CCA set to step up eco projects

EMERGING from a period of reorganisation and restructuring, the region's premier environmental agency says it is poised to move to the forefront on environmental matters all over the Caribbean, once again.

"Management and information systems have been upgraded that will enable us to work better with donor agencies and collaborate effectively on initiatives with our members," acting executive director of the Caribbean Conservation Association (CCA), Susan Bain, said from the secretariat's new Chelford House headquarters at Bush Hill, The Garrison.

It recently launched two new programmes. One is the CARIFORUM Caribbean Regional Environment Programme (CREP) focusing on biodiversity and protected areas. The other is the Coastal and Marine Management Programme (CaMMP) focusing on fisheries and coastal resources.

CREP, a European Union-funded 9.1 million Euros (BDS$17 million) three-year project is headed by environmental engineer Cathal Healy Singh.
CaMMP's first project is the $606 000 three-year Coastal Resources Co-Management Project, funded by the Oak Foundation through the World Resources Institute, to develop the community co-management of fisheries. It is headed by three fisheries experts: Dr Robert Pomeroy, of Washington DC, Dr. Robin Mahon, of Barbados, and Dr Patrick McConney, the Chief Fisheries Officer of Barbados.

Known for its work in environmental education, the regional body is now completing the three-year Darwin Initiatives Coral Reef Education Project named People & Corals. Its training materials for primary and secondary classrooms across the region were developed by CCA's project officer Laura Picard in association with teachers in  several islands. CCA is also an active voice for non-governmental organisations in the region at the Global Environment Fund council meetings.

School launches waste management project

THE People's Cathedral Primary School last week launched a waste management project. To help with the programme the Ministry of the Environment provided the Bishop Courts Hill school with two hand-painted garbage cans and also technical advisory services. Pictured is education officer of the ministry, Nadia James (right), presenting the cans to teacher Menel Walkes.

Caribbean reefs to benefit from US$10m

THE United Nations Foundation, created in 1997 by Ted Turner, is proposing to make its largest grant to date - US$10 million - to an international campaign to save and restore the world's dwindling coral reefs. The money will go to an alliance of private academic and inter-governmental groups - the International Coral Reef Action Network - led by the United Nations Environment Programme. Members of the network are expected to raise an additional $4 million. The most immediate action is planned for the Caribbean and the eastern coast of Africa. Around the Caribbean, the programme hopes to set up demonstration sites in St Lucia, Belize, Bonaire and Mexico. In East Africa, there are plans to establish model projects in the Seychelles, Madagascar and Kenya. Other sites will be focuses for early remedial work.

Where has the cane wood gone?

BARBADOS once started what could have been a thriving, environmentally-friendly construction industry, but some believe it was sabotaged.
It was more than 20 years ago when two Canadians came up with an idea of using cane peelings to make wood. They invented a machine, which was located at Uplands Sugar Factory, that removed the rind from the cane and then compressed it into a wood which looked like plywood.

Three homes were constructed in Barbados. One at Frenches, St George, and the other two at Kingsland, Christ Church. The owners of the house at Frenches said it was originally constructed in the yard of the Cotton House and later moved to its present location. So strong is the wood and so well constructed is the house that during recent renovations it took contractors two days to break through a plywood wall, said the present occupier. The house is also designed to withstand 120 mile-per-hour winds.

The patent was purchased from the two Canadian designers by the Canadian Government of the day and since then the technology has been left to ruin. One of the original owners of the patent, Ted Tilby, produced a video documentary of the process in which he accused his Government of sabotaging the recycling technology in favour of Canadian wood exporters.  The machinery has since gone into oblivion since Upland's factory closed.