The Trini Environmentalist

  What do we know? I am sure that we have all heard about the proposal to build a Sandals hotel in South-west Tobago (2018-2019). Like every major construction project, it needs to be approved by the Environmental Management Authority through a rigorous vetting process where all possible environmental effects that the project can be evaluated. The proposed project would consist of 700 to 1000 rooms however, Sandals decided not to continue with the project due to “bad publicity” and “criticism” that surrounded it. Figure 1: showing Sandals in Curacao (2021) Why was the project opposed by the public? The area in Tobago where the project was proposed (Buccoo Reef Bon Accord Lagoon Complex) is known as a Ramsar site. A Ramsar site, determined by the Ramsar convention refers to a “treaty that provides a framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources” according to Ramsar. The Buccoo Reef Bon Accord Lagoon Complex in South-west Tobago Ramsar site was estab...

Today’s article is going to be a little different. I’d like to take you back in time before Trinidad and Tobago was discovered by Christopher Columbus. Indigenous people lived here called the Amerindians. They had their own spiritual beliefs, their own language, and their own culture. They declared that Trinidad would be called “Iere” (pronounced eye-ee-ry ) meaning the land of the hummingbird. They also referred to the hummingbird as “yerette”, another Amerindian word. Figure1: showing a Tufted Coquette (Nirvana Rajaram 2021) This week I had the great privilege of visiting Yerrete – The Home of the Hummingbirds in Maracas Valley, St Joseph. The owners Theodore Ferguson and his wife Gloria Ferguson bring to life the history of the Amerindians and promote the importance of hummingbirds in nature. Yerette is their home, where they accommodate visitors from all around the world who seek out these flying gems. They provide these majestic birds with a beautiful garden and nectar to feed o...

What is overfishing? Overfishing refers to the depletion of fish stocks faster than they can be replenished. Overfishing has become rampant in Trinidad and Tobago with a recent video circulating social media of fishermen in Mayaro pulling up scores of fish in a net. Not all fishing is bad, especially since fish makes up the main component of our Caribbean diet but the method of fishing is what can cause an issue. Bycatch is one of the main causative factors affecting overfishing. Bycatch refers to the unwanted fish caught while fishing, typically during net fishing. Figure 1: Showing a huge haul of fish from the East Coast of Trinidad (TikTok 2021) Why is this bad? From the information above, we can see that net fishing can cause overfishing. Nets have holes that allow fish that are small enough, to free themselves through the holes while keeping the bigger, mature fish in the net. The problem with this arises when the nets being used have very small holes. This prevents juvenile...

What are Ocelots? In Trinidad and Tobago there is only one wild cat native to our shores and that is the Ocelot (Scientific name: Leopardus paradalis ). It was once found on both of our islands, but now it is only found in Trinidad. Although the Ocelot is considered a wild cat, it is quite small in size ranging between 68 centimetres and 145 centimetres and weighs between 18 and 40 pounds. These majestic wild cats are the largest predatory land mammals in Trinidad, putting it at the top of the food chain. It has black spots with tan or reddish fur, like a Leopard. It is found throughout Tropical and Sub-tropical forests ranging from North America to South America. Figure 1: showing an Ocelot on a log (Stock 2021) What is their status? According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Ocelots are listed under the “Least Concern” category, meaning that their existence is not at risk. However, in Trinidad and Tobago it is estimated that the population of Ocelots i...

What happened? On August 8 th , 2021, a conservation group known as Fishermen and Friends of the Sea (FFOS) announced that there had been an oil spill in Guaracara River which then flowed into the Gulf of Paria. The video circulated all forms of social media and is attached below (at the bottom). This oil spill seems to have stemmed from Paria Fuel Trading Company in Point-a-Pierre. This was because of a leaking pipe at the plant operations, but the cause of the leak is not certain. It is speculated that it is due to the lack of maintenance of the pipelines. Figure 1: showing oil being scooped up from the Gulf of Paria (FFOS 2021) Why is this bad? Oil spills affect three main components of the environment, these are: water quality, the coastline, and the wildlife and marine life. Water Quality : It is a known fact that water and oil do not mix. Water is denser than oil therefore oil floats on the surface of the water forming what is called a ‘slick’. This slick prevents light and o...

What is water scarcity in the context of Trinidad and Tobago? The definition of water scarcity is a lack of sufficient water, or not having access to safe water supplies. Based on this definition we can see that water scarcity is a problem within the confines of this country’s border. This is of special concern as Trinidad and Tobago possesses four reservoirs: Navet, Hollis, and Caroni-Arena dams, three of which are located in Trinidad and one in Tobago, the Hillsborough dam, therefore one would expect that there is an adequate amount of water for general use, but this is far from the truth. Due to several reasons that are discussed later, it can be observed that there are gaps in the reservoir, water treatment, and delivery management that cause water scarcity within this country. Figure 1: showing Navet Dam (WASA 2008) What causes water scarcity? Large gaps in various points along the journey of water from reservoirs far in the hills to the taps of citizens exist. For example, du...

This week we divert our attention away from our wildlife to talk about the major flooding events that occurred within the last five weeks. What flooding events have occurred? There is no hiding the fact that the Caribbean has entered the Rainy Season. From June to November every year the Rainy Season results in tremendous flooding across many parts of Trinidad and Tobago. The first major event of the Rainy Season was Tropical Storm Elsa, which developed into a Category 1 Hurricane after passing Trinidad and Tobago. On July 2 nd , 2021, Tropical Storm Elsa approached our shores bringing with it torrential rain and gusty winds causing flooding and landslides across the nation. Another, more catastrophic event occurred in North-west Trinidad on August 3 rd , 2021. Heavy rains on the mountainous Northern Range of Trinidad (specifically the North-west), triggered large volumes of water to come rushing into the Capital, Port of Spain. The rivers, unable to contain the flow, burst its ban...