Aripo Savannas Strict Nature Reserve - Environmental Management ...

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Forest Reserves Between 1922 and 1960 a series of 43 Forest Reserves were declared in the country. Although Forest Reserves are primarily for the exploitation of forest resources, Trinidad and Tobago has developed forest management systems that are world renowned for their sustainability. While exploitative of the forest resources, biodiversity values were recognised early, and efforts were made in some Forest Reserves to conserve habitats as Nature Reserves. Prohibited Areas More recently, during the period 1987 - 1997, nine (9) prohibited areas under the Forest Act were declared. Key objectives for declaring Prohibited areas during this period were: 1. To confer added protection by restricting entry without a permit; 2. The protection of an individual species, e.g. the leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacaea) during their nesting season on selected beaches on Trinidad. This latter reason accounts for three of the prohibited areas 15 . Prohibited Area Table 1: Prohibited Areas of Trinidad and Tobago 16 Previous Designation Date Declared Prohibited Aripo Savannas Long Stretch Forest Reserve 1987 Caroni Swamp Wildlife Sanctuary and Caroni Swamp Reserve 1987 Northern Range Wildlife Sanctuary 1989 Bush Bush Wildlife Sanctuary 1989 Trinity Hills Wildlife Sanctuary 1989 Matura Beach Manzanilla Windbelt Reserve 1990 Fishing Pond Beach Manzanilla Windbelt Reserve 1990 Nariva Swamp Wildlife Sanctuary and Windbelt Reserve 1993 Grande Riviere Beach None 1997 Protected Marine Areas There has only been one such area, declared thus far, Buccoo Reef, which was declared in 1973 under the Marine Preservation and Enhancement Act. 2.4 Planning Protected Areas in the 1990’s Planning for areas to be set aside for the purposes of conserving the natural flora and fauna of Trinidad and Tobago has suffered from fits and starts and successive efforts have often overlapped with previous designations. The lack of a comprehensive system and the required legislation has encouraged opportunistic use of existing legislation and the skewed selection of sites and species for designation. The most comprehensive plan was that of 1980, for a ‘System of 15 Environmental Management Authority. 2001. Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for Trinidad and Tobago. EMA, POS, Trinidad. 16 Environmental Management Authority. 2001. Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for Trinidad and Tobago. EMA, POS, Trinidad. EMA: The Administrative Record for the Designation of Aripo Savannas as an Environmentally Sensitive Area
National Parks and other Protected Areas for Trinidad and Tobago 17 ’. A more recent Site Prioritisation study (1996) took a rational approach to key areas that should be declared sensitive. 2.5 Designating Aripo Savannas an Environmentally Sensitive Area Aripo Savannas was one of the areas identified in the Systems Plan of National Parks and other Protected Areas 18 due to its unique assemblage of plant species, and the presence of threatened animal species. This proposed Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) is also the home to several species that appear on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) 19 appendices. There are also several species that are hunted for “wild meat”, and collected, that are in danger of over-hunting and being removed from the area or extirpated. A unique ecosystem: The complex of habitats making up the Aripo Savannas possess characteristics not seen else where in the country coupled with the high density of rare, threatened, endemic and possible endemic species, the ecosystem can be considered as unique. Of the 457 species identified so far 38 are restricted to the Aripo Savannas with 16 to 20 that are rare or threatened, and 2 endemic floral species. Ecosystem Diversity: Habitats have been identified in Aripo Savannas are based on the dominant vegetation type, with a total of 457 plant species recorded so far. These have been categorized into six vegetation communities each having distinct characteristics as follows: Open Savanna, Palm Marsh, Marsh Forest, Palm Island, Intermittent Open Water, Trackside. 1. Open Savanna, these vegetative communities are located into ten separate savanna areas. Vegetation found here include grasses, sedges and herbs; the soil is thin with a hardpan layer close to the surface preventing larger plants from establishing in the area. The soils of this area are infertile and organisms in this area have adapted to these conditions, 95 species have been recorded for this community type. 2. Marsh Forest, These are the communities that cover most of the reserve, the dominant vegetation type being forest species. There is little overlap between open savanna and marsh forest and 118 plant species have been recorded for this community type. 3. Palm Marshes and Palm Islands, these are found at the fringes of open savannas or as islands in the savannas and are characterized by stands of moriche palms. 4. Intermittent open water and Trackside, these habitats are due to human activities, which have disturbed the area and resulted in these modified habitats. The designation of Aripo Savannas as an ESA under the Environmentally Sensitive Areas Rules of 2001 will be the culmination of work and planning that began decades ago. Under the ESA Rules, it can be expected that Aripo Savannas will be protected from further environmental degradation, habitat conversion and fragmentation. In selecting areas in need of protection, the Environmentally Sensitive Areas Rules of 2001 identify certain criteria that proposed areas should fulfil that make it worthy of protection. These criteria are set out in Schedule II of the ESA Rules and may be viewed at Appendix I. 17 Environmental Management Authority. 2001. Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for Trinidad and Tobago., Trinidad. 18 Thelen, K.D. and S. Faizool. 1980a. System of National Parks and Other Protected Areas in Trinidad and Tobago. Forestry Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Fisheries, Port of Spain, Trinidad. 19 CITES is further explained in Section 3.1.1 EMA: The Administrative Record for the Designation of Aripo Savannas as an Environmentally Sensitive Area
Page 1 and 2: ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY
Page 3 and 4: (l) Mayaro/ Rio Claro Regional Corp
Page 5 and 6: 1.0 SCHEDULE IV OF THE ENVIRONMENTA
Page 7 and 8: Chap. 16:02 Chap. 66:01 “Environm
Page 9 and 10: Aripo Savannas Strict Nature Reserv
Page 11 and 12: (F) Armadillo (Dasypus novemcintus)
Page 13 and 14: (h) introduction of any plant or an
Page 15 and 16: 2.0 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE A
Page 17 and 18: A brief history of action on the Ar
Page 19 and 20: The islands of Trinidad and Tobago
Page 21: 1765 The Main Ridge Reserve in Toba
Page 25 and 26: threatened and endangered species,
Page 27 and 28: 3.3 The Role of NGOs The NGOs and C
Page 29 and 30: 4.2 Geomorphology and Soils 29 Old
Page 31 and 32: a. Rhynchospora aripoensis Bitton,
Page 33 and 34: • Agricultural and residential Sq
Page 35 and 36: An Aripo Savannas Bibliography Adam
Page 37 and 38: 3.0 THE ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE A
Page 39 and 40: Schedule I Schedule II Schedule III
Page 41 and 42: SCHEDULE II Rule 3 (1) ( c ) GUIDEL
Page 43 and 44: SCHEDULE IV THE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAG

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