Forestry Division receives over US$60K in equipment for Reforestation Project
More than US$60,000.00 in equipment was procured for Dominica’s Forestry, Wildlife, and National Parks Division by the Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Land Management (PISLM) for post-Hurricane Maria reforestation efforts on the island. The donation was made at a handing-over ceremony, which took place on Friday 20th January 2023 at the Forestry Division office in Roseau. Forest Officer Norma Anthony opened the ceremony.
Receiving the equipment on behalf of the Division was Director Mr. Minchinton Burton who highlighted the challenges that the equipment would help the Forestry staff overcome.
As we know, Dominica is a country with a lot of vulnerabilities- we are right in the path of hurricanes. We are limited in terms of manpower and the forest can be quite a bit of a hostile environment- the terrain might be small but it’s not easy.
Minchinton Burton, Director of Forestry Division
He pointed out the significant expense of maintaining Dominica’s large expanse of forested lands and the timeliness of PISLM’s contribution, “We are very much grateful for the PISLM project and the support we have been receiving.”
The donated equipment includes chainsaws, clearing saws, cutlasses, drills, chisels, seedling trays, plant bags and gloves.
The handing over was part of component one of the “Strengthening Resilience of Agricultural Lands and Forests in Dominica in the Aftermath of Hurricane Maria” project, also known as “The Post Maria” project.
Euan James, National Project Coordinator of PISLM, highlighted the organisation’s contribution to this component.
The manpower has been deployed and we are clearing the forest area and replanting. PISLM has contracted private nurseries to assist in ensuring we have the quantity of seedlings that we require for this project.
Euan James, National Project Coordinator of PISLM
The equipment will further enhance the efforts of PISLM to build capacity within the Forestry Division, as several training and development activities have taken place, the most recent being a two-day workshop in November 2022, where the staff was trained on improving adoption and implementation of SLM (Sustainable Land Management) approaches to management of forests and related ecosystems in Dominica.
Along with the Post Maria Project, the PISLM’s “Sustainable Land Management in the Commonwealth of Dominica ” project aims to advance landscape-level planning and information and coordination frameworks to support sustainable agriculture and watershed management in Dominica.
A vested partner in these Projects, the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica has pledged its support to the advancement of SLM, particularly the restoration and management of its forests. PISLM is pleased with the commitment of the Ministry of the Environment, Rural Modernisation and Kalinago Upliftment and Constituency Empowerment. Permanent Secretary Sylvanie Burton was on hand at the ceremony to express thanks on behalf of the Ministry.
She spoke from firsthand knowledge of the challenges that foresters face daily on the job. “I drive from the Kalinago Territory every day to town, so you know, I pass in the forest.” Regarding the process of reforestation, she commented that “there are so many steps to get to ensure that the trees are replanted and growing and continue to assist in our watershed management.” She applauded the work the foresters have been doing and said she looks forward to continued collaboration on projects like this one.
The Ministry of the Environment is one of two government ministries providing support to the SLM projects. These projects align with Dominica’s vision of becoming the first Climate Resilient Nation in the world engaging key NGOs (Non-Governmental Organisations), like PISLM, to facilitate the necessary steps toward implementing tangible policies and practices in climate resiliency.
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