Publication: Daily Nation
Paper
Page:15A
Paper Date: Wed, Dec 13, 2000
Byline:
Compiled by Terry Ally
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Page sponsored by The Tourism Development Corporation |
EVERY DAY people drive pass a local arboretum and do not realise that it actually exists.
However, when the next edition of the A-Z of Barbadian Heritage is published, the island's first arboretum, which marks its 22 anniversary this month, will be documented in it.
One of the authors, biologist Dr. Sean Carrington of the University of the West Indies, said the arboretum is located next to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. It is that area of a few dozen trees where people park.
"I recently went down there to have a look at the trees because we are revising the book and will make an entry on it, and found that there might be one dead tree but all the others are looking healthy and they are not just exotic trees, such as the flamboyant, but indigenous trees similar to what one would find in Turners Hall Woods and in gullies, trees such as fustic and sandbox," he told the
Greenpage.
"What I feel needs to be done is that the trees should be labelled because most people do not realise the significance of the area. In addition, a plaque should be erected to commemorate the establishment of the park," said Carrington, who did not realise it existed until recently.
An arboretum is a collection of trees and differs from a botanical garden where the emphasis is on small plants. In the arboretum the emphasis is on trees and from a biological perspective, it serves as an important collection of indigenous trees.
The rationale is that should the native trees in the wild be cut down, there would remain living examples of them. From the leisure perspective, arboretums serve as parks where people go to relax, and in the case of this one, a parking area.
The arboretum was created in December, 1978, when more than 30 trees were
planted by Iris Bannochie, who was at the time the head of the National
Conservation Commission.
The area was swampy because it formed part of the delta of the Constitution River before it was canalised into its present form.
The site was earmarked for the construction of the Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic, but it was too expensive to build there because the land was far too swampy and bedrock was far too deep. Bannochie had 1 600 truck loads of soil and rubble brought in to shore up the muddy conditions and then planted the trees.
A playing field developed and has become an important sporting area and so no further trees were planted, but Carrington believes there is still scope to continue to plant trees around the perimeter in such a way that would enhance the sporting arena, beautify the area, and develop an equally important aspect of Barbadian heritage.