The role of indigenous people and biodiversity

According to Alcorn, conservation itself is a social and political and not a biological process. One social aspect related to biodiversity and its management is the world’s indigenous peoples. They occupy and inhabit territories of high levels of biodiversity in which, their culture is associated with the maintenance of the natural ecosystem. These indigenous people are frequently categorized as impoverished and are treated as unseen. However, several studies have shown that they are the ones that hold the key to successful biodiversity conservation and management.

Indigenous peoples have the knowledge to many solutions. For instance, over years, indigenous peoples have developed landscape designs that can counterattack the negative effects of climate change as well as, they have developed several genetic varieties of medicinal and useful plants and animal varieties that is resistant to climate change and ecological variability. Indigenous values and beliefs have brought about livelihood strategies to provide essential input into understanding low carbon development schemes which are used and how they can be endorsed.

Over centuries the relationship between indigenous people and the environment have degraded because of forced removal of their traditional and sacred lands. This removal of indigenous people is caused by many challenges of social and economic wants from forestry activities, mining and development programs. For example, commercial plant varieties have replaced locally adapted varieties used in traditional farming systems thus leading to an increase in industrialized farming methods. These activities have cause severe environmental damage of flora and fauna species in which some have become extinct.

It has often been discussed that indigenous knowledge and their culture cannot survive this ever changing environment unless the government wants and has the political will to protect them, both locally and globally. Government along with private sectors need to work in cooperation to integrate indigenous persons and knowledge into policies in order to protect the current existing biodiversity. This will not only improve accountability and authority of approaches taken but also strengthen capacity building and managing of natural resources and the ecosystem.

Plastic pollution and turtle nesting

IT’S THAT TIME AGAIN! Nesting season has opened for turtles and we all know the beauty of the Leatherback Sea Turtle. It’s one of the most magnificent creatures on earth which are the only remaining representatives of a family of turtles that traces its evolutionary roots back more than 100 million years. Despite we are lucky here in Trinidad to have such wonderful wildlife; one major threat to their survival is plastic pollution.

Many Leatherbacks fall victims to plastic debris. They ingest these floatable pieces which are often mistaken for their favourite food; jellyfish. According to National Geographic, some individuals have been found to have almost 11 pounds of plastic in their stomachs. What does that say about us humans? Is it that we don’t respect nature or our world? People often fail to realize, we have damaged our planet at a rate beyond which it can replenish itself and we have produced more waste than can be reabsorbed.

With increasing population, there has been an increase in demand for more resources and more use of plastic. However, plastic has a tendency to retain large amounts of heat. Microplastics have also been found to affect Leatherbacks. These sesame seed-sized plastics can increase sand temperature which modify and determine turtle sex as eggs incubate. This is because sea turtles have temperature dependent sex determination, which means their sex is determined by the sand temperature.

With this being said plastics can be detrimental to life and have major effects in population structure which can cause a collapse in species life.

My personal take on subsidies- TT Budget 2018

As we all know, Trinidad and Tobago’s budget was held on October 2, 2017 with varying opinions on what was stated. However, the main issue that stole the spotlight was the reduction on fuel and electricity subsidies. As everyone knows, T&T pays a very small percent for both fuel and electricity due to such high subsidies.

Before I state my view on this, I would first like to define what a subsidy is. A subsidy is a form of financial aid extended to an economic sector which has been granted by the government. With this being said, while subsides are known to make gasoline and power more accessible to persons and, transportation as well as electricity rates cheaper, several other aspects has been casted from our minds. Therefore, it is safe to say we do not look at this in a holistic approach but, only view it as one way forward; human gain regarding the protection of “our pockets.”

Often, persons forget or discard the environment when making decisions, not taking into consideration this is the only reason you are alive. A poor environment = poor health. When we have subsidies on things such as gas, this encourage persons to use their private cars regularly, which in fact is unsustainable and contributes highly to pollution, due to the increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which is directly linked to global warming. This is then linked to public health issues as a result of pollution. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 7 million premature deaths are annually linked to air pollution. Furthermore, gas is a finite energy source and unlike sunlight, water or wind energy, fossil fuels cannot be renewed. This means that, once the gas reserves have been completely used up, there is nothing more left.

Additionally, despite several persons believe that subsidies are actually helping them; I have to say this may not likely be true.  Since, many rural communities are still lacking proper energy services and are not able to get water and electricity every day. This is because energy service businesses may have weak incentives to provide access of quality energy services to the poor, mainly because of the low population densities, which makes it costly to serve remote locations, and the low incomes of the poor, who often use little energy compared with wealthier households. At the end of the day, subsidies benefit the rich (ownership of several vehicles, use of a greater amount of electricity) over the poor (greater use of public transport due to less ownership of cars, less households that use a vast amount of electricity), believe it or not.

If the government’s goal is to improve the living standards of the environment and poor, there may be other ways to do so. Renewable and green energy sources are something we as a Caribbean Island should be focusing on in 2017. The need to focus on solar, hydroelectric, wind, tidal and geothermal energy is of great importance. As it was mentioned before, once our natural resources are used up, there will be nothing left. Better transparency, planning, communication, and consultation prior to implementation of price increases are needed for success in the complete removal of fuel subsidies.

Tell me, what is your take on this?

Future Ecological Collapse?..... Maybe!

Over the past few days there have been much controversy on the poaching of our national bird, the Scarlet Ibis, and I am extremely shocked and disappointed to even know that this has been happening for some time. We as human beings have failed our nation on several occasions by destroying our biodiversity. I’ve always considered Trinidad and Tobago to be one of the richest Caribbean countries because of our striking biodiversity and natural resources. However, majority of us have seen this as a way to earn money (I call it black money) than just sit back and enjoy what God has created for us.

My question to you Trinis is, “why is it that every wildlife you see, you must kill and make a cook?” Because that’s the nature and thinking of several persons. According to a post yesterday made on social media, the fine for poaching a Scarlet Ibis would be $100,000 tt. I must say despite I am happy that this matter has been somewhat looked into; I can positively say having a fine means absolutely nothing without implementation.

There are several questions that are unanswered when it comes to this situation, and if anyone can answer them I would be grateful:

1. Why is it that poachers are the only ones getting fined? What about the buyers and consumers?
2. Would this $100, 000 go into conserving the Scarlet Ibis as well as several other species, wetlands and other protected areas?  
3. Why is it that other wildlife species are not being protected or as of major concern as the Scarlet Ibis? What about the ocelots? (Earlier this year an ocelot was found shot.), what about our turtles? Despite there is a fine or jail time for poaching other wildlife, this mechanism is not implemented nor is the fine substantial.
4. The Caroni Swamp is protected under the Ramsar Convention which is the intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. REALLY????????? BECAUSE IT DOES NOT SEEM SO!!!!
5. What about game wardens? Clearly I think there’s a need for them!
6. Why are our policies not updated?  We have a National Environmental Policy which is dated 2006. Why is this so old? And a DRAFT National Wildlife Policy. Why is this still a draft?

Unfortunately we are losing more of our country as each day passes by. I do believe if nothing’s done soon, our future generation will not be able to experience such natural wonders of our country. There’s more to life than urban development and money.

We should preserve every scrap of biodiversity as priceless while we learn to use it and come to understand what it means to humanity.

---E. O. Wilson

Observing World Wetlands Day

Despite being a day late I would still like to wish Trinidad and Tobago a happy World Wetlands Day. As many of us know, this day is celebrated on February 2^nd every year since it concurs with the anniversary of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands in 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar. Currently in Trinidad and Tobago, there are three sites designated under the Ramsar Convention: Caroni Swamp, Nariva and the Buccoo Reef Bon Accord Lagoon Complex.

These wetland sites are a main hotspot for species biodiversity and are home to threatened species such as the blue and gold macaw and the manatee. We as Trinbagonians should be delighted to have such rich biodiversity in our little twin island. However, these wetlands are often viewed as mucky and dirty and have no value to humans. This misunderstanding has caused wetlands to be threatened by: agriculture, pollution, human settlements and industrial developments. Unfortunately because of these threats, most of Trinidad and Tobago’s wetland areas have been destroyed and only 1% is presently covered by wetlands. It is important to remember that management of these wetlands is significant in order to sustain their healthy functioning which is essential for stakeholders because of the use of the multi-resources produced such as:

·         

         Protection of coastal areas and shorelines

·         They act as nurseries

·         They allow ecotourism and recreation sites

·         They filter pollutants and sediments

·         They act as flood storage

·         Maintain a balanced carbon cycle

·         Retain nutrients

With this being said, initiatives should be taken to encourage other Caribbean islands to join the Ramsar Convention and to increase its acceptance. Training and education courses for stakeholders should be encouraged as to prevent the degradation of these wetlands in order to uphold our biodiversity.

Be the Solution, not the Problem- Conserve and Protect

Threats to Biodiversity in Trinidad & Tobago

With population growth increasing in Trinidad and Tobago, there is a demand for food, shelter and infrastructure. These social issues regarding the increase in population density is considered to be the ultimate threat to biodiversity of the twin island (CBD 2009). High population density is renowned as a secondary driver to biodiversity as an increase in demand for natural resources such a food and fuel play a main role of biological diversity deterioration (CBD 2009). Over-exploitation of resources and habitat loss and fragmentation contributes to the great risk of extinction in animals and plants. This is especially in areas where individuals are greatly dependant on them as a means of support.

For example, the piping-guan, Pipile pipile that is endemic to Trinidad has become critically endangered to due hunting and forest degradation (EMA n.d). This endemic bird endures limited disturbances in order to persist. However, due to a high demand for housing, agricultural lands and trail development in Trinidad, disturbances to its habitat have caused the population to decline so rapidly that in 2001 the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) declared that the population now consists of 77 to 200 individuals (EMA n.d).

Squatting is also another factor of increased population density that threatens the biodiversity of Trinidad and Tobago. The challenges of unemployment, housing and poverty have led to illegal squatting in private and state lands around the twin island. These illegal settlements are often unregulated and ignored. These practices cause a great amount of habitat loss and fragmentation. It was projected that 250,000 individuals in Trinidad and Tobago have been squatting along the coasts as well as along the old train lines (ODPM 2014).

An increase in population density increases urbanization in a country. Thus, rich ecological habitats are continuously disappearing in Trinidad and Tobago. Mangroves are effective and protect against erosion perpetrated by waves and also provide a habitat for a wide range of plants and animals (e.g. Caroni Swamp) (FAO 2005). In the 1970’s at the mouth of Maraval and Diego Martin, mangroves were reclaimed for housing, highways and port facilities. In another example, between the periods of 1922-1985, 494ha were lost from the Caroni Swamp due to the development of roadways (FAO 2005). Additionally, with respect to Tobago, the Buccoo Reef is also being threatened because of tourist activities such as snorkelling. This can affect the habitats of marine life thus, affecting biodiversity and disrupting the marine food chain for some.

Trinidad and Tobago faces several impediments in resolving these threats. One such impediment is ineffective laws and legislation. Trinidad and Tobago has over 50 laws, plans and policies which directly and indirectly address biodiversity, however, many of these are disregarded (The Cropper foundation 2010). Various environmental legislations in Trinidad and Tobago was passed in 2001, thus being outdated and others not being implemented, indicating there is little to no progress to enhance law enforcement. For example, both the National Environmental Policy (1998) and a National Wetland Policy (2001) were developed over 15 years ago, making it no surprise that the country's biodiversity is continuously under threat from the increase in population density leading to the actions of humans (GORTT 2011).

In order to assist in participatory mechanisms to increase biodiversity throughout the twin island, the capacity of various stakeholders need to be built. There is a lack of training in personnel within the field area. For example, several individuals lack technical skills as well as practices and management skills (GORTT 2011). Additionally, there is a lack of balance between the environment and cultural practices in Trinidad.

Another challenge Trinidad and Tobago is faced with is the lack of monitoring and evaluation to aid in the increase of biodiversity. Several of Trinidad and Tobago's policies include proper monitoring of protected areas and on the environment as a whole. However, forested areas are continuously being degraded for squatting as well as slash and burn activities continue to rise due to the need of agricultural lands (GORTT 2011). These unsustainable practices lead to the loss and fragmentation of natural ecosystems.

Management among multiple agencies and the government poses complication to the overall management of safeguarding the biodiversity in the country. In some instances, there is a lack of management with respect to the environment and tradition/culture (GORTT 2011). With the increase in population density in Trinidad and Tobago, means there is also an increase in religious beliefs.  For example, the Marianne River in Blanchisseuse provides a site for Hindu worshippers for certain festivals (EMA n.d).  The water quality of this river is affected and needs to be managed to prevent social issues.

As biodiversity continues to dwindle at a faster rate than natural influential by human activities, there is concern of various species to become extinct, thus threatening the human population since we are dependent on its goods and services. Biodiversity entails all parts of plant and animal life and provides us with natural resources for the use of survival. For example, animal matter which has been decayed over centuries has provided us with fossil fuels, which are a major part of human life since it is needed to power vehicles for transportation (Ibish and Bertzky 2006). Even the rise of some medicines, the use of plants is needed to manufacture these. If it is that all biodiversity is lost we (that is, if we still exist) would become homogenous and thus have identical vulnerabilities (Ibish and Bertzky 2006). Therefore, an epidemic can kill the entire human population at once since we would have no biological differences which would help us to adapt and survive (Ibish and Bertzky 2006).

If actions are not taken to conserve and preserve existing biodiversity, extinction can occur at a very rapid rate. Proper management, monitoring, education awareness, evaluation and effective legislation needs to put in place in order to save what is left on earth.

References:

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). 2009. “National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan.” Accessed January 29, 2016. https://www.cbd.int/kb/record/nbsap/19488?RecordType=nbsap&FreeText=trinidad%20and%20tobago.

Environmental Management Authority. n.d. “Environmentally Sensitive Species: Pawi Trinidad Piping-guan (Pipile pipile) Trinidad and Tobago.” Accessed January 29, 2016. http://www.ema.co.tt/new/images/pdf/pawi.pdf.

Environmental Management Authority. n.d. January 30, 2016. http://www.thecropperfoundation.org/pubs/NRAssessRep/NRA_chp6.2.3thru6.3.2.5.pdf

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2005. “Thematic Study on Mangroves.” Accessed January 30, 2016. http://www.fao.org/forestry/9411-07da9602b1de14060617ee3abf5de0591.pdf

Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (GORTT). 2011. “National Protected Areas Policy.” Accessed January 30, 2016. http://www.ema.co.tt/new/images/policies/protected_areas.pdf

Ibish, P and M. Bertzky. 2006. “Halting Biodiversity Loss: Fundamentals and Trends of Conservation Science and Action.” Accessed January 31, 2016. http://www.bsi.org/bsi_info/conservation/Halting_Biodiversity_Loss.pdf

Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM). 2014. “Preliminary Vulnerability Assessment

of Trinidad & Tobago.” January 30, 2016. http://www.odpm.gov.tt/sites/default/files/Preliminary%20Vulnerability%20Assessment%20of%20Trinidad%20and%20Tobago%20Rmaharaj%202014.pdf

The Cropper Foundation. 2010. “Fourth National Report of Trinidad And Tobago to The Convention on Biological Diversity.” Accessed January 30, 2016. http://www.biodiversity.gov.tt/pdf/4th_National_report_CBD_2010_changes_inc.pdf.

Don’t just see yourself as 1 but as 7 billion!

As World Environment Day is being celebrated today, I would like to state “Don’t just see yourself as 1 but as 7 billion.” Our daily activities have a major impact in our environment today. Before you buy a car for personal interest when owning one already, think! Imagine if 7 billion others think just like you and buy another car for personal interest. Before you throw one piece of paper on the floor, imagine 7 billion persons doing the same, before you degrade our forests for housing developments; imagine 7 billion others doing the same. Where will that leave us by 2030-2050? What will become of our future generations? It begins with US! NOW! Our unsustainable use of our natural resources and increase in carbon footprint is affecting us seriously by increasing global warming. Instead of thinking about yourself, think about others, think about your future generation. We will like for them to enjoy life as we did. In order to do this, try conserving, preserving and using resources in a sustainable manner. Before you think about your WANTS focus on your NEEDS. One positive act towards the environment per person will lead a long way. Try planting a tree, carpooling, reduce the waste of food- the poor will be thankful (we waste 1.3 billion tonnes of food per year), unplug cables from circuits when not in use. Don’t just see yourself as 1 but as 7 billion! – IT STARTS WITH US! 

Remember Pakaskas? Have a look- www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vCNoPKl2rw we may end up like this one day.