3.1 Role of forestry and trees in the national economy
3.2 Relevant development policies
3.3 Legislative and administrative framework
3.4 Constraints affecting the forestry subsector's development
17. In the past the concept of forestry in Barbados was never considered outside of the context of its land stabilization and soil conservation benefits, and its advantages were never seriously explored to any extent. Official national acknowledgement of the potential benefits and effects of trees in the urban landscape and as a means of agricultural diversification only came in 1982, with the enactment of the Tree Preservation Act (1982), which was designed to protect large trees in urban areas dominated mainly by casuarina and mahogany.
18. However, there has been a long national interest in the establishment of fruit trees, as is witnessed in the several official projects launched by the government during the past decade to promote the growth of orchards, primarily to replace reliance on imports and to earn additional foreign exchange.
19. In spite of such programmes, Barbados still has only 2% of its land area, some of which supports a high volume of forest biomass, under tree cover. There is also a marked absence of an official forest policy statement, and although tree planting has been encouraged in the past, there was no mention of the role of forests in any of the Government's Development Plans.
20. The country has no forest industry. Tree harvesting for industrial purposes is conducted by one company integrated directly with the furniture industry. Harvesting consists of the selective removal of native mahogany trees, for which prior Town and Country Planning permission is obtained.
21. There are, however, approximately 57 companies on the island involved in the manufacture of wooden products, which contributed some BDS $8.4 million (US $4.2 million) to GDP and 5% of employment in the manufacturing sector in 1989. A significant handicraft industry, utilising wood and non-wood products, many of which are derived from natural vegetation habitats, also exists.
22. As a small, open economy with a need to dampen fluctuations from economic shocks occurring in the wider world and in the travel and tourism industry, the Government has pursued a policy of economic diversification based on agricultural and manufacturing projects, and aimed at high value-added and skilled-market niches, in order to increase foreign exchange earnings.
23. Efforts are being made to intensify and maximise the returns from these sectors, and in particular to ensure that idle lands are brought back into agriculture while maintaining a constant level of sugar production. Because of the uncertainty of the tourism and sugar industries, the country needs to pay serious attention to all opportunities for economic growth and for the optimal use of its natural resources.
24. Additionally, the need to conserve water supplies, to protect against the hazards of climate change due to global warming and to minimize the effects of frequent flash floods and droughts, makes it imperative for Barbados to adopt a forest policy and implement a programme of reforestation to deal with these areas. The value of such a programme can be measured against the real costs of investment in new water facilities, construction of shoreline defences and replacement of damaged property and dislocated services which would be incurred without such a programme.
25. Under such circumstances, in tandem with other national strategies, the role of forestry and trees should therefore be heightened to become an integral contributor to maintaining Barbadian living standards on a sustainable basis.
26. Additional benefits which would stem from the adoption of such a programme include:
i) provision of rural employment opportunities;
ii) shelter of croplands from the desiccating effects of the prevailing winds;
iii) land stabilization and soil conservation/amelioration;
iv) production of timber, fuel, fodder, fruits, nuts and other products;
v) protection of natural habitats and wildlife for recreation, scientific research and tourism;
vi) utilization of idle lands.
27. Details of the Government's land use and environmental policy, and outlines of the overall programme for the socio-economic growth of each of the sectors in the country, are presented in the Development Plan 1988-1993, the Agricultural Sector Plan 1988-1993, and the Physical Development Plan 1988-1993, for both the long and medium term.
28. The medium-term strategy of the Development Plan is focussed on the maintenance of stable growth by correcting the sluggish performance of agriculture, tourism and manufacturing, and on the provision of increased employment for the work force.
29. Forestry and trees could contribute significantly to the above-mentioned goals in the following areas/activities:
i) Manufacturing - promoting the development of small enterprises; maximizing the use of indigenous resources; giving priority support to the garment, furniture and handicraft industries; forging stronger linkages with tourism and other sectors.ii) Agriculture - effecting the optimal utilization of the land; enabling the sector to meet a greater share of domestic demand for food; stimulating non-sugar agriculture and agro-industrial developments-implementing the rural development programme.
iii) Housing - encouraging construction for low income families; shifting the subsidized cost to lower cost options to benefit a larger number of persons.
v) Spatial Development - better planning in the location of service and other activities, while protecting the proper use of land and other resources.
v) Education and Culture - orienting individuals towards the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for productive living to enhance the quality of the labour force; deepening awareness and understanding of the Barbadian heritage; promoting cultural cooperation through collaboration and exchanges at sub-regional, regional and international levels.
vi) Environment - priority attention to coastal erosion, ground water pollution, soil erosion, destruction of important natural habitats, dwindling of rare flora and fauna; strengthening linkages with NGOs, Caribbean countries, regional and international institutions; updating of legislation; introduction of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA); initiation of educational programmes.
vii) Transport and Works - protecting and conserving the island's water resources and road network.
30. The Government has also stated its intention, in the Agricultural Sector Plan 1988-93, to halt the alienation of agricultural land, to reverse the trends in production of major crops, to increase the output of newer crops for export and for the domestic market, and to create new job opportunities through an intensified diversification programme. Resource conservation, including the planting of trees, particularly in the Scotland District, is also targeted for intensification and extension throughout the island.
31. Barbados has no specific legislation on forests. Existing enactments are directed towards the conservation of trees and animals, rather than the management of forests. The existing legislation is moreover fragmented and uncoordinated and not rooted in any central theme (McCalla, 1991):
i) The Cultivation of Trees Act (1951) provides income tax incentives for the establishment of woodlots of approved tree species.ii) The Tree Preservation Act (1981) prohibits the felling of trees generally, except under specified conditions, while the killing of certain birds is prohibited by the Wild Birds Protection Act (1907).
iii) The Soil Conservation (Scotland District) Act (1958), which is of particular importance in this context, provides for the protection of soil, and the protection and rehabilitation of the vulnerable soils in the Scotland District, a region known for its geological instability and soil erosion.
iv) Other legislation provides for the protection of water, beaches and natural beauty, the prevention of praedial larceny, infestations, cane fires, animal trespass and floods; and for the establishment of various authorities to manage the provisions of certain of these acts (McCalla, 1991).
32. The Soil Conservation Unit (SCU), which functions under the aegis of the Minister of Agriculture (1991) and of a Soil Conservation Board (SCB), has been carrying out small-scale tree planting programmes in the Scotland District since its inception in 1957. Such activities have been geared primarily towards the protection of pockets of woodlands, for soil conservation purposes. The SCU has also been active in the installation of engineering and deep drainage systems to combat erosion and to stabilise land movement in the District.
33. There is also a National Conservation Commission Act (1982), which established the National Conservation Commission (NCC) as a statutory body with overall responsibility for public parks, beaches and caves, as well as for conservation of sites and buildings in the national interest.
34. As the current legislation stands, many of the statutes touch and concern the same areas. However, many issues are not covered by any existing legislation. This situation has arisen due to the fact that legal development has tended to deal with single issues, an approach which has contributed to confusion among agencies, non-enforcement of regulations, and a dilution of responsibility.
35. The Government has nonetheless stated its commitment to halt environmental degradation and to improve the quality of life for its citizens. Intrinsic to the achievement of such goals, is the requirement for the Government to move urgently towards a rationalization of environmental legislation to ensure adequate provisions for the protection and development of forests, natural habitats and wildlife, in the interest of conservation of the environment and biological diversity.
36. Comprehensive legislation is required under the circumstances, to provide for the wide coverage of environmental matters and to provide for a monitoring/coordinating role for the Environmental Unit of the Ministry of Labour, Consumer Affairs and the Environment for example, the revamping of the draft Environmental Protection Act, 1986.
37. A significant opportunity for forestry production was identified by the TFAP CMT as a result of the evaluation of the forest plantings carried out by the SCU at Joe's River Forest with the assistance of the Trinidad Forestry Division in the 1960s. From the assessment made, it was felt that continued plantings of such species on abandoned farmlands in the Scotland District over the years, could have allowed Barbados to have controlled the land instability and soil erosion problems that have plagued the Scotland District for more than three decades. It was also estimated that by now the country would also have been able to utilise such forests to supply its wood requirements for the furniture and handicraft industries, while reducing imports, providing additional opportunities for ecology-based tourism and enhancing the availability of its water resources. At the same time, new job opportunities would have contributed to the relief of the rural unemployment problem and to the revitalization of rural villages. (Raj Kumar, 1991).
38. Notwithstanding the potential identified, there has been negligible growth and development in the country's forestry subsector over the years. The following factors were identified as contributors to this state:
i) The country's overwhelming reliance on the SCU, a unit with no trained ecological, silvicultural or arboricultural personnel, to oversee its activities of tree planting (undertaken primarily as a soil conservation measure), or for monitoring the security of the forest cover on Government lands in the Scotland District, and which furthermore has not been given a mandate to pursue the management of the properties on which it operates under the Soil Conservation Act.ii) Inadequate management of the Government's agricultural properties by the body responsible, the Barbados Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) due to its preoccupation with commercial priorities under severe financial constraints.
iii) The absence of environmental planning and management skills in the NCC, an agency which seems logically to be the one entrusted with a mandate for the management of a system of national parks and protected areas.
iv) The lack of a coherent land use policy, of adequate extension services, and of incentives designed to encourage optimal utilization of land on a sustainable basis, which has been further compounded by the reluctance of local labour to work in traditional agriculture.
iv) The existence of a profusion of laws which seems to cause confusion within agencies regarding overlapping areas of responsibility.
v) Failure to enforce enabling legislation although this and other facilities exist for example, for the control of stray livestock.
