Reforestation of the Courland River Watershed Area (TRI/SGP/OP4/Y3/CORE/2010/07)

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Project Details & Results

This project supports the Green Wave 2010 initiative of the Convention of Biological Diversity and 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity. The project will focus on the reforestation of the denuded hills and riverbanks of the Courland Watershed Area in Tobago. The hills and riverbanks were originally cleared in the late 1800s to cultivate sugar and then tobacco. After these crops were abandoned in the early 1900s, the watershed remained as grasslands. During the dry season, these grassy hills are lit and extensive bush fires are the consequence.

In the rainy season, heavy rains:
- remove the topsoil from the hills
- the topsoil flows into the river and silts the main Courland river and reservoir
- the silt is also deposited into the surrounding and lower lying wetlands, seabeds and coral reefs

The impacts of these factors is influenced by:
- water shortages in the rainy season as the reservoir has to de-silt the incoming water flows (this reservoir supplies water to the North-West and West Tobago including approximately 24,500 households as well as hotels, guesthouses and villas).
- Brown and discoloured beaches and seas are evident during the tourism peak season
- Negative impacts on coral reefs and stress on wetland ecosystems
- Fires on denuded hills spread to forested and cultivated acreages negatively impacting farming livelihoods and natural flora and fauna.

This project will cooperate with local schools, volunteers and the Forestry Division to plant trees on 10 acres of the denuded hillsides within the Courland Watershed Area.

Capacity - Building Component
The project aims to strengthen the local community's and the schools' knowledge of the importance of the Courland Watershed Area and best practices of conserving it, including maintaining fire traces and fire watch management, preparing plots for planting, planting local tree species and intercropping.

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods
The project site is within a renowned nature trail location and so the organization will conduct tours of the area for a fee. The intercropping of banana will be increased with herbs and spices and these will be offered for sale in local markets. The income gained from the tours and the sale of produce will be used to maintain a fire watch sentinel (who will keep records and a logbook) in collaboration with the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Services.

Gender Focus
The organization is made up of both men and women who take part in all aspects of the project including the actual tree planting.

The project includes the participation of male and female students in its tree planting activities.

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment
The project will promote the International Year of Biodiversity and deliver lectures to the participating schools on local biodiversity and its importance.