New local publications on pollinators

CELESTE CHARIANDY

Each year, the United Nations and other organisations bring attention to global issues that demand our attention and urgent response through the naming of special days of observance. Two of these special days on environmental themes are the International Day for Biodiversity and World Bee Day, both celebrated in the month of May.

This year, the local observance of these days has special significance as they will be marked by the launch of two local publications from the Ministry of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development’s Environmental Policy and Planning Department.

In this article, learn about these special observances and the publications that are being launched to build local knowledge and promote positive action to sustain our natural heritage in Trinidad and Tobago.

A day dedicated to biodiversity…and bees?

The International Day for Biological Diversity is observed annually on May 22. This day was set aside to bring attention to the importance of the world’s biodiversity and encourage positive attitudes and actions towards the conservation of these natural assets. Each year, a special theme is chosen for the observance and this year the theme is Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development.

World Bee Day is another special observance day on the international calendar. Started relatively recently in the year 2018, this special day – observed annually on May 20 – highlights the important ecological role performed by bees (and by extension, other pollinators) in maintaining a healthy and thriving planet. This year’s World Bee Day observance is on the theme Bee inspired by nature to nourish us all.

Local focus on biodiversity and pollinators

TT is one of 150 nations around the globe that is signatory to a United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. This convention, best known as the CBD, sets out an agreement to take serious action to promote sustainable development. The main thrusts of the Convention are the conservation of the world’s biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources.

In TT, these actions are articulated in a National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, which integrates this principle through cross-sectoral plans, programmes and policies. In 2023, while undertaking the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Network (BES-Net) TT project, the Government signed on to the global Coalition of the Willing on pollinators, whereby TT signalled its promise to sustaining efforts in pollinator conservation and management.

Appreciation starts with knowledge building

The Environmental Policy and Planning Division of the Ministry of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development has the “primary mission of ensuring that there is a balance between the government’s efforts to increase the pace of socio-economic development and the need to ensure the conservation of TT’s natural resources”. Though this is a key responsibility of government, the conservation of our biodiversity is not a task that is left only to the officers of the state.

The parameters of “wise use” of our natural resources are drawn up in our laws and regulations and when it comes down to the brass tacks of action, every citizen of this country has a responsibility to secure what we have, to ensure that this can be enjoyed by generations to come. It is in this regard, that building awareness and knowledge of our natural resources – our local biological diversity – is very important.

New resources at your fingertips

The partnership work of the EPPD with other organisations including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has enabled TT to investigate and document aspects of our local biodiversity.

Over recent years, working with persons in the local beekeeping community, interesting information was gathered on the management of native stingless bees or meliponini. While not as well-known as the exotic honey bees, our stingless bees are very vulnerable to colony destruction; they are important pollinators and some of them produce a type of honey which reportedly has medicinal uses. Through the efforts of these beekeepers and the contribution of local scientists, notes on the biology of these bees, their habits and the practices that enable the successful management of colonies was compiled. The publication entitled Guidelines for Sustainable Meliponini Management in TT documents this information that can assist in stingless bee conservation action among more persons.

Another publication, TT Pollinator Citizen Science Monitoring Guide was produced with the support of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. This guide, based on a similar publication developed for native bees and butterflies in the United States of America, provides the user with a tool to build familiarity with key pollinator groups in our local environment, with a specific focus on our bee diversity. From researchers to amateur naturalists and nature watchers, the guide will enable persons to practice ‘citizen science’ making observations and building records of species richness and abundance at their own locality or selected sites of research interest.

Biodiversity wins

Making these documents available to the general public (PDF soft copies are available for free download from the EPPD’s pollinator portal on its webpage) allows everyone to contribute to monitoring our local biodiversity and assisting in its conservation. Moving beyond the traditional and now past viewpoint that it is “the government’s job” or the “scientist’s job” to secure our natural heritage, these new publications open up the landscape for a TT environment where biodiversity can certainly win.

Enjoy our biodiversity, learn about it and play your part in conserving it.

Celeste Chariandy is former the science communication officer for BESNet-TT project (2021-2024)

To learn more about the now concluded Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Network Trinidad and Tobago (BESNet-TT) project, visit this link:

https://www.besnet.world/resources/the-story-of-bes-net-trinidad-and-tobago-a-summary-of-the-biodiversity-and-ecosystem-services-network-trinidad-and-tobago-bes-net-tt-project/