International Day of Forests March 21st, 2025
Celebrating Forests and Food
The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21st March the International Day of Forests (IDF) in 2012. It is a global initiative, to highlight the importance of these ecosystems and their role in combatting climate change and to raise awareness of the threat of degradation. Countries are encouraged to participate in activities that are focused on forests and trees for example tree planting exercises. This year the theme for International Day of Forests is Forests and Foods.
Forests are known to be the “lungs” of the planet; trees are a natural air purification system whereby they reduce the carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere helping to regulate the climate. Forests provide us with the very air that we breathe, provide water for survival to approximately 1.6 billion people worldwide, and habitats to the fauna that occupy the ecosystem. they also secure the livelihoods of many persons who depend on the resources that the forests provide.
Can you imagine a life without Forests on this Earth?
The Forests provide a list of ecosystem services which can be divided into four categories: provisioning services, supporting services, regulating services and cultural services.
Figure 1Ecosystem system services provided by forests
Threats to Forests
It is estimated that as of 2022 there is approximately 44% of Forest coverage in Trinidad and Tobago. Our Forests are under continuous threat:
- Deforestation
- Mining and quarrying
- Illegal logging
- Pollution
- Forest fires
- Climate change
- Unsustainable development
- Agricultural expansion
- Invasive species and disease
So, what do Forests have to do with Heritage?
Forests are one of the many examples of natural heritage which are usually characterized by their significant value in natural beauty, conservation and contribution to science. They also provide us with cultural values which can be related to tourism, sport, wellbeing and spirituality. Some of our notable forests which are natural heritage assets include:
- Trinity Hills
- Aripo Savannahs Scientific Reserve
- Cleaver Woods
Trinity Hills
The Trinity Hills also known as the Three Sisters, located in southeast Trinidad is one of three ranges in Trinidad. It is by far the most remote amongst the three ranges and is not as easily accessible or as visible as the Northen Range and the Central Range. The Trinity Hills is located within The Victoria-Mayaro Forest Reserve and houses the Trinity Hills Wildlife Sanctuary.
Figure 2 Showing the location of the Trinity Hills on a map
The hills that make up the Trinity Hills range are steep and rise to about 303m providing some protection to the southeastern corner of Trinidad. It is an area that has a significant biodiversity of flora and fauna, and is said to be one of the most intact forested areas in Trinidad. The predominant tree species in the Trinity Hills is crappo-guatacare (Carapa guianensis). There has been documentation of red howler monkeys (Alouatta seniculus), ocelots (Leopardus pardalis), tayra (Eira Barbara), white fronted capuchins (Cebus albifrons) and so much more. This area is often used during the hunting season under the provision of a Game License stipulated under the Conservation of Wildlife Act 67:01. The hunting season for game species in Trinidad and Tobago is between the 1st October and February’s end unless stated otherwise. This activity can provide many with a subsistence source of income during this period and is sometimes used as an opportunity for sport. Personally, I think that more can be done regarding hunting in Trinidad and Tobago. Whilst it is regulated, the human resources to enforce the regulations are limited. Therefore, it is up to us, the residents of this country to practice sustainable extraction. Poaching (illegal removal) and excessive extraction will have effects can be detrimental to our wildlife, which intern will have negative effects on the forest ecology.
Figure 3 The Aripo Savannah Scientific Reserve Source:(Kamal50, 2014)
Figure 4 Sundew plant found in the Aripo Savannah Scientific Reserve Source: The Aripo Savannas -Environmental Management Authority | Facebook, 2019
The Aripo Savannah Scientific Reserve is an edaphic landscape in the Northern Basin, that was designated as an Environmentally Sensitive Area (Environmentally Sensitive Area Rules, 2001). An edaphic landscape is an area where the vegetation growth and distribution as well as the presence of certain faunal communities are influenced by various soil conditions and properties for example pH, soil texture, water content etc. The Aripo Savannah is approximately 1800 ha (44.8 acres) and is the largest remaining natural Savannah in Trinidad and Tobago which makes the environment extremely unique. It is a roughly triangular-shaped reserve located in the foothills of the Northern Range nestled between Arima and Sangre Grande. The Aripo Savannah Scientific Reserve as the name suggests, is primarily used for education and research purposes. There are approximately 457 species of organisms identified there, of which 38 species are restricted to the Aripo Savannah. It is also worth noting that there are both rare and endemic floral species such as the carnivorous sundew plant (Drocera) Figure 4.
There are three major vegetation communities within the Aripo Savannah: Open Savannah, Marsh Forest and Palm Marsh. The fauna of the area is also unique and there are resident species such as the Rufescent Tiger Heron (Tigrisoma lineatum) Figure 5.
 Figure 5 Adult Rufescent Tiger-Heron (Rufescent Tiger-Heron – Birding Trinbago) |
 Figure 5 Juvenile Rufescent Tiger-Heron (Rufescent Tiger-Heron – Birding Trinbago) |
Figure 6 Cleaver Woods Recreational Park
Cleaver Woods is a predominantly Caribbean pine forest located along the Eastern Main Road, D’Abadie and is managed by the Forestry Division as a National Park/Forest Reserve. However, it has not been given any legal designation or protection. Cleaver Woods is approximately 13 ha (32 acres) and is known for its deep cultural and historical significance to the indigenous people. The National Park is used to highlight the natural heritage in addition to the historical relationship between the indigenous people and the land. Archaeological discoveries in the forest proved that there were activities of the indigenous people historically. These artefacts are stored in the Cleaver Woods Museum; they include pottery, maps, photos and tools used in the daily lives of the indigenous people. The park is also frequently used for the multitude of paved walking trails available for recreation purposes through the pine forest.
“What we are doing to the forests of the world is but a mirror reflection of what we are doing to ourselves and to one another.”- Mahatma Gandhi
I have highlighted three of our forested assets which are representative of our natural heritage, each of which has its own significance, the Trinity Hills is ecologically and culturally significant, the Aripo Savannah Scientific Reserve is ecologically and scientifically significant and Cleaver Woods is historically and culturally significant. Forests hold so much value to us and our livelihoods and as such we must make a concerted effort to conserve and protect them. According to Mahatma Ghandi “What we are doing to the forests of the world is but a mirror reflection of what we are doing to ourselves and to one another.” We as humans are part of this environment and are responsible for taking care of it. The way in which we treat our environment is a direct reflection of how much value we place on ourselves as both humans and the environment are interconnected, and we have a responsibility to ourselves, the forests and the inhabitants of the forests.
Resources
‘National Protected Area Systems Plan For Trinidad And Tobago’ (2018).
Aripo Savannah (no date). Available at: https://biodiversity.gov.tt/index.php/40-uncategorised/50-aripo-savannah.html (Accessed: 18 March 2025).
Aripo Savannah (no date). Available at: https://biodiversity.gov.tt/index.php/40-uncategorised/50-aripo-savannah.html (Accessed: 19 March 2025).
Aripo Savannas brochure-compressed.pdf (no date) Environmental Management Authority (EMA). Available at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VrA1sU0QCDmA9qCDWBR7cAtTM8hSKp6c/view (Accessed: 18 March 2025).
Cleaver Woods Museum – ROAMTT (no date). Available at: https://roamtt.com/cleaver-woods-museum/ (Accessed: 18 March 2025).
Forests – a lifeline for people and planet | UN DESA | United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (no date). Available at: https://www.un.org/development/desa/en/news/forest/forests-a-lifeline-for-people-and-planet.html (Accessed: 19 March 2025).
Garmon, W. T., Allen, C. D. and Groom, K. M. (2017) Landscapes and Landforms of the Lesser Antilles, Landscapes and Landforms of the Lesser Antilles. Available at: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-3-319-55787-8.
International Day of Forests | United Nations (no date). Available at: https://www.un.org/en/observances/forests-and-trees-day (Accessed: 19 March 2025).
Kamal50 (2014) Aripo Savannah I, Trinidad | Aripo savannas is a tropical sa… | Flickr, Flickr. Available at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kamal50/15223307317 (Accessed: 18 March 2025).
Lum Young, J. (2006) ‘Aripo Savannas Scientific Reserve: A Description and Short History’, The Field Naturalist: Quarterly Bulletin of the Trinidad and Tobago Field Naturalists’ Club, 4/2006, pp. 1–3. Available at: http://www.wow.net/ttfnc (Accessed: 18 March 2025).
Meganck, R. A. and Ramdial, B. S. (1984) ‘Trinidad and Tobago Cultural Parks: An Idea Whose Time Has Come’, Parks, pp. 1–3.
Murphy, W. L. (2004) A Birdwatcher’s Guide to Trinidad & Tobago, Cley next the Sea England : Prion Ltd. Available at: https://books.google.tt/books?hl=en&lr=&id=zhu6rL2xFDkC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=aripo+savannah+Trinidad&ots=VEmL1AHNFc&sig=ZOBcS2WzyUtYxDz2DjhaI-M-WuI&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=aripo savannah Trinidad&f=false (Accessed: 17 March 2025).
Rufescent Tiger-Heron – Birding Trinbago (no date). Available at: https://birdingtrinbago.com/birds/rufescent-tiger-heron/ (Accessed: 18 March 2025).
The Aripo Savannas… – Environmental Management Authority | Facebook (2019) Environmental management Authority. Available at: https://www.facebook.com/emauthority/posts/the-aripo-savannasinfertile-soil-and-a-hardpan-layer-of-cemented-clays-imperviou/10157401127004885/ (Accessed: 18 March 2025).
Victoria-Mayaro Forest Reserve – keybiodiversityareas.org (no date). Available at: https://www.keybiodiversityareas.org/site/factsheet/20666 (Accessed: 19 March 2025).
