The Aripo Savannas

THE ENVIRONMENTAL Management Authority (EMA), as mandated by the Environmental Management Act Chap 35:05, has so far designated three Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs) in an effort to protect thousands of species of plant and animal life, some of which can only be found in Trinidad.

The Aripo Savannas Scientific Reserve (ASSR), is one of these Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs), it was designated in June 2007 under the Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA) Rules, 2001.

The ASSR is a unique expanse of tranquil, open space, fringed by majestic moriche palms and marsh forest and is Trinidad's last relatively untouched savanna ecosystem. Under the cover of this seemingly still and grassy area, plant and animal life abound. Some of the plants here are found nowhere else in Trinidad and Tobago. In fact, some of the plants and orchids are endemic to the area, which means they are found nowhere else in the world.

Located in east-central Trinidad, the reserve represents the largest remaining natural savanna ecosystem with endemic flora in the country. Its ecosystem is considered to be unique due to the array of habitats (not seen elsewhere in the country) and the high density of rare, threatened and endemic species.

Of the 457 species identified so far, 38 are restricted to the Aripo Savannas with between 16 and 20 that are rare or threatened, and two endemic floral species. The primary ecosystem types found in the ASSR are palm marsh, marsh forest, and savanna. This ecosystem is considered to be a unique, national treasure.

The biological resources of Trinidad and Tobago are of great importance to all sectors of society playing a critical role at both national and local levels. Rural communities often depend heavily on the variety of wild fauna and flora to sustain their lifestyles and livelihoods through hunting, fishing, craft, tour guiding and other nature-based activities.

Comprising ten savannas, the ASSR is home to several species that appear on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) appendices. The Aripo Savannas Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ASESA) is a mosaic of marsh forest, palm marsh and savanna ecosystems.

The management goal for this area is to equitably and effectively involve stakeholders in the management of the reserve to preserve the unique ecosystems and protect its biodiversity, historical and cultural values, while promoting research, education and the development of sustainable livelihoods, particularly for local people, to the extent that this can be done without compromising the integrity of the Savannas.

Historically, the area was used for timber harvesting until 1940 when Waller Field (including the ASSR area) was leased out to the US military for an Air Force Base. The US Military constructed roads and buildings in the ASSR including a bunker complex to the south of the reserve.

Fanning out from the foothills of the Northern Range as old alluvial terraces, the Aripo Savannas' terraces, which consist of layers of sands, gravels and clays, have been mined locally for the construction industry.

The University of the West Indies (UWI), the Trinidad and Tobago Field Naturalists Club and the Trinidad and Tobago Orchid Society (TTOS) have also played a role over the years in conducting research on its unique ecosystems. Currently, TTOS is conducting a project for the conservation, management and reintroduction of an Endangered Orchid Species Cyrtopodium parviflorum in the Aripo Savannas.

In 2006, the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) contracted the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) to guide and manage a participatory process for the development of updated management, interpretive and implementation plans for the Aripo Savannas.

The small size of the ESA (1,788 ha.) and its small plant and animal populations render the area highly susceptible to human impacts that include fires, agricultural and residential squatting, hunting and collection of non-timber forest resources, mining (quarrying) and ecological isolation.

The Forestry Division and the EMA share overall responsibility for the ASSR. The Forestry Division has administrative responsibility for the area while the EMA plays a coordinating role in relation to all of Trinidad and Tobago's ESAs and is legally mandated to oversee the development of management plans for the Aripo Savannas as an ESA.

An integrated management plan was therefore set up for the Aripo Savannas to make sure that it is properly looked after so that it can continue providing environmental and economic benefits for present and future generations.

An Aripo Savannas Stakeholder Management Committee (ASSMC) was also developed and designated as a multi-stakeholder advisory body under the ESA Rules (2001). The ASSMC was established by the EMA to advise on the management of the ASESA. Sundew Tourguiding Services, one of the community based organisations (CBO) has an informal agreement with the Forestry Division with permission to conduct tours in the ASESA.

The ASSR and particularly the savanna ecosystems have the distinction of being one of the most intensively studied areas in the neotropics. Many international and local biologists have studied various aspects of the savannas. This level of interest increases the historical value of the ASSR in the field of biology.

Undoubtedly, the Aripo Savannas remains one of the premier places to visit in Trinidad.

The management authority for the ASSR lies with the Forestry Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Marine Resources. Entry into the savannas is restricted and allowed by permit which can only be obtained from the National Parks Section of the Forestry Division. For further information please visit the EMA's website at http://www.ema.co.tt or contact the National Parks Section of the Forestry Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Marine Resources.

(Article courtesy the Environmental Management Authority (EMA)