The island of Trinidad, despite its natural beauty, does not have an extensive tourist industry. However, the potential exists to make tourism a vibrant, lucrative and eco-sustainable industry for the inhabitants of Trinidad. The Toco Foundation: Multicultural Foundation for Integrated Development, an NGO founded in 1991, has embarked on a plan to develop the county of St. David through an Ecotourist Project which would generate employment, be sensitive to the local customs
and ecology of the region, and promote national environmental awareness. It is hoped that the project will gain national attention as an alternative model for economic and social development.

The grant will be used to support a 3-day training workshop in nature tour-guiding and interpretation , one of the main components of the Ecotourist Project. The workshop was held on 6-8 December, 1995. Participants at the workshop comprised members of the Toco Foundation; Grande Riviere Environmental Awareness Trust (GREAT) - Grande Riviere; Nature Seekers Incorporated (NSI) - Matura; representatives of the North East Beekeepers Association and the St. David Association of Village Councils, as well as students from the Toco Composite School. The workshop facilitators and materials were provided by the Wildlife Section, Forestry Division, assisted by officials of the National Parks Section, Forestry Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Marine Resources.