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Tobago - Conservation Restoration

Activities : Conservation
Company :
Country : Tobago
Region : Caribbean
Duration : from 14 days

Info

The aim and purpose of this project is to promote conservation, restoration, and wise management of the living things on and around Tobago and the common natural environment they share.

This project is trying to help the environment of Tobago in the following areas:-

Rainforest:-
Sea Turtles:- Wetlands and Mangroves:- Tropical Wildlife:- Coral Reefs:-
Clean Beaches and Clear Blue Water.

Here is a brief summery of some of the problems that this project is trying to eradicate.

Sea Turtles:-
Tobago's nesting season got off to an early start in 2006 with a few leatherbacks already recorded on Great Courtland Bay. Unfortunately, poachers also got an early start killing at least one turtle before Christmas.

Marine Litter:-
It takes years for litter to decompose and for the sea to renew itself. These are just a few figures of the decomposition rates at sea of some common items that are usually seen at sea: -

Monofilament Fishing Line = 600 years:- Plywood = 1-3 years:-
Painted Wood = 1-3 years:- Tin Cans = 50 years:- Aluminium Cans = 200 years:-
Disposable Diapers = 450 years:- Plastic Bottles = 450 years:- Styrofoam = NEVER

Like many other places around the world the coastal waters of Tobago are in an appalling state. Litter ranges from soft drink containers to plastic bags. Animals like the sea turtles mistake plastic bags for jellyfish, which they eat. This cannot be digested and the sea turtle eventually dies. Litter affects everything and everyone.

Sand Mining:-
Certain beaches in Tobago are important turtle nesting grounds. Sand Mining on Bloody Bay Beach alone destroyed between 8 to 12 nests by the removal of sand in the last year.

Tobago's beaches are also popular nesting grounds for the endangered Leatherback turtles.

The Tobago Forest Reserve (or the Main Ridge Reserve) claims to be the oldest protected forests in the Western world. It was designated as a protected Crown reserve on April 17, 1776 following representations by Soame Jenyns a Member of Parliament in Britain who had the responsibility for the development of Tobago. It has remained a protected area ever since