NEWS

New signage installed for protected areas

November 13th 2019 marked a significant day in the IFPAMTT project, with the unveiling of new signage at protected areas.  The Matura National Park Environmentally Sensitve Area was the first of six pilot protected areas of focus in the project to be bestowed with these simple yet significant features which are intended to aid in building awareness and valuing of protected areas.  The ceremony to unveil these signs took place at a main entryway to the ESA, at the corner of Salybia-Matura Trace and Toco Main Road in the village of Salybia.  Senator the Hon. Clarence Rambharat, Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries and Mr. Reuben Robertson, Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization for Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname took part in the unveiling ceremony after addressing a small gathering of about 60 persons; several members of the surrounding community were present at the ceremony. 

A total of 30 signs will be mounted around the ESA, with some of these located within the communities that surround the site.  A survey of persons in these communities that was undertaken in 2016 revealed that persons who lived outside of the village of Matura had little or no connection with the Park that has "Matura" in its name.  As a result of this, stakeholders on the Project Subcommittee associated with the site decided that apart from boundary-demarcating signs, information signs that highlight key assets of the Park should be mounted in these communities, headlined with the words "In Your Neighbourhood" to stimulate a closer connection with the area.  

Similar signage exercises are expected to take place around four more protected areas in the coming months with the intent of building interest, knowledge and appreciation of the value of these sites.

Two-day Flood Modelling Workshop

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO/UN) is coordinating a two-day training exercise in flood modelling on Tuesday 30th - Wednesday 31st October 2019.  The workshop is a component of the four-year project "Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago" which the FAO is implementing on behalf of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago.

This workshop activity will enable participants to become familiar with aspects of hydrology of catchments and their influence on receiving floodplains.  The focus of the workshop will be on the development of design storms and the application of techniques for generating streamflow hydrographs emanating from catchments.

This workshop sets the stage for a follow-up session in early November, in which participants can understand how the streamflow hydrographs flowing onto a floodplain may cause flooding.  It will explore the capabilities and limitations of a popular two-dimensional hydrodynamic model and how it can be used for performing hydraulic analyses for evaluating the suitability of flood control measures.  The model's capability for producing flood hazard maps will also be covered.

The workshop is linked to a current feasibility study being undertaken in the project to identify possible options for improving freshwater input into the mangrove swamp forest of the Caroni Swamp.  If a feasible option is identified, improved freshwater flow to the Swamp may also provide an associated solution to reduce or mitigate flood challenges in surrounding areas.

Chance of Coral Bleaching high in 2019

The Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) has shared information on a "Coral Bleaching Alert" for Trinidad and Tobago.  There is a 60% chance of this type of incidence over the period August - October 2019, owing to the above average sea surface temperatures for this time of year.  Read more in their media release, at this link.

Socioeconomic Survey Enumerator Training Begins

A team of persons began training with the Central Statistical Office (CSO) on 12th August 2019 in preparation for a "Socioeconomic Survey of selected communities near protected areas in Trinidad and Tobago".  This survey is being undertaken under the "Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago" project, which is being administered by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO/UN) on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.  Training is taking place over two weeks and subsequently, the survey is expected to start in September 2019 for a six-week period.  Data collected in this survey is expected to assist in national decision making in support of protected area management.  Read more about this event in an article about the media launch of the survey enumerator training workshop at this link

Socioeconomic Survey Enumerator Training Begins

A team of persons began training with the Central Statistical Office (CSO) on 12th August 2019 in preparation for a "Socioeconomic Survey of selected communities near protected areas in Trinidad and Tobago".  This survey is being undertaken under the "Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago" project, which is being administered by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO/UN) on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.  Training is taking place over two weeks and subsequently, the survey is expected to start in September 2019 for a six-week period.  Data collected in this survey is expected to assist in national decision making in support of protected area management.  Read more about this event in an article about the media launch of the survey enumerator training workshop at this link