World Environment Weekearly June 2015, this was a huge success. ET’s delivery of the SWMCOL/ET, 6 month Green Fund project for the removal of ambient plastics throughout Tobago began in October 2014 and was completed in March 2015. This project was an enormous success and happily employed citizens of Tobago outside of the normal available employable areas- in other words, people unable to find jobs for various reasons. We are currently seeking funding from the UNDP to continue the collection of plastics and to add a community based component. The project will also involve the collection of tyres, batteries, e-waste and oils. The proposal is currently under review by the UNDP/SGP. Internally, we currently have two paid employees- Annesa Mejias –ET’s Administrative Assistant and Barry Lovelace –Education Coordinator. The Directors of ET, therefore had a busy year of filling in the gaps and attending many events that would normally have previously been under the purview of a Manager, whose contract was not renewed after August 2014. We hope to fill this position at some time in the near future. Training/capacity building for staff and Directors took place. The Education Coordinator attended the “economic valuation of ecosystem services for policy and decision making” training session. The Vice president attended the CCORAL (Caribbean Climate Risk Adaptation online tool) training session for decision makers. Financially, 2014 was not a year with enormous funding available. Our expenses would have been close to TT$200,000. Careful manipulating of the regular funding from the Rockerfeller Foundation (US$20,000.) and BHP Billiton (US$21,000.)-our partners and the coming on stream of the SWMCOL project in October(TT$110,000. for admin) did allow us to move ahead with support for staff and the programs in play- and to purchase badly needed equipment in the form of two computers for the office etc. A donation of five computers from First Citizens Bank added to the computers now available for the Education Library and for new staff. For the coming year, ET will be partnering with the Cropper Foundation and the Japanese Embassy to deliver a (US$250,000./ET 510%) Grassroots Human Security Project – dealing with structural adaptation for hurricane shelters a pilot in 1 community in Tobago for 2015. And will partner with the GWP
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-Global water partnership-Caribbean to deliver a Canada Fund for Disaster risk reduction project (Can$600,000/ET-5-10%) for rainwater harvesting in five Tobago communities. The project proposal currently under review for approval with the UNDP/SGPWRAP- waste management Tobago (US$200,000) for the community of Studley Park/ Mt. St. George. These projects will significantly add to our ability to hire further needed staff and to put ET on a solid ground for well into the future. ET’s Treasurer will give a detailed report of the years’ activities. Looking back on the past year, I am amazed at what we have managed to accomplish with so little. It points to a group of dedicated, hardworking volunteers, passionate about keeping the environmental integrity of this Island Tobago intact. Together over the 20 years of our existence we have accomplished so much. We have won many awards and garnered several medals- let us continue to move ahead – let us remember when we feel despondent that we joined this organisation to foster the stewardship of our natural resources- we should be proud of our accomplishments in advocacy. We will overcome. Happy 20th Anniversary.
2014-2015 Tobago’s Environment in review Patricia Turpin Environment TOBAGO President As the year began, we found an ever increasing and insatiable need for modern amenities and gadgets- together with the packaging that goes along with them (our wealth being measured by what we possess) as well as a gross disregard for our surroundings is the core problem here.
Negative influences affecting our Ecosystems- Our wetlands in dire straits Kilgwyn- Over the last 2 years- successive dumping has once again turned this 15 hectare wetland, into an unhealthy morass. The final extension of the airport runway and the paving of the roadway has changed the hydrology of the wetland with virtually no circulation of water. Picnic huts constructed on the beach have opened the area to picnicking, hunting and garbage disposal.
Bon Accord Lagoon and Buccoo Reef-The Bon Accord Lagoon continues to be polluted by sewage from badly functioning sewage plants at the Bon Accord/Milford court. The mangroves are under stress/dying and providing less protection to the Buccoo reef through the reduced production of tannins and less filtration of pollutants. Runoff from the watersheds into the area has increased and so has the nutrient loading adding to algal growths –smothering grass beds and corals. Development within the lagoon area threatens to change the hydrology of the lagoon in the vicinity of Gibsons Jetty.
Argyle marsh and wetlands- large areas on road frontage between Kendall and Argyle have been cutlassed for cattle and filled in for development –both state and private. What about the policy “no net loss of wetlands”
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Rivers The Goldsborough River is under constant (for more than 6 years) and severe attack by illegal mining operations. The result is lowered river banks, the destruction of riparian vegetation causing excessive flooding- affecting farmers and private holdings. Bloody Bay river- mining continues unabated. No rehabilitation taking place. Louis D’or river- illegal mining has lowered banks-destroying riparian vegetation and roadways; this continues unabated on a daily basis. Beaches Atlantic beaches have been exposed over the year to an increase in plastic and other garbage coming in from the sea, as well as from land based waterways. During 2014 and 2015, huge amounts of sargassum were deposited on the beaches, due to rough weather in the north Atlantic. At a loss as to what to do about it, CPEP crews were burning and transporting to the Studley Park dump-increasing the stench. Rough seas on both Atlantic and Caribbean sides of the island has caused extensive erosion to the coastal zones. This has been attributed to climatic changes. Waste
“Reservoir capacities at Hillsborough, Courland, Kings Bay and Cambelton have been sorely depleted.”
Illicit solid waste disposal throughout the island- disposal of white waste, plastics and household garbage has created unauthorised and unsightly dumps in every village. Roadsides, gullies, rivers and streams, beaches, protected areas (rainforest and wetlands) have become eyesores and are now breeding grounds for mosquitos. With the acquisition of electronics of all kinds-e waste disposal has become a major problem- all of this waste is currently going to the landfill at Studley Park. The population shows less and less respect for the law and environment. No sign of the integrated waste facility at Studley Park Landfill as promised, means that the mountains of tyres and the pools of waste oil from hotels, restaurants, garages and other facilities are increasing in size. Leachate from the dump and the sewage ponds flow into the streams in the area and into the sea after every heavy rain. Toxic waste from aircraft, clinics and hospitals are still being dumped into a large crevasse at the park and covered over with earth. Blocked drains in the Store Bay and Pigeon Point areas, some with old construction material and others with overgrown slush, are proving to be havens for mosquito breeding and are creating a terrific stench. Calls to the appropriate authorities go unheeded. Water resources Reservoir capacities at Hillsborough, Courland, Kings Bay and Cambelton have been sorely depleted. Runoff after heavy rains has caused a severe build-up of slush in all the above mentioned areas. Maintenance of the reservoirs is only done in a reactionary mode. The water holding capacities of each site has been reduced by 40%- this means that water supplies are never constant – despite 70% of the population having water connections. A severe problem for SW Tobago. With climate changes already in effect- this issue needs to be urgently rectified. We must take advantage of the rain water harvesting while we can. Rapid illegal deforestation in the Courland, Belle Garden and Orangehill watersheds is adding to the diminished water supply and increasing runoff to reservoirs and coastal areas. Reforestation is slow and will take many years to repair the damage. Encouraging households to collect rooftop rainwater is critical for the future. Salt water incursion to the aquifers of the south end of the island will be-
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come a critical issue in the future as sea levels rise. Hotels, households and businesses will need to collect their own roof top supplies- recycling of waste water for gardens, industrial use and other needs should be encouraged. Development Rapid, extensive, spontaneous development without the proper EIA assessments being imposed continues unabated. The risks to ecosystems is high. The understaffing of the critical agencies such as Town and Country Planning Division, the EMA at the DNRE/THA and the interference with decisions taken by them from the political arena has posed a major problem in stemming the tide of illegal development. Coastal development involving the construction of walls, groynes, jetties and other structures has had the expected result of changes in hydrology, beach erosion, and decreased protection from storms. The Store Bay and Pigeon Point area being prime examples of development without thought. The repercussions have been extreme and the cost to repair immense. The new jetty in the Bon Accord wetlands (Ramsar site) at Gibson’s jetty which is devoid of weepers (which would allow circulation of water through the lagoon) is an immediate threat to the hydrology of the Bon Accord Lagoon. A stepping stone to a floating jetty by business interests without CEC. The current requests for as many as two Marinas to be sited at Petit Trou Lagoon or the Bon Accord Lagoon- proposals that have been rejected by TCPD as being detrimental to the protective functioning of the barrier reefs and mangrove forests, is the latest in a series of business and politically motivated proposals that have to be resisted for ecosystem conservation. The results from unplanned housing developments destroying watershed and wetland ecosystems are evident in the last year at Blenheim and Belle Garden. Irreversible damage has been done. Again, no CEC. The ongoing court issues concerning improper developments in the coastal area of Charlotteville Beachfront and Castara, is a prime example of development without consultation or CEC, the resulting damage is undeniable. Biodiversity vs farmers Complaints have come in concerning hundreds of orange winged parrots and Cocrico devouring fruit and cocoa on the island. Visuals have confirmed this. Complaints have also come in from farmers that agouti’s are devouring their gardens- no one has sought to fence their garden plots. We cannot confirm this. Hunting continues regardless of the hunting ban, all year round. Marine turtles-there have been many reports of marine turtle poaching and drowning in nets. Despite the fact that these turtles are protected and have a hunting ban on them-enforcement is weak. Not enough game wardens to cover the island. However there have been some positives in this environmental mayhem. While the negatives may seem daunting, there has been inroads made to each item discussed above. Biodiversity The Annual (Audubon) bird count- held in conjunction with the DNRE took place on December 16th. The island divided into three sections. ET members participated. The final count of birds spotted has not come in as yet- Reports have indicated that several rare birds have been sighted this year. The sabre winged humming bird indigenous to the Tobago Forest Reserve has been declared an environmentally sensi-
“Salt water incursion to the aquifers of the south end of the island will become a critical issue in the future as sea levels rise.” “ 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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tive species. Five species of marine turtles have been declared environmentally sensitive species and endangered. This designation, gives them additional protection. Law enforcement must follow. The sewage ponds at Golden Grove and Plantations –lowlands are in peak condition and attracting many migratory bird species as well as caiman. Our wetlandsBon Accord Lagoon, Petit Trou lagoon are currently a bird watchers paradise. Little Tobago is the site for an ongoing study for the migratory patterns of Frigate birds, Sheerwaters and Red billed tropic birds is ongoing. Data from the geo locators is currently being downloaded by William Mackin and Darshan Narang. Wildlife Assessment for Trinidad and Tobago is underway. The two-year hunting ban required this assessment. The training session for data collectors is to be held in Tobago sometime this year. The actual assessments for dry and wet season will begin in Tobago after this. Teams have been chosen/ NGO facilitators to be informed. The Forestry section of the DNRE/THA are facilitating this exercise.
“The sewage ponds at Golden Grove and Plantations –lowlands are in peak condition and attracting many migratory bird species.”
Protected Areas Designations 2015 will see the designation of the Main Ridge Forest Reserve as a PA- protected area, and the N E Tobago-an MPA-Marine protected area, extending from Roxborough around the north coast (encompassing Little Tobago and the St. Giles Islands) to Bloody Bay (encompassing the Brothers and Sisters islands) across the Reserve road back to Roxborough. Extending out to sea for 6 nautical miles. These two protected areas will offer added protection and management to terrestrial and marine environments. The GEF supported conversion of the Forestry Division in both islands to the Forest and Protected Areas Authority is underway. Each operating individually, but in tandem. New funding for the National reforestation program for both islands has been renewed. Work on several watershed areas has begun once more. Waste
Waste water consultations were held in April-facilitated by WASA and WRIWorld resources institute. The study area is South West Tobago- including the Bon Accord Lagoon. The purpose- to come up with solutions which are implementable and cost effective and can be put in place in the near future-taking into account the pollution taking place in the area, due to the rapid growth in the construction and tourism sectors , that is affecting the health of the residents. Ambient Plastics disposal- The serious problem of plastic disposal in the ambient environment, beaches, rivers, gullies, drains and wetlands has motivated the EMA to create a plastics collection project in Trinidad- with SWMCOL and Tobago –with Environment Tobago. This 6 month project aims to clear the ambient environment of plastics. The project will be extended after February 2015 to include hotel and business waste, including glass, paper, engine oil, batteries, tyres etc. SWMCOL has brought a tyre shredder to Tobago that is envisioned to reduce the mounds of tyres at the Studley Park landfill. It is still to be assessed whether the shredded tyres can be used in highway construction. As we have moved into 2015, we hope that there will be a renewed commitment to the conservation of our natural resources. I hope to report at the end of 2015 in a fully positive manner.
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What ET has been up to Report on ET’s Eco-Adventure Vacation Camps (September 2014 - September 2015) Barry Lovelace Education Coordinator, Environment Tobago Environment TOBAGO (ET) believe, that if at an early age, individual citizens develop a deep appreciation for, and bond with nature, then, succeeding generations are likely to attain the societal transformation that is imperative for achieving the goal of sustainable development. Imparting such a bond and deep appreciation of the value of Tobago’s natural heritage to young Tobagonians, has been a major part of ET’s mission from its inception. In our campaign to “green” the hearts of Tobago’s future, ET has been hosting annual Eco Vacation Camps for students since 2007. The format and content of the camp sessions have evolved through the years and are now conducted in one-week sessions during the Easter (March/April) and Summer (July/August) vacation periods. They have been designed to be as hands-on and experiential as possible. ET’s Eco-Adventure Camps follow an established format that has been developed over the years. Typically, the camps are organized by sessions; each camp session runs for five (5) days, Monday to Friday. Each day within a session is packed with carefully thought out, fun-filled, educational activities, leaving little to no opportunity for boredom. Whereas this established format is generally maintained from session to session, welcomed variations are frequently infused between sessions, which help to stimulate interest and distinguish each camp session from the others. Over this reporting period (Sept. 2014 – 2015), 131 participants, between the ages 5 - 18, benefitted from the programme. Participants were engaged in a hands-on, unforgettable, educational, but fun-filled, eco-experiences, with the view of instilling in each individual, a love and passion for Tobago’s Natural Heritage. We are happy to report that ET has been able to deliver the targets agreed upon with the JBFMT1, and within budget. Furthermore, due to the contributions of the DNRE and income from registration fees that were collected on some of the sessions, we were able exceed the targets by hosting two extra camp sessions for this year's funding cycle. We were able to include sessions designed for secondary school students thereby extending the age range of the target population. For purpose of clarity, the table below gives a summary of the sessions’ start dates, names, and number of participants. Start Date
Name of Camp Session
No. Of Participants
30-Mar-2015
Junior Easter Session
32
6-Apr-2015
Senior Easter Session
16
20-Jul-2015
Junior Summer Session
24-Aug-2015
Senior Summer Session
32 51
“ET has been hosting annual E co Va cat io n Camps for students since 2007.”
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Thanks to sponsorship from JB Fernandes Memorial Trust I (JBFMT1), Environment TOBAGO (ET) was able to successfully host four (4) one-week sessions of Eco Adventure Vacation Camps, over the period September 2014 to September 2015. All four camps were done in partnership with The Department of Natural Resources and the Environment (DNRE), THA. ET’s Education Coordinator had responsibilities for budgeting and managing camp funds, as allocated by the ET Board; collaborating with partners and facilitators; and planning, coordinating and implementation camp activities. DNRE mainly contributed by way of providing transportation services, and personnel to function as camp counsellors and facilitators. All photos taken by Environment TOBAGO
Photos from our Junior camp
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Photos from our Senior camp
On Friday 15th (August 2015) volunteers from Environment Tobago spent the day at Gulf City's Lowlands Mall. Our group was invited to be part of the Volunteer Connection's Tobago Expo actually it was VN's first, and to make it brief, the event was actually quite successful.
The display may have been small, but the discussion was huge.
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BIOBLITZ CHARLOTTEVILLE After a sleepless 24 hours for many, the finally tally of species found at this year's Charlotteville #Bioblitz is 972! This is the highest number of species found in any T&T Bioblitz since its inception - more than found in the Nariva Swamp, Arima Valley, and Tucker Valley Bioblitz'! Hats off to the hardworking team of researchers who descended on Charlotteville on the weekend of the 24th to 25th October 2015. They have given us 972 more reasons why Tobago's precious natural resources need to be respected and protected.
Photos by Mike Rutherford
“ 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 . ”
Participation in Conservation international/CANARI project The project’s objectives are to: train participants on environmental obligations, rules and regulations, monitoring and evaluation, and national reporting guidelines and requirements to the conventions for key actors including civil society and key members of national institutions as well as coordinating bodies with responsibilities for environmental matters. It will also seek to create, leverage and maintain coordination and alignment among relevant bodies by creating cross institutional alliances, strengthening management capacities for implementing multilateral environmental agreements’ requirements, and developing coordination mechanisms to replicate and disseminate necessary information and ap-
ET Director Andy Roberts (right) accepts a token from bhp Billiton's country manager Vincent Pereira. ET will participate in the Conservation international/CANARI project 'Capacity Development for improved management of Multilateral Environmental Agreements for Global Environmental Benefits'. Photo: Environment TOBAGO
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proaches. Last but not least it plans to develop an awareness and communications strategy to raise awareness of multilateral environmental agreements’ obligations and requirements and disseminate project results awareness to effectively coordinate the achievement of global obligation, in particular raising capacity with five T&T civil Society organizations to address climate change mitigation and adaptation.
ET and other members of the GEF Civil Society Network-meet with the CEO of GEF to discuss the SDG's and Civil society input to MEA decisions-GEF Council Meeting -October 2015/Washington, DC. Photos: IISD/ENB (www.iisd.ca/gef/council49/19oct.html)
Statement at closing GEF NGO-Civil society Day at GEF 49-October 19 RFP Caribbean-CALL TO ACTION Recognized in the new SDG's- 17(formerly- Millennium development goals) is the health of the planet our future depends on. Our treatment of the ecosystems known as "the commons" is critical. We must support care of the oceans, forests and climate. Coming from the Caribbean, these goals in relation to Small Island developing states (SIDS) are at the very core of our existence. However, recognition of the issues is not enough-We MUST ACT NOW- to bring meaningful change at the Climate summit-COP 21 in Paris in December. Let us push forward and make this happen.
Clean School Logo Have you ever noticed this logo/sign installed on several of Tobago's primary and secondary schools? Are you wondering what it's all about? Then check this link to find out more about ET's Keep A Clean School Award Programme (KACSAP): http://bit.ly/1UWnuFk.
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CEDP SYMPOSIUM
“ 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 . ”
"Every Division must have climate change considerations at the top of its agenda. We must build the capacity of our decisionmakers to integrate climate change into our development choices based on science and local knowledge. We must improve public awareness, so that individuals are better informed of their personal choices. We must train our stakeholders on how to reduce their vulnerability. And finally we must prepare our public institutions to respond to this growing threat. ET President—Mrs Patricia Turpin The prioritizing of climate change requires Photo: Environment TOBAGO budgetary support and sustained political will." - Patricia Turpin, President of Environment Tobago, Comprehensive Economic Development Plan Symposium. Fifteen percent of Tobago's land space is "pristine" and "green", that is, covered in forested land. The Main Ridge Forest Reserve and Little Tobago make up the majority of this space. This according to Assistant Conservator of Forests for the THA, and ET Board Member, Mr. William Trim today on the topic "The Case for Establishing and Maintaining a Pristine Forest and Green Environment in Tobago." As Tobago takes ET Board Member— Mr William Trim steps to implement its Comprehensive Economic Photo: Environment TOBAGO Development Plan, Mr. Trim recommends expanding forest cover in Tobago through wetland conservation, the establishment of green corridors between forests and developed areas, and the planting of commercial (timber) trees on abandoned private lands.
ET and Shark Conservation Environment TOBAGO (ET) has been talking with the PEW Charitable Trust about the dismal outlook for the Caribbean shark population. PEW should know, they've been actively involved with; shark conservation, tuna, forage fish, penguins and other species of marine life, as well as the (ocean) habitat these species rely upon for food and shelter. According to their website, PEW's work focusses "primarily on halting overfishing and illegal fishing, creating marine reserves, and reforming ocean governance". If all goes well, in the near future PEW may assist Trinidad and Tobago's shark sensitive groups to bring about positive changes in leg-
Environment TOBAGO newsletter
islation (or enforcement), create 'shark safe' zones (as in safe for sharks, rays and chimaera) to go about their business without threat from fishermen and environmentally irresponsible development. The desired outcome of the PEW/ET talks in the short term is to achieve a platform for discussion and public education of the value of these 'interest species'. At this time, although it may not be common knowledge, Trinidad plays hosts a very large Asian fleet whose target catch include more than just (tonnes) of yellowfin tuna. Sadly though, there are other agents of destruction affecting T&T sharks (and as Piles of shark its rays skates and sawfishes).For your information on these matters the Secretariat at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has published a brief “Protecting_Sharks_Enforcing_CITES_A_Global_Effort� which clarifies the threat to sharks (and rays, skates, and sawfishes - lest we forget). And ... if you're keen on having sharks, rays and skatefish around in the long-term and want to get involved in this
Value of Coral Reefs
Tobago's coral reefs provide up to $49.6 million to the national economy in shoreline protection. In Trinidad and Tobago, wild insects provide up to $1 million in pollination services annually to the national economy. Studies have been able to put a price on nature - and that price is high. These costs need to be factored into our development.
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Destruction of Environmentally Sensitive Species (ESS)
Destruction of an environmentally sensitive species in a protected Marine Park- Pigeon Point Heritage Park. This hatchling was crushed by cars-. There is no signage available. The artificial lighting present is Photo: Environment TOBAGO
Lack of Rainfall-Drought conditions The Meteorological Office forecasts dry spells continuing till the end of November. In Tobago this means a 30-45% chance of having severe dry conditions, particularly in the south west. Conserving water must be our priority well into 2016 - otherwise we risk doing without. The full forecast is here: http://bit.ly/1X7nY9e “ 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 . �
Flooding in Scarborough Flooding in Scarborough after a particularly dry, Dry Season- followed by heavy rains/freak storm
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ARTICLES The day William spoke Bertrand Bhikarry Environment TOBAGO I should apologise. The title here should really read ‘The day Willy awoke,’ but this paper’s editor prefers semantics over sarcasm and we commentators have so little control on what eventually goes to print. Now the Willy I’m talking about is not the kind of guy to buss a wine or clench a fist whether times are happy or sad. Indeed, if he was to go back in time and space, say England in the 18th century, they’d call him Will the Taciturn. That said, we should all applaud Tobagonian William Trim; forester, environmentalist and farmer for a very passionate delivery of his argument, in favour of keeping more trees rather than less here in Tobago. And it’s a conversation that couldn’t be timelier given the push by the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) to develop Tobago into a Caribbean icon and a stand-alone economy, irrespective of other considerations - global climate change for one. William’s case was presented at the recent symposium hosted by the Secretariat for Tobago’s Comprehensive Economic Development Plan (CEDP 2013-2017). The THA sanctioned exercise was meant to offer insight into the way forward with feedback from the local public as well. Over two days, several key invitees spoke lengthily and with gravitas. The list of topics ranged from tourism to town planning, but at the end of two days talk, it was Mr Trim who took ‘Man of the Match’. Never has Tobago heard a more pressing plea to maintain its vaunted ‘green’. In his brief time in the spotlight, William attempted to highlight the connections between forest cover and property value; an important aspect for business. He addressed greenery and human well-being as important things to have; Tobago does pride itself on a certain quality of life above its nearest neighbour. Last, though far from least in its importance to the island’s brand, Trim identified ‘bush’ as the intrinsic element Tobago shall need in order to hold a functional and therefore resilient ecosystem. In all probability, William’s ‘success’ at the CEDP workshop had a lot to do with the information supplied by previous presenters. Some spoke on prioritising the needs of the wider Tobago community while focusing on the smaller ones. Others strategized on what Tobago could do to find its place as a net exporter of goods and services - as opposed to its present position as exclusive importer and consumer of same. Defence of the Tobago border – something that still needs to be defined, also held the stage at one point, with representation from the Police Service and Coast Guard. Airlift and air-bridge issues – not necessarily one and the same from the Tobago perspective were widely discussed, not that attendees can expect solutions to any of the above anytime soon. There was more, much more, all to do with the best way forward. But reporting on the symposium is not the point. Rather it is climate change’s implications for Tobago, which underscores the contribution of foresters like Trim and other pro-conservation-minded folks to the discussion on mitigation and adaptation for it. Apparently, the decision makers from high recognised this, so finally Tobago – and this is nice to say, is coming to grips with reality. Because historically, this island has never been kind to residents. According to Mr. Trim, storm and drought has always been a spectre, threat, even disaster, if we factor the hurricanes that decimat-
“We should all applaud Tobagonian William Trim; forester, environmentalist and farmer.”
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“Trim’s call – suggest that Tobagonians re-evaluate their priorities.”
Environment TOBAGO newsletter
ed (in part) the sugar fields of the 18th century, the forest cover in 1963 and the water shortage that perennially affects everyone living here now. Trim’s call; he may not have had time to elaborate, suggest that Tobagonians re-evaluate their priorities and take steps necessary to insulate themselves as much as is possible, create a plan, and then work it with modifications, over time when necessary. Looking at it closely, the man doesn’t ask a lot, doesn’t deny the requirement for housing or for expansion of the towns. He also acknowledges our need for roads or key transportation arteries; but asks only that these be accompanied by deep, lush verges so that wildlife and other life forms can interact in a manner that will disallow genetic segregation (which in turn can lead to species die-offs or susceptibility to disease and parasites). Trim also suggests that we take a page or two from the developed countries. He’d like to see Tobagonians adopt the practice of keeping at least 15% of their properties open to rainwater, allowing for a degree of porosity leading to a better water table refill. And he may not have voiced this openly, but the present norm of moving all freshwater runoff along concrete drains to the sea may presently carry some of the blame for the annual water curfews. So all in all, we must commend William Trim - and by proxy his employers, the Tobago House of Assembly, those various other agents of state and community who took time to map out an adaptation plan for Tobago for the near future. And finally, just because one needs to unburden and wish and in the same breath: The very act of discussion around the document (the CEDP 2.0) and the willingness of the Tobago community, as defined through the THA, promise that things on the ground may change for the better. Ultimately via the symposium, THA was able to paint a clearer picture of Tobago’s game plan, better than any that has ever been shown. Because in the next decade, starting yesterday, and taking into account the persistent downtrend in the global economy, Tobago will need a good play book – and that’s not taking into account the overall impact of Climate Change to William’s forest cover. SDG’s( NL2) The new Sustainable Development Goals. Transforming Our World - the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. To understand each goal, see https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/topics
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Climate Change and Economics in the context of Tobago Patricia Turpin President, Environment TOBAGO I was asked to give the views of the environmental lobby in relation to climate change and economics as is predicted for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and particularly in the context of Tobago and its development plans. Small island developing states are at a critical juncture in their development. The spectre of climate change looms large over us. We have a lot to gain if we employ sustainable, mitigation and adaptive development measures to reduce impacts in the future, and a lot to lose if we don’t. 2015 so far, has been a classic year for observations regarding climate change. A very hot and extended dry season, the hottest in recent memory, with subsequent water shortages, followed by a sudden late onset of heavy rains with high winds (freak storms) resulting in landslides and flooding and housing and business damage. These are impacts. These impacts on the natural environment and human settlements have been coming for a long time. Over the last few years we have seen a huge increase in climate change related activities that have affected Tobago, and threatens the “clean, green and serene” mantra of our brand and also threatens to undermine much of the development progress we have made so far. In tackling the threat of climate change we must come away from the belief that climate change is an “environmental problem.” Climate change is a sustainable development problem – one that poses the most critical challenges to our country than any other of our time. With this understanding it is necessary to ensure that activities to adapt and prepare for climate change are integrated into every facet of our development. Climate change affects fisheries and marine habitats Progressively, oceanic impacts have been experienced, heated oceans have resulted in bleached reefs (home to 25% of all marine species). Existing pressures exacerbate these impacts: overfishing (60% of fish stocks estimated to be over exploited) and pollution from land based activities, and today, the proliferation of invasive species such as sargassum and lion fish have threatened the livelihoods of Tobago’s fishermen. Climate change affects our terrestrial natural resources Terrestrially, impacts have resulted from land degradation, deforestation, fires, overhunting, unplanned and inappropriate development in coastal areas and wetlands. This has resulted in ecosystem (forests and wetlands) destruction and biodiversity loss (a decline of an astonishing 60% in tropical regions) and severe water depletion. Pollution from solid waste, waste water and agricultural runoff has steadily eroded the integrity of critical systems needed to maintain the health and welfare of the population. Climate change affects agriculture Erratic rainfall patterns resulting in drought has impacted our agricultural
“ 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 . ”
“Over the last few years we have seen a huge increase in climate change related activities that have affected Tobago.”
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industry. This combined with higher than usual temperatures and increased incidences of natural disaster as predicted as climate change worsens poses a tremendous risk to our food security and to the livelihoods of farmers across the island. Climate change affects health The World Health Organization notes that climate change affects the social and environmental determinants of health – clean air, safe drinking water, sufficient food and secure shelter. Water-borne diseases and diseases transmitted through insects, snails or other cold blooded animals are expected to be on the rise, with corresponding increases in costs to our already burdened health sector.
“Sea level rise is expected to reduce available beach areas.”
Climate change affects tourism The effects mentioned above are expected to have severe have knock-on impacts on the tourism sector. Sea level rise is expected to reduce available beach areas. Destruction of reefs and marine life as mentioned earlier, as well as our forests and wildlife mean that we have even less to market. We have already seen the devastating impacts of water shortages on our tourism sector. The degradation of our environment from the aforementioned drivers is beginning to put serious brakes on our ability to realize our development ambitions. The cost of response after any natural disaster- heavy rainfall, high winds, flooding, high seas, fires and invasive species such as sargassum invasions has been extensive. Insurance coverage for natural disasters becoming almost impossible to attain; e.g. Home owners in Manzanilla/Mayaro Road, Trinidad are already being declined insurance, resulting in millions of irrecoverable property damage following the flooding disaster of late 2014. It is essential that we take into consideration in our future and ongoing development programs, simple mitigating and adaptive programs that can be implemented relatively cheaply to protect our coastal and watershed areas that add natural protection against climatic changes including water shortages e.g. reforestation, rainwater harvesting for emergency and civilian use, wetland replanting for coastal protection, beach nourishment(replacing eroded sand), programs to reduce pollution from land based sources that will improve coral reef growth-so important to coastal protection, greener methods and machinery using less fossil fuels in agriculture and building codes that protect against severe weather events. Importantly, estimates show that the cost of preparing for climate change are vastly lower that the cost of responding to its impacts. Every Division must have climate change considerations at the top of its agenda. We must build the capacity of our decision-makers to integrate climate change into our development choices based on science and local knowledge. We must improve public awareness, so that individuals are better informed of their personal choices – such as refraining from steep hillside construction or employing rainwater harvesting. We must train our stakeholders, including farmers and fishermen who are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, on how to reduce their vulnerability. Finally we must prepare our public institutions, such as our health sector and disaster response centres to respond to this growing threat. The prioritizing of climate change requires budgetary support and sustained political will. The debate as to whether climate change is happening is now moot. We
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have moved on: how do we prepare for its impacts? The cost of adaptation to climate change are expected to be high. But should we wait and do nothing, we will surely pay a higher price. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mount Saint George and Crown Point in Tobago experienced the largest shortfalls in rainfall In October, the Hillsborough Dam was at 19% capacity, compared to long term average capacity for the rainy season of 77% (WASA Bulletin, October 2015)in the country with 61 per cent, 65 per cent respectively over the two month period ending September 2015. The average period referred to is for the 1981-2010 (Trinidad & Tobago Meteorological Service Dry and Wet Spell Monitor and Outlook 10/9/2015 Issue No. 15)
If climate change is real, why is the crowd still missing? Bertrand Bhikarry Environment TOBAGO Fact #1: Transformations in global weather patterns are expected to bring adverse effects for most of the island nations that comprise the Caribbean region (ECLAC, 2011). Fact #2: Trinidad and Tobago, more so Tobago - due to a geographical location that favours both hurricane and drought, lies squarely in the danger zone. The question then is what can we do about it beyond talk? Only two approaches are practical; mitigation and adaptation. Mitigation, in its broadest sense, looks towards “technological change and substitution that reduces resource inputs and emissions per unit of output” of greenhouse gases (GHG) throughout the globe (Metz, et. al., 2007: p.818). It intends to reduce the main triggers that are contributing to the climatic changes, thereby reducing the magnitude of the issue. In its simplest sense however, mitigation is reducing carbon emitted from use of energy, whether for electricity or transport. Adaptation on the other hand, looks to implement “...initiatives and measures to reduce the vulnerability of natural and human systems against actual or expected climate change effects ...” (Metz, et. al, 2007: p.809). This response method focuses more on dealing with the consequences of climate change on the planet, working with the actual and potential impacts as well as its effects. It means among other efforts; building flood defence barriers or locating infrastructure away from vulnerable areas like floodplains or coastal lowlands. “Through mitigation techniques, it is possible to prevent aggravated consequences of what’s expected climate-wise for the Caribbean; yet the region is not considered to contribute significantly to the global GHG increase (Bueno, et al, 2008; World Bank 2012)”. It is worth noticing then that adaptation techniques
“ 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 . ”
“Trinidad and Tobago, more so Tobago - due to a geographical location that favours both hurricane and drought, lies squarely in the danger zone.”
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“The thing is, post 1492 private enterprise has always determined the Caribbean landscape.”
Environment TOBAGO newsletter
are more necessary for coping with climate change impacts on the Caribbean islands than is mitigation. What’s easy to miss with the adaptation approach is; it needs a critical mass of people, a crowd. This begs another question. From where will the Caribbean’s small island states generate their critical mass, given their small populations? The correct answer is ‘Elsewhere’ given that political unity has always escaped the region. Caribbean climate change mitigation efforts therefore should probably focus toward getting the larger (developed) nations of the north to reduce their emissions, due in large part to high dependency on fossil fuels as an energy source; or towards reduction of deforestation in the developing countries nearest us – like South America, which puts intense land-use pressures on forested areas for urban development and agricultural uses. The need for the Caribbean to mend broken nature outside its small borders is imperative, since “irrespective of the mitigation efforts that could be taken to reduce emissions, the impacts associated with climate change will continue to impact on this region (IPCC, 2012)”. The problem with many countries in the Caribbean is that we have not attached, have not done enough for the forests, rivers, reefs and oddly enough, for food security. Indeed, everything looks like business as usual despite nature indicating otherwise. Obviously, what has made economic sense to businesses and business practice in the region to date makes no sense in the current understanding of our land and seascape. The thing is, post 1492 private enterprise has always determined the Caribbean landscape, so it stands to reason it should now be the entrepreneur class leading the fight against the changing climate. In most islands that means tourism practitioners. Except for Trinidad which is heavily industrialised and will therefore need to approach adaptation differently. The motivation to adapt is there. If this region’s tourism is to survive, travellers must be made to feel they are not contributing to global warming (now identified as a major cause of climate change), rather, that they are helping locals with sustainable lifestyles, albeit one derived from tourism, and it can work. As the Caribbean’s most lucrative option, tourism has been kind to everyone; from those at the very top – the hotel investors, to taxi drivers on the ground. For emerging hospitality-based economies (like Tobago), tourism is the only logical platform to base a country-wide climate adaptation program. Indeed figures provided by the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) reveal that the region provides holidays for well over 20 million visitors each year, and the figure is expected to grow as the global economy cycles upwards. Yet even if growth stagnates, it will make no difference to the region, the metropolitan working class shall still travel, such is the allure of the Caribbean. Actually, the drive to preserve tourism’s allure is what may eventually save the Caribbean - where politicians failed so many times, businessmen (and women) seem well set to push through the necessary accords to facilitate adaptation. Already dialogues are happening to facilitate sharing of destinations. One current thought; long haul flights can better offset their carbon footprint if visitors can spend a bit of time in each island. So Tobago may share a flight with Grenada for example. Another, even more recent thought is to have people move back from the exposed lowlands, into homes that are capable of providing holidaymakers with quality accommodation. In that scenario everyone would benefit, pressure on land for housing will be eased, incomes will rise as will the standard of life, but of course, these are just conversations flirting with the idea that the climate is changing, and that we all are at risk. In the meantime, it is everyone’s task to become voices of action, of adaptation. We need to use the ordinary to best effect; employ web and social media plat-
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forms to move the mountain of barriers and the never-ending political stop buttons (remember ‘occupy’). More and more, we need to connect the dots including even non-traditional ones like; the business community, faith based groups, sportsmen and women, teachers, children, parents, grandparents even, to share an action-oriented vision that climate change is real and ought to be dealt with. In fact, Trinbago’s climate change movement needs to court followers as if we were launching a new political party, and needs to feed from the energy of a crowd. A crowd is certainly what’s missing here.
ECOLOGY NOTES What is the different between a watershed and a wetland? Jo-Anne Nina Sewlal Dept of Life Sciences, University of the West Indies Many of us have a genuine concern for the environment and the problems that it faces mostly due to human activities, but we often misuse words to get the point across. Two of these words are “watersheds” and “wetlands”. We appreciate the role that they play in the continued existence of life on this planet. This article is serve to clear up this confusion. Chances are that you are in a watershed as you read this article. The Environmental Protection agency (EPA) defines a watershed as “any body of land that flows downhill into a waterway. In other words, it is describing how the water flows across land into watercourses such as, rivers and streams. All land masses feed water into watercourses. Multiple watersheds drain into the same watercourses. These in turn drain into larger bodies of water and eventually drain into the oceans. There are millions of watersheds on the planet. For example, if you are on one side of the Main Ridge in Tobago and your neighbour is on the other side, you are each occupying two different watersheds. Some of the factors that determine the characteristics of a watershed is the topography of the land, as it will determine the size of the watershed. A watershed can be divided into three types. Let us look at a mountain or hill as an example. Those areas at the top are called catchments. These drain into areas lower down called watersheds. These in turn drain into areas called basins at the bottom. Bear in mind that not all of the water that falls into the surface as precipitation is captured by watersheds. Some water is lost via evaporation, absorption by plants and consumption by humans. Now the important question… why should we care? Since watersheds collect the water that runs off the ground’s surface it also collects any toxins and pollutants and there. Particularly if it flows over agricultural land. It will collect chemicals such as, pesticides and fertilizers other possible pollutants include heavy metals such as mercury. Some of these chemicals cause a domino effect of harmful events for example, the fertilizers cause aquatic plant population to increase exponentially. This robs other species of resources as light and food thus resulting in the death of the other plant species and a decrease in biodiversity. But these
“ 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 . ”
“There are millions of watersheds on the planet..”
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“But although they are connected a better understanding of what each means will help us to understand the challenges that they face and how to better protect it them.“
Environment TOBAGO newsletter
plants are also food for aquatic animals who are in turn food for other animals. So animal diversity decreases as well. Also as these plants die and decay, the organisms that break them down use up much of the oxygen. This again reduces the amount of resources available to the species. Now what is a wetland? A wetland can be defined as “an area of land that is either covered by water or saturated with water.” Examples of wetlands include swamps, marshes or bogs, just to name a few. A well-known example of a wetland in the tropics is mangrove swamps. But wetlands are not confined to tropical regions and are found on all continents except Antarctica. Also some wetlands are present throughout the year or form seasonally in conjunction with heavy precipitation. Other examples of wetlands include the Everglades in southern Florida, USA, which is an example of a freshwater marsh. Saltwater marshes also exist, such as in northern Australia. Many of these house a wide diversity of flora and fauna. Similarly to watersheds, wetlands are home to organisms that humans depend on for instance, swamps which act as nurseries to many marine species of commercial value such as crabs and shrimp. Wetlands also provide areas for migratory species, thus supplying much needed resources to these animals when the areas they are originally from are cold and inhospitable, therefore ensuring the survival of these species. Wetlands also purify the water before it enters the oceans. Clean water is also needed by other organisms besides humans such as, aquatic animals and plants some of which humans depend on for food. It is the last point that links watersheds and wetlands together with watersheds collecting this valuable resource and wetlands purify it of toxins and pollutants before it enters larger waterways and used for human consumption. But although they are connected a better understanding of what each means will help us to understand the challenges that they face and how to better protect it them.
Examples of a watershed (top) and a wetland (saltwater marsh) (bottom) Photos: Wikipedia
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WHERE THE SAGUARO IS KING John Alcock 1985. Sonoran Desert Spring. Chicago: Univ. Chicago Press 194 pp. John Alcock 1990. Sonoran Desert Summer. Tucson: Univ. Arizona Press 187 pp. John Alcock 2009. When the Rains Come: A Naturalist's Year in the Sonoran Desert. Tucson: Univ. Arizona Press 334 pp. [Forty-first in a series on "naturalist-in" books; see www.ckstarr.net/ reviews_of_naturalist.htm ]
Christopher K. Starr Caura Village, Trinidad ckstarr@gmail.com
The Sonoran Desert covers part of northwestern Mexico and about the southern half of the state of Arizona. Average annual rainfall is only about 15 cm, with large variation among years. Direct data, available for about the last century, can be supplemented by tree rings (thicker during wetter years) that go back some thousands of years. These show that "average" years are in the minority. Accordingly, a key sub-theme of these books, as in Adolph Murie's A Naturalist in Alaska (see review no. 37) is the advantages of observation over many years. Precipitation is mainly in December-March as gentle rain and again in JulyAugust as violent thunderstorms, the monsoon. In between, the desert can go for months without rain. Clouds may gather, it looks like rain is on the way, and then the clouds go away and the landscape stays dry for days or weeks more. As in any desert, then, drought is the outstanding challenge for plants, and in any very long stretch without rain, many of them will die. Animals have the option of taking shelter from the sun, but they risk starvation if the plants are forced to cut back. Climatic changes affect people, as well as wild plants and animals, and some extended dry periods can be correlated with native peoples moving away. Even so, the disappearance of at least one major aboriginal culture from the area remains unexplained. John Alcock's is an entomologist whose main research is on behavioural ecology, especially the nesting biology and reproductive strategies of solitary wasps and bees. He has lived near the northern edge of the Sonoran Desert for more than 30 years and spends a great deal of time in the field. The focus is the Usery Mountains in Arizona's Tonto National Forest, a "perfectly ordinary, but utterly wonderful, collection of hills". He has taken hundreds of walks up Usery Peak (about 890 m). In GoogleEarth if you put the cursor on 33°30'34"N and 111°36'14"W, I believe it will be over Usery Peak. About 40 years ago, one of his former students told me that "John Alcock thinks about natural selection all the time", a remark that has shaped my image of what a real naturalist should be like. This persistent focus is very much in evidence in these books. Alcock will describe a (usually behavioural) phenomenon and then ask how it could possibly be maintained by the action of selection. Why does the teddy
“John Alcock thinks about natural selection all the time.”
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Environment TOBAGO newsletter
-bear cholla cactus reproduce mostly asexually, unlike other cacti in the area? Why do male Xylocopa varipuncta carpenter bees form leks? Why does the zone-tailed hawk mimic the turkey vulture in both its plumage and manner of flying? Why do Harris's hawks hunt coĂśperatively, while other hawks do not? Why do rattlesnakes rattle? It is certainly not to protect humans and other animals, so has rattling perhaps evolved in the context of encounters with coyotes and roadrunners? Why do blister beetles mate for several hours, when a male could mate in a minute and then go in search of other females? Why do collared peccary (quenk) females feed the young of other females? Similarly, why do some Harris's hawks assist in rearing others' offspring instead of nesting on their own? Since large males of the digger bee Centris pallida have a distinct mating advantage, why does substantial size variation persist in the population? Why does the horned lizard, specialized to eat harvester ants and able to withstand their stings, eat only a few from a bountiful colony at one sitting? Why does the phainopepla bird breed in colonies, rather than in isolated pairs? And why is the male phainopepla, exposed as it is to the blazing desert sun, black? Why do some birds produce camouflaged eggs, while others do not? Why does the well camouflaged zebra-tailed lizard conspicuously wave its tail when approached by a human? Why do female greater earless lizards show a distinct preference for males with especially bright spots? In discussing some such questions, Alcock examines and discards one hypothesis after another, finally to end up either with one that satisfies or the conviction that we simply don't know.
“Why do rattlesnakes rattle?“
The statuesque saguaro cactus, Carnegiea gigantea, is the emblematic plant of the Sonoran Desert. Saguaros are very good at taking up and storing water as it comes available, sometimes up to 200 gallons. They develop very slowly and may not reproduce before the age of 50, at which time they may already weigh several tons and have more than a century of life still to go. Their ripening fruits bring a time of abundance for several animals that feed on the pulp and seeds. The vegetation is not dense in this rocky, sandy landscape, so that large plants seem more like individuals, rather than parts of a continuous vegetation. Alcock knows some of the saguaros personally. He has Typical Sonoran Desert landscape with abundant been acquainted with them for many years saguaro cacti and paloverde bushes. and has watched their development and vicissitudes. Mature individuals tend to be top heavy, which, along with their shallow root systems, make them vulnerable to toppling in a strong storm. And when one falls, it represents a rich source of decaying nutrients for bacteria and insect larvae, rather like the carcass of a whale. After one large specimen fell in a storm and lay dead on the ground, Alcock monitored it over the next 14 years, describing the stages of its dissolution. He is similarly personally acquainted with many individual paloverdes (Cercidium spp.), large shrubs and small trees with green, photosynthesizing bark, hence the name. These books are organized by months, the first March to June, the second May through
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September, and the third (independent of the other two) from January through December. Each chapter is around a well-defined theme, usually a particular species. Some titles reveal the subject right away, while in others Alcock seems to delight in misleading. "Two Ravens" says nothing about ravens or any other bird until the very end. Recall that William Beebe (see review no. 13) was also fond of this kind of switcheroo. Some chapters are only about a page long, often setting a scene by mentioning things observed on a particular walk. For example, in "Hawk Morning", Alcock hears creosote grasshoppers and sees first a scampering ground squirrel and then a hunting red-tailed hawk suspended in the air, hears the yowling of a coyote, a robber fly buzzes from one shrub to another, while first two kestrels and then two Cooper's hawks fly past. These are hard-core naturalist-in notes. Sonoran Desert Spring and Sonoran Desert Summer are each illustrated with several attractive drawings, while When the Rains Come is richly illustrated with photos, mostly of landscapes and large plants. An especially striking pair of photos shows a broad landscape in one February after a long drought and again in another February after a much wetter winter. An annoying minor feature is the persistent use of the old measures (feet, acres, quarts, degrees Fahrenheit), as if only Americans will read them. Why the pessimism? "Hill-topping", a distinctive behaviour of some solitary wasps, flies and butterflies, has been one of Alcock's research foci. A male takes exclusive possession of the top of a particular paloverde tree or other prominence on a ridge, flying out to challenge other males that intrude in his space. This can lead to flying contests between males, somewhat like the head-cutting contents of rams, except that strength is shown by the two flying around each other. Alcock relates how he discovered hill-topping by tarantula-hawks (solitary wasps) and his subsequent long-term studies. These showed that a particular vantage point can be utilized year after year by succeeding generations. Not all species have the same hill-topping period, so that a given spot may be utilized by several individuals in succession throughout the day. Why is a particular period preferred by a given species? The obvious answer is that it is when females are most likely to come, but why do females come at that time and not another? And there he goes again, compulsively raising and discarding hypotheses. Go for it. When a prolonged drought ends, the naturalist is eager to get out and see what is happening. The first rains of spring can have a wonderfully stimulating effect on the biota, not just in renewed plant growth but in such things as the mating flights of ants and termites. Alcock ends When the Rains Come on a note of great expectation: "When the next rain does come, I will take this as an excuse to come here again to find out how the plants and animals are responding to their food fortune, each visit to this mountain increasing my understanding and appreciation of an always changing but most excellent place."
“Saguaros develop very slowly and may not reproduce before the age of 50."
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WHAT’S HAPPENING @ ET
Environment TOBAGO Environmental and Services Map of Tobago
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The Tropical Rainforest of Tobago — The Main Ridge Graham Wellfare and Hema Singh Published by Environment TOBAGO pp 37 Price: TT120.
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READERS’ FORUM Dear ET Newsletter Readers, Office:
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