Et newsletter sept dec 2015(2)

En viron men t TO BAGO n ewsl etter

President’s Report

Pat Turpin

President

Environment TOBAGO

E nvironment TOBA-

GO (ET) is a non-government, non-profit, vol-unteer 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 environ-

mental outreach programmes.

Environment TOBAGO is funded mainly through grants

and membership fees. These funds go back into implement-ing our projects. We are

grateful to all our sponsors over the years and thank

them for their continued

support

W hat’s inside

ET News 1

Articles 15

Ecology Notes 21

Book Review 23

What’s Happening @ ET 26

Notes to contributors 28

September/December 2015 Environment TOBAGO

Congratulations!! It has been a long journey to this point, fraught with challeng-

es and successes in equal part. It has been hard to remain optimistic about environmen-

tal issues affecting this island, when faced with the indifference and ignorance which sur-

rounds 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 pas-

sion and will continue in this way for as

long as there is an opposing ideology be-

tween the governing bodies and the envi-

ronmental lobby. In the present and com-

ing 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 in-

cursions to existing water tables, loss of

tree cover/thus reducing rainwater and

endangering /extirpating our biodiversity,

and ocean acidification affecting our fisher-

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 pro-

file 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 ex-

tremely 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-

Environment TOBAGO’s 20th AGM

which took place on 30th August 2015

Photo: Environment TOBAGO

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


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

Page 2 Environment TOBAGO newsletter

agement rules, and the Environmental Democracy Index. The Bills that were collaborat-

ed 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 reintro-

duced. Locally, we have been dealing with proposals, both private and THA such as, de-

velopment of the Gibsons jetty/Bon Accord Lagoon in a protected Ramsar site, The re-

introduction of Plantations proposal for a marina development in the Petit Trou Lagoon-

both 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 Week-

early 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 suc-

cess 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 com-

munity 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 Adminis-

trative 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 nor-

mally 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 fu-

ture. Training/capacity building for staff and Directors took place. The Education Coordi-

nator 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 pur-

chase badly needed equipment in the form of two computers for the office etc. A dona-

tion 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 5-

10%) Grassroots Human Security Project – dealing with structural adaptation for hurri-

cane shelters a pilot in 1 community in Tobago for 2015. And will partner with the GWP


-Global water partnership-Caribbean to deliver a Canada Fund for Disaster risk reduc-

tion project (Can$600,000/ET-5-10%) for rainwater harvesting in five Tobago communi-

ties. The project proposal currently under review for approval with the UNDP/SGP-

WRAP- 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 ac-

complish with so little. It points to a group of dedicated, hardworking volunteers, pas-

sionate 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 mod-

ern 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 wet-

land 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 Ac-

cord/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 in-

creased 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”


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 ri-

parian 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 Illicit solid waste disposal throughout the island- disposal of white waste,

plastics and household garbage has created unauthorised and unsightly dumps in eve-

ry 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 popu-

lation 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, restau-

rants, 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 con-

struction material and others with overgrown slush, are proving to be havens for

mosquito breeding and are creating a terrific stench. Calls to the appropriate authori-

ties 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 popula-

tion 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 wa-

tersheds 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 dam-

age. 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-

“Reservoir capaci-

ties at Hills-

borough, Cour-

land, Kings Bay

and Cambelton

have been sorely

depleted.”

“ To many p eopl e these tall pea ks make fo r a c hallen ging b ut scenic hike. Bu t they a re not jus t a no the r tall m oun tain to climb . ”


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 assess-

ments being imposed continues unabated. The risks to ecosystems is high. The un-

derstaffing 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 ex-

treme 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 circula-

tion 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 for-

ests, 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. Irre-

versible 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. Com-

plaints 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 contin-

ues 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 partici-

pated. 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 incur-

sion to the aqui-

fers of the south

end of the island

will become a crit-

ical issue in the

future as sea lev-

els rise.”


tive species. Five species of marine turtles have been declared environmentally sensitive

species and endangered. This designation, gives them additional protection. Law en-

forcement 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 wetlands-

Bon 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. Wild-

life Assessment for Trinidad and Tobago is underway. The two-year hunting ban re-

quired 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 Toba-

go after this. Teams have been chosen/ NGO facilitators to be informed. The Forestry

section of the DNRE/THA are facilitating this exercise.

Protected Areas Designations 2015 will see the designation of the Main Ridge Forest Reserve as a PA- pro-

tected area, and the N E Tobago-an MPA-Marine protected area, extending from Rox-

borough 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 environ-

ments. 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 WRI-

World 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 ambi-

ent 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 busi-

ness 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 commit-

ment to the conservation of our natural resources. I hope to report at the end of 2015

in a fully positive manner.

“The sewage

ponds at Golden

Grove and Planta-

tions –lowlands

are in peak condi-

tion and attract-

ing many migrato-

ry bird species.”


Report on ET’s Eco-Adventure Vacation Camps (September 2014 - Sep-

tember 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 mis-

sion 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 devel-

oped over the years. Typically, the camps are organized by sessions; each camp ses-

sion 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 32

24-Aug-2015 Senior Summer Session 51

“ET has been

hosting annual

Eco Vacat ion

Camps for stu-

dents since 2007.”

What ET has been up to


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 Coor-

dinator had responsibilities for budgeting and managing camp funds, as allocated

by the ET Board; collaborating with partners and facilitators; and planning, coor-

dinating 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


Photos from our Senior camp

On Friday 15th (August

2015) volunteers from Envi-

ronment 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 discus-

sion was huge.



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 Val-

ley, 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 re-

sources need to be respected and protected.

Participation in Conservation international/CANARI project

The project’s objectives are to:

train participants on environmental obliga-

tions, 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 to-

ken from bhp Billiton's country manager Vincent

Pereira. ET will participate in the Conservation

international/CANARI project 'Capacity Devel-

opment for improved management of Multilateral

Environmental Agreements for Global Environ-

mental Benefits'.


Photos by

Mike

Rutherford


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.

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 sum-

mit-COP 21 in Paris in December. Let us push forward and make this happen.

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)

Clean School Logo

Have you ever noticed this logo/sign in-

stalled 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.

http://bit.ly/1UWnuFk



CEDP SYMPOSIUM

"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 lo-

cal knowledge. We must improve public aware-

ness, so that individuals are better informed of

their personal choices. We must train our

stakeholders on how to reduce their vulnera-

bility. And finally we must prepare our public

institutions to respond to this growing threat.

The prioritizing of climate change requires

budgetary support and sustained political will."

- Patricia Turpin, President of Environment Tobago, Comprehensive Economic De-

velopment Plan Symposium. Fifteen percent of Tobago's land space is

"pristine" and "green", that is, covered in forest-

ed land. The Main Ridge Forest Reserve and Lit-

tle Tobago make up the majority of this space.

This according to Assistant Conservator of For-

ests 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

steps to implement its Comprehensive Economic

Development Plan, Mr. Trim recommends ex-

panding forest cover in Tobago through wetland conservation, the establishment of

green corridors between forests and developed areas, and the planting of commer-

cial (timber) trees on abandoned private lands.

ET President—Mrs Patricia Turpin


ET Board Member— Mr William Trim


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 spe-

cies rely upon for food and shelter. According to their website, PEW's work focus-

ses "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-


Tobago's coral reefs provide

up to $49.6 million to the national

economy in shoreline protection. In

Trinidad and Tobago, wild insects pro-

vide up to $1 million in pollination

services annually to the national econ-

omy. Studies have been able to put a

price on nature - and that price is

high. These costs need to be factored

into our development.

Value of Coral Reefs

islation (or enforcement), create 'shark

safe' zones (as in safe for sharks, rays

and chimaera) to go about their busi-

ness without threat from fishermen and

environmentally irresponsible develop-

ment. 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, Trin-

idad 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 de-

struction affecting T&T sharks (and as

its rays skates and sawfishes).For your

information on these matters the Secre-

tariat at the Convention on Internation-

al 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 hav-

ing sharks, rays and skatefish around in the long-term and want to get involved in this

Piles of shark



Flooding in Scarborough

Flooding in Scarborough after a par-

ticularly dry, Dry Season- followed by

heavy rains/freak storm

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 condi-

tions, 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

Destruction of an environ-

mentally sensitive species in a pro-

tected Marine Park- Pigeon Point

Heritage Park.

This hatchling was crushed

by cars-. There is no signage availa-

ble. The artificial lighting present is

Destruction of Environmentally Sensitive Species (ESS)


http://bit.ly/1X7nY9e%204


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. In-

deed, 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 conversa-

tion 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, irre-

spective of other considerations - global climate change for one. William’s case was presented at the recent symposium hosted by the Secre-

tariat 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 cer-

tain quality of life above its nearest neighbour. Last, though far from least in its im-

portance 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 To-

bago 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 is-

land 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 Tobago-

nian William Trim;

forester, environ-

mentalist and

farmer.”


ed (in part) the sugar fields of the 18th century, the forest cover in 1963 and the wa-

ter 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 require-

ment 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 suscep-

tibility 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.

“Trim’s call –

suggest that

Tobagonians

re-evaluate

their priorities.”

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

https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/topics



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 cli-

mate 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 em-

ploy 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 busi-

ness 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 cli-

mate change is an “environmental problem.” Climate change is a sustainable develop-

ment 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 develop-

ment.

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 ex-

ploited) and pollution from land based activities, and today, the proliferation of inva-

sive species such as sargassum and lion fish have threatened the livelihoods of Toba-

go’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 bio-

diversity 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

“Over the last few

years we have

seen a huge in-

crease in climate

change related

activities that

have affected To-

bago.”


industry. This combined with higher than usual temperatures and increased incidenc-

es 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 in-

sects, snails or other cold blooded animals are expected to be on the rise, with cor-

responding increases in costs to our already burdened health sector.

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 for-

ests 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 be-

ginning 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 insur-

ance, 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 de-

velopment programs, simple mitigating and adaptive programs that can be implement-

ed relatively cheaply to protect our coastal and watershed areas that add natural

protection against climatic changes including water shortages e.g. reforestation, rain-

water harvesting for emergency and civilian use, wetland replanting for coastal pro-

tection, 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 cli-

mate 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 individ-

uals are better informed of their personal choices – such as refraining from steep

hillside construction or employing rainwater harvesting. We must train our stake-

holders, 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 cli-

mate change requires budgetary support and sustained political will. The debate as to whether climate change is happening is now moot. We

“Sea level rise is

expected to re-

duce available

beach areas.”



have moved on: how do we prepare for its impacts? The cost of adaptation to cli-

mate 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)

“Trinidad and To-

bago, more so To-

bago - due to a

geographical loca-

tion that favours

both hurricane

and drought, lies

squarely in the

danger zone.”

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 ad-

verse 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 ap-

proaches 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 in-

tends to reduce the main triggers that are contributing to the climatic changes,

thereby reducing the magnitude of the issue. In its simplest sense however, mitiga-

tion 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 infrastruc-

ture away from vulnerable areas like floodplains or coastal lowlands. “Through mitigation techniques, it is possible to prevent aggravated con-

sequences 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


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 popula-

tions? 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 Ameri-

ca, 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 at-

tached, 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, travel-

lers 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 sustaina-

ble 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 Or-

ganisation (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 conversa-

tions 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 adapta-

tion. We need to use the ordinary to best effect; employ web and social media plat-

“The thing is, post

1492 private en-

terprise has al-

ways determined

the Caribbean

landscape.”



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 appreci-

ate 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 Envi-

ronmental 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 water-

courses. 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 deter-

mine 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 expo-

nentially. 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

“There are mil-

lions of water-

sheds on the plan-

et..”

ECOLOGY NOTES

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 cli-

mate change movement needs to court followers as if we were launching a new polit-

ical party, and needs to feed from the energy of a crowd. A crowd is certainly what’s

missing here.


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 north-

ern Australia. Many of these house a wide diversity of flora and fauna. Similarly to watersheds, wetlands are home to organisms that humans de-

pend 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 migra-

tory species, thus supplying much need-

ed resources to these animals when

the areas they are originally from are

cold and inhospitable, therefore ensur-

ing the survival of these species. Wet-

lands 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 tox-

ins and pollutants before it enters larg-

er waterways and used for human con-

sumption. But although they are connect-

ed a better understanding of what each

means will help us to understand the

challenges that they face and how to

better protect it them.

“But although

they are connect-

ed a better under-

standing of what

each means will

help us to under-

stand the chal-

lenges that they

face and how to

better protect it

them.“

Examples of a watershed (top) and a wetland

(saltwater marsh) (bottom)

Photos: Wikipedia


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 sup-

plemented 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 July-

August 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 shel-

ter 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 natu-

ral selection all

the time.”

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 ]


Caura Village, Trinidad [email protected]


-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 coöperatively, 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 ma-

te for several hours, when a male could mate in a minute and then go in search of oth-

er 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 nest-

ing on their own? Since large males of the digger bee Centris pallida have a distinct mat-

ing 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, ex-

posed as it is to the blazing desert sun, black? Why do some birds produce camou-

flaged 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 ear-

less lizards show a distinct preference for males with especially bright spots? In discussing some such questions, Alcock examines and discards one hypothe-

sis after another, finally to end up either with one that satisfies or the conviction that

we simply don't know.

The statuesque saguaro cactus, Carnegiea gigantea, is the emblematic plant of the Son-

oran Desert. Saguaros are very good at tak-

ing 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 cen-

tury 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

been acquainted with them for many years

and has watched their development and vi-

cissitudes. 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

“Why do rattle-

snakes rattle?“

Typical Sonoran Desert landscape with abundant

saguaro cacti and paloverde bushes.


“Saguaros develop

very slowly and

may not repro-

duce before the

age of 50."

September, and the third (independent of the other two) from January through De-

cember. 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 mention-

ing 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 pho-

tos, 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 pes-

simism?

"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 oth-

er 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."


Volunteers needed! Persons who are interested in helping with cataloguing and

filing of ET’s educational, research and operational material

and archiving.

Environment TOBAGO Environmental

and Services Map of Tobago

They are excellent and will be published every two years.

Published in January 2008. Requests for these maps can be

made to ET office.

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.

ET group link: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/

group.php?gid=53362888661&ref=ts

And keep up to date on what we are up to by following us

on Twitter: https://twitter.com/environ_tobago

WHAT’S HAPPENING @ ET

New Members ET has a membership of 429 worldwide, ET welcomes the following members:

There are no new members for this quarter

The Tropical Rainforest of Tobago — The Main Ridge

Graham Wellfare and Hema Singh

Published by Environment TOBAGO pp 37

Price: TT120.

Literature

Available


Type: Lady’s tees

Size: Small & Medium

Price: TT$100.00 Colours: Lime green, red

and black Description: ET logo

printed on front and

sponsor logo at the back

centre

Type: Regular tees

Size: Small, Medium & Large

Price: TT$100.00 Colours: Kelly green, red,

black, navy blue, ash, pur-

ple, royal blue and black

forest Description: ET logo print-

ed on front and sponsor

logos on sleeves at the

back centre

Type: Polos

Size: Small, Medium & Large

Price: TT$150.00 Colours: Kelly green, royal

blue, red, gold and ash grey Description: ET logo em-

broidered on left breast,

sponsor’s logo printed on

the back.

Orders can be made through

the office.

Price:

TT$120.00

Environment TOBAGO t-shirts and caps now available

Products featuring artwork

from Rainforest Education

& Awareness Programme

Tote bags-TT$120 Burlap bags -TT$120

Drawstring bags-TT$130

Postcards

TT$15 per card or TT$100 for a pack of

GUIDELINES TO CONTRIBUTORS

Articles on the natural history and environment are welcome especially those on

Trinidad and Tobago.

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) [email protected]

2) [email protected]

Deadline for submission of material for the 1st Quarter 2016 issue of

the Bulletin is March10th, 2016.

READERS’ FORUM

Dear ET Newsletter Readers,

We want to hear from YOU!

Comments may be edited for length and clarity.

Send your comments to: [email protected]

or [email protected]

Office: 11 Cuyler Street Scarborough,

Tobago, W.I.

Mailing address: P.O. Box 503,

Scarborough,

Tobago, W.I.

Phone: 1-868-660-7462 Fax: 1-868-660-7467

E-mail: [email protected]

Environment TOBAGO newsletter

We are on the web

http://www.Environmenttobago.net

Page 28

Documents

Et newsletter sept dec 2015(2)