St. Thomas Residents Urged to Stop Cutting Down Trees

Residents of St. Thomas, are being urged to stop the cutting and burning of trees, as this practice is destroying the natural environment in the parish.
Forest Officer for St. Thomas, Adam Francis, has explained that the duties of the two Forest Wardens, to protect and manage the forest resources in St. Thomas, have become more difficult, because of the residents’ irresponsible behaviour.
“Our job is a very difficult one and it is made even more difficult by the selfish, careless and reckless behaviour of our people,” he said.
Mr. Francis was speaking at the St. Thomas Environmental Protection Association Benevolent Society (STEPA) 2nd Wetland and Coastal Areas Stakeholders Conference, held on September 24, at the Anglican Church Hall in Morant Bay. It was held under the theme: ‘The Man, the Land and the Plan’.
He pointed out that the burning of charcoal was being done by persons in western St. Thomas, especially in the Logwood, Heartease and Norris areas in Yallahs, adding that persons have been cutting trees to clear the land for small-scale farming in the hilly areas of Somerset, Mt. Lebanus, Trinity Ville and Cedar Valley.
Mr. Francis said that the destruction on the hills was causing soil erosion and flooding in these communities and lower districts in the parish.
“When the rain falls, you do not have any matter on the ground which is formed by the leaves to break the force of the water, so it hits the soil directly washing away all the top soil,” he explained.
“Soon and very soon the soil that they have up there will not have much nutrients to produce good carrots, good escallion and good thyme, because it is being washed away,” he added.
Another practice that was destroying the environment, Mr. Francis said, was the cutting of Guango trees. He noted that the trees, the strongest root plant in Jamaica, were being used to make pallets.
“When we do this, soon and very soon most of the flat lands will become ponds, like Yallahs Pond, because those Guango trees are the ones that can hold the soil together and hold the bank,” he said.
Mr. Francis said the Forestry Department has been working with Environmental Police Officers to deal with the problem.
“It is not our wish to arrest people, but when people will not comply, we will have to take drastic measures,” he said.