KINGSTON, Jamaica — Ainsley Henry has been quietly contributing to Jamaica’s environmental sector for over two decades. But on Independence Day (August 6), the chief executive officer and conservator of forests at the Forestry Department was among some of the nation’s unsung heroes honoured with the Order of Distinction in the rank of Officer.

“When I was called, it was very surprising. It was humbling. It was exciting. It was a mix of emotions. You know, you do a lot; you work, but you’re not expecting, this is not how you expect to get paid, if you will, or recognised,” Henry told Observer Online.

Henry was recognised for his outstanding service in environmental management, forestry conservation and sustainable development.

A proud alumnus of St Jago High School and the son of a dedicated civil servant, Henry credits his work ethic and commitment to excellence to his mother, who served as a government accountant.

“The thought that went through my mind, first and foremost, was how proud my mother would have been that I would be receiving this award, because she worked for many, many years. She actually retired in the civil service, and I don’t think she’s ever gotten anything quite like this. So in my mind, this is for her. It’s not a competition or anything, but it feels good too, to know that this is something that would have made her proud,” he said.

He also attributes much of his growth and resilience to the support of close friends, family and key mentors, including Jamaica’s ambassador for climate change and environmental matters, Professor Dale Webber, and Franklin McDonald, former head of the Natural Resources Conservation Authority.

Inspired from a young age by environmental documentaries, Henry developed a lifelong passion for protecting the planet, a passion that has been the driving force behind his career.

“In terms of pivoting to forestry, one of the things that happened was that at one point, I was watching a documentary about the environment, that was before I went to high school, and I was so surprised by the amount of damage that people were doing to the planet that it made me want to do something to fix it, and that’s been a central part of my life’s work. In every sphere of my life thus far, it’s always been about trying to do things to improve the environment,” he said.

Earlier in his career, he worked with the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA) and the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) in various posts, including as an environmental officer, manager and director at that agency.

In 2020, amidst the global COVID-19 pandemic, he joined the Forestry Department. Henry shared that one of his most challenging but proud moments while in leadership at the Forestry Department was leading the charge to plant some three million trees across the island at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“One of my proudest moments is when I was able to say to the prime minister that, sir, we’ve achieved the target set. We have managed to plant three million trees, not quite in the three years that we had originally intended, but you know, COVID was happening and so on. So that delayed our progress, but we were able to hit three million, and that was a good feeling, to know that our target was set,” he shared.

Henry is now spearheading the next phase of the National Tree Planting Initiative, aiming to plant another three million trees over five years.

He calls on every Jamaican to be part of this movement—not just by planting, but by nurturing trees and being better stewards of the environment.

“So planting trees and protecting the environment by not doing deleterious things are the two main things that Jamaicans can do. The other, of course, is to come out and help us whenever we have any activities like tree planting. In October, there is the National Tree Planting Day, and we anticipate that we’ll be having significant events across the country, and it is my hope that we will get strong support from all Jamaicans to do that,” Henry urged.

When asked about the type of legacy he wishes to leave behind, Henry said his focus remains steadfastly on impact over accolades.

“Nothing I’ve ever done has been with the viewpoint of being remembered for it, per se, but in terms of a legacy, what I want to leave behind is a strong and robust and resilient forestry department that can deliver on its mandates to manage and protect Jamaica’s forests for the benefit of current and future generations,” Henry said.

“I want a place where the people are happy to work there, where the people are working hard and actively for the good of our nation, and where our forests are contributing to GDP (gross domestic product) and providing a space that enhances the health and wellness of our population,” he added.

Henry’s vision for Jamaica’s forests is rooted in the national goals outlined in Vision 2030: Making Jamaica a place of choice to live, work, raise families, and do business.

He envisions forests that are well conserved, especially in terms of endemic species, and accessible for public recreation, health and wellness. Importantly, he believes the forest sector should contribute more significantly to the national economy through sustainable, value-added use of resources.

“The forest sector in Jamaica actually contributes more significantly to the gross domestic product of our country by virtue of doing value-added things with our forestry. A lot of people like to think that if you’re into forestry as a conservationist, then that’s all you do. But it’s important to note, especially in a place like ours where there have been interventions in the forest in the past, that it has to be a balanced approach, and sustainable use of these resources is critical,” Henry said.

The conservationist wants to transition some of the country’s existing pine forests that were established under the Forest Industries Development Company Limited back into native species.

“I am looking to transition them into native species that have multiple benefits to our nation. So it is a combination of tropical hardwoods as well as species that are instrumental for biodiversity, sustainability and resilience, as well as, you know, species that perform other environmental functions like watershed recharge or, you know, erosion control and things like that,” he shared.

Beyond his professional career, Henry is an avid nature lover who enjoys hiking and a passionate scuba diver.