Trees for Tomorrow Project Gets More Funding

The Trees for Tomorrow project has received $31 million to develop Forest Land Use Database for the Rio Minho in Clarendon, Dolphin Head Reserve in Westmoreland and Hanover and Martha Brae Watershed in Trelawny.
The project, for which the allocation is set out in the 2004/05 Estimates of Expenditure now before the House of Representatives, will also prepare and publish an agro-forestry manual, maintain 80 kilometres of re-established forest reserve boundaries and re-establish and reopen 15 km of forest reserve boundaries.
Trees for Tomorrow will also complete the dendrology (identification of species of trees) manual, support and pilot private sector project to produce tree seedlings and continue support for the establishment and maintenance of the germsplasm bank, continue support for training of staff in the Forestry Department and the continuation of the National Forestry Awareness Programme.
Established in April 1991 and extended in 1996 the project should be completed in December this year. To date, it has achieved the completion of a National Forest Management and Conservation Plan, the establishment of a germplasm bank and nursery and the completion of an aerial photo-interpretation manual.
Other physical targets achieved are the completion of a biophysical inventory of the Rio Minho and the Buff Bay Pencar Watersheds in St. Mary and Portland and the completion of Dendrology and Nursery manuals.
Funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) the project has as its objectives, to strengthen the institutional capabilities of the Jamaica forest sector and to plan and implement sustainable forest management.