THE Trees for Tomorrow project – one of Jamaica’s most successful environmental initiatives involving an international partner – ended last Thursday after more than a decade in existence.

The curtains came down on the project with an official closing ceremony, held at the Pegasus Hotel in Kingston.

Funded by the Government of Jamaica and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) at a cost of Cdn$12 million, Trees for Tomorrow was aimed at improving the management and conservation of forests and tree crops for the sustained benefit of Jamaicans.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, agriculture minister Roger Clarke said the activities undertaken under the final phase of the project were not only instrumental in creating an awareness of the importance of the island’s forest resources but also boosted the capabilities of the Forestry Department.

He noted that the changes undertaken at the Department have served to bolster its ability to successfully make the transition to a performance-based institution, with the setting of work targets it must meet.

“Activities undertaken in this phase became the foundation upon which the Forestry Department was favourably positioned to face the challenges and maximise the opportunities of the future,” he said.

“Phase two of the project also initiated the process towards the gradual stimulation and wakening to the importance and appreciation of Jamaica’s forest resources,” he added.

Clarke said that among the benefits of the project was the training of Forestry Department personnel in:

. environmental and forest management;

. use of a global positioning system;

. photogrammetry;

. forest mensuration;

. computer skills; and

. public speaking.

Of the staff members trained, eight obtained bachelor’s degrees; two obtained master’s degrees and 10 earned technical diplomas.

The minister said the Department staff were now equipped with the necessary knowledge to carry out the various aspects of the project.

“Two years before the project ended, Jamaicans assumed responsibility for its execution. In addition, in the last three years of the project, local foresters were conducting all field activities,” he said.

“Too often in Jamaica, the benefits of a project cease to exist immediately after the project ends. This situation occurs because there was no transfer of knowledge. This project has, however, avoided this pitfall,” he added.

Clarke said the project had also caused a paradigm shift in how local foresters perceived and conducted forestry conservation and preservation.

“Forest conservation is no longer viewed solely as the purview of the local forestry department, but must be aligned with global trends to facilitate a participatory approach to forest management,” he said.

He commended stakeholders for providing valuable technical and institutional capabilities under the project and reiterated government’s commitment to protecting Jamaica’s forestry resources.

Among the projects accomplished under phase two were:

. the establishment and maintenance of forest reserves;

. the preparation of numerous manuals;

. public awareness programmes;

. the establishment of a national tree-planting day in 2003;

. the development of a comprehensive forest land use data bank; and

. a comprehensive Geographical Information System (GIS).

It also saw the development of a National Forestry and Watershed Management Strategy.