KINGSTON, Jamaica — The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) is calling on Jamaicans to consider the ways in which they can help to safeguard the country’s natural environment and ecosystems.

The call comes as NEPA gears up to observe National Environment Awareness Week 2024 from June 1 to 7, under the locally adopted theme ‘Accelerating Ecosystem Restoration – A Call to Action’.

Manager of NEPA’s Ecosystems Management Branch, Monique Curtis says it is important, not only in observance of the week but, generally, for Jamaicans to become aware of how they help safeguard features of the natural environment that have not yet been negatively affected.

“Also, how they can contribute to restoring areas that have been previously disturbed. So, how you can prevent the environmental impact of improper dumping activities, avoiding land clearance activities unless permitted and not encroaching into your mangrove spaces. These are some of the simple things in your day-to-day activities that can help us with maintaining our ecosystem. If it is that you observe these illegal activities, report it to the agency, so that we can go in and investigate and stem the activity,” she said.

Curtis added that people can also play their part in environment protection and restoration by volunteering for clean-ups and other activities.

“Persons who sign up, for example, for beach clean-up activities, as simple as it may seem, you’re helping to restore that ecosystem. By removing solid waste from that space, you’re safeguarding the biodiversity as well as the ecosystem service that you get from the beach being in a pristine state,” Curtis said.

NEPA has been targeting mangrove ecosystems that are under threat for restoration and rehabilitation activities.

Among other activities for the week this year is a mangrove habitat rehabilitation project to be undertaken by the agency in Salt Marsh, Trelawny, on June 7, in observance of World Oceans Day.

— JIS