Take do-able actions to preserve Earth

The theme of this year’s observance of World Environment Day, June 5, is Land Restoration, Desertification and Drought Resilience. The theme provides insight on the positive action being taken globally to reverse negative trends in loss of productive ecosystems through destruction and degradation of the natural environment.

Here in Trinidad and Tobago, both government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) attempt to push against the tide of environmental destruction coming from careless actions of some, borne out of sheer ignorance of the impact of these actions or from negative attitudes, the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Network (Bes-Net) said in a media release. From the perspective of Government, there is an obligation to meet particular national and international standards and the adoption of targets to support sustainable development goals.

While these are articulated in official documents and binding agreements, the transmission of information of the who, what, why, how and when is sometimes lacking, insufficient or unsustained. Often, communication is “seasonal,” occurring at the occasion of special observances, such as tomorrow’s World Environment Day, or when major incidents come to light, such as oil leaking from a damaged and abandoned sea vessel which threatens our coast, or destruction of sea turtle nests by an unknown land developer, Bes-Net said.

Working together to achieve goals

The Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Network (Bes-Net) project is jointly implemented by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) (UNEP-WCMC) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and it is funded by the Government of Germany (through the International Climate Initiative) and SwedBio. It has been implemented nationally by the Ministry of Planning and Development over the past two-and-a half-years as Bes-Net TT facilitated by the UNDP. The project took the approach of multi-stakeholder engagement, working with various bodies and individuals to improve understanding of pollinators and pollinator management in TT.

The approach of projects as this one, enables a direct interface between the implementing team and stakeholders, allowing for greater impact and uptake of knowledge, skills and results. While this was a small project – both in terms of time and budget – a variety of activities was accomplished in fulfilment of three key foci: science, policy and practice. These activities supplied new information on key aspects of our biodiversity heritage through research activities, on our native bees, seagrass flowering cycles and pollinators, and influence of habitat integrity on pollinating bat populations.

Small actions can make a difference

Our local pollinator species, like others around the globe are directly impacted by changes which have occurred due to climate change. Their habitats have been reduced, their access to water restricted and their reproductive cycles and access to food have been affected. With the idea of land restoration sometimes seeming to be an onerous target, the Bes-Net TT project has altered the mindset to appreciate that small actions can make a difference, and several small actions can add up to have a useful impact.

Stimulating the idea of setting up pollinator gardens to provide food and shelter for the well-being and proliferation of pollinators, the project has demonstrated that even in small spaces (even flowerpot gardens) people can encourage the protection of pollinator species. Would it not also be a wonderful aesthetic boost to have these replicated in our communities by citizens and through our regional corporations? That would be an easy win for habitat restoration.

Active engagement in conservation

Building understanding of the plight of stingless bees – whose populations are immediately reduced if their hives are destroyed in the natural environment – the project has trained a cadre of interested persons in how to secure hives in specially designed boxes and introduce key plants in their environment to supply nectar, pollen and resins needed by these bee colonies.

The project has curated guidance notes for these processes through video resources locally produced with the help of stingless bee keepers, that can be easily accessed online. This is all in an effort to build these conservation skills among current and potential bee keepers. Keeping in mind that pollination is a necessary step which precedes plant reproduction, stingless bee management will contribute to efforts to reduce desertification, by enabling permanence of many species in our local flora.

Sustaining good practices

But these efforts and the information compiled in the course of this project would be wasted if they simply get stored away at the conclusion of this project, at month’s end. Instead, ways to sustain the progress made are dependent upon continuance of the skills, practices and positive attitudes that have yielded these positive results. By curating information for the younger generation, through specially developed teacher resource booklets, key materials for curriculum-relevant topics at the primary, lower secondary and CSEC/CAPE level have been supplied online for ease of access and use.

The BES-Net TT project has also provided video documentation of its workshops, webinars, newspaper articles and learning resources that were generated throughout the life of the project so that anyone, anywhere can access at any time these materials on the project’s webpage (see below). The onus is now on each of us to take “do-able action” to sustain positive actions to preserve life on land, life in the water and life in general on planet Earth.

Happy World Environment Day 2024.

About BES-Net TT

BES-Net TT is part of the global Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Network, implemented by UNDP, UNEP-WCMC and UNESCO, with the aim of building capacity and commitment for biodiversity action across the world. Funded by the Government of Germany, through the International Climate Initiative, and SwedBio. The Network aims to translate the findings from the latest IPBES assessments into action for biodiversity and conservation on the ground.

For more info: on BES-Net TT, contact:

BES-Net TT Project Management Unit

Environmental Policy and Planning Division,

Ministry of Planning and Development

Level 7, Tower C, International Waterfront Complex,

Wrightson Road, Port of Spain e-mail address: besnet.tt@gmail.com

Project webpage at: http://biodiversity.gov.tt/index.php/bes-net.html Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/besnet.tt/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/besnet.tt/