Forest and Protected Areas of Trinidad and Tobago

A survey on the presence and distribution of the unique hummingbird species - the White-tailed Sabrewing Hummingbird - was undertaken in locations of the Main Ridge Forest Reserve, Tobago over the period December 2018 - February 2019.  The hummingbird has been recorded previously at two locations in Venezuela, but in Trinidad and Tobago, it is found only at certain locations in the Main Ridge Forest Reserve.  The survey was done in order to contribute key information about this species, which is globally near threatened and is listed locally as an Environmentally Sensitive Species.  The data collected contributes to the development of a management plan for the Main Ridge Forest Reserve, a specific deliverable of the "Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago" project.  The report on the survey can be found at this link.

The rich natural resources and cultural heritage of Trinidad and Tobago provide a strong basis for development of ecotourism in the country.  In order to strengthen the skills and knowledge of managers of these resources to effectively develop and manage ecotourism products, a training course on interpretive design and trail maintenance was offered over the period November 2016 to September 2017.  The course included lectures, field visits to existing trails in Trinidad and Tobago, discussions and group assignments.  The report on this training course is available at this link.

A Communication Strategy developed by the Subcommittee for pilot protected areas in Tobago identified teachers and students as a key audience for building knowledge and awareness of assets and benefits of these sites.  A workshop for primary school teachers built around three key topics in the Primary Science Curriculum - food chains, pollution and wetlands - was developed and implemented in October 2018.  The workshop report is provided at this link.

During development of a Conservation Objective Statement for the proposed north-east Tobago marine pilot protected area, a concern was expressed about harvesting pressure on the near-shore fishery at the site.  Members of the Tobago Subcommittee surmised that this fishing pressure was directly linked to the inability of most fisher folk to access credit to get suitable equipment to fish further offshore.

To address this issue, a one-day workshop focused on the building of financial management skills of fisher folk was conceptualized.  This workshop was offered to fisher folk from communities extending from Castara to Roxborough, and was held on two occasions, in March and July 2018.  A report on the workshops is provided at this link.