KIMBERLY Ivey-Blackwood’s interest in forestry began with a simple curiosity about the world around her. As a grade nine student, geography field trips gave her the opportunity to experience Jamaica’s natural environment beyond the classroom. What began as an interest in nature gradually developed into a deeper understanding of the relationship between people and the environment, eventually shaping the career she would pursue.

Today, Ivey-Blackwood serves as forest technician, client services in the South East Region at the Forestry Department, where she works at the intersection of environmental conservation and community development. A graduate of St Andrew High School for Girls and The University of the West Indies, Mona, where she studied Environmental Biology, she has turned an early fascination with nature into a profession centred on protecting and restoring Jamaica’s forests.

“I have always been fascinated by the relationship between people and the natural environment,” Ivey-Blackwood said. That relationship has remained central to how she sees the work.

Growing up in Spanish Town, St Catherine, nature was never particularly distant. Jamaica’s mountains, rivers, forests, coastal ecosystems and diversity of plants and animals formed part of the landscape around her. As her education progressed, however, she began to understand that appreciating nature was only one part of conservation. Protecting it also requires knowledge, planning, collaboration and action.

One early experience helped to bring that understanding into sharper focus. Her first memorable visit to a forest was to Windsor Castle Forest Estate in St Thomas. She remembers being struck by the feeling of being surrounded by something much larger than herself, from the different vegetation and wildlife to the changes in temperature. What stood out most, however, was the interconnectedness. “You could see that the trees, soil, water, wildlife and people are all part of one system,” she recalled.

That perspective has since become a defining part of Ivey-Blackwood’s professional outlook. Forestry is her first job, and she was drawn to the field because it offered an opportunity to make a tangible difference while bringing together many of the areas that interested her: science, environmental management, planning, community engagement and practical fieldwork. She also recognised that the decisions made through forestry could have an impact lasting for decades.

Her interest in urban forestry developed from another observation about the relationship between people and nature. She noticed that access to greenery is not experienced equally. Some communities have parks, mature trees and green spaces, while others have very little vegetation. That contrast helped her recognise urban forestry as both an environmental and quality-of-life issue.

“Everyone should have the opportunity to benefit from trees and green spaces,” she said. That belief is reflected in the practical nature of her role. As a forest technician, Ivey-Blackwood can be involved in identifying suitable locations for planting, recommending appropriate tree species, supporting community tree-planting initiatives, providing technical guidance, maintaining urban trees and promoting public awareness about their value. The work also requires collaboration with communities, schools, government agencies, private organisations and other stakeholders.

Kimberly Ivey-Blackwood, forest technician, client services, south east region at the Forestry Department, shares insights on the benefits of urban forests with a curious Rojah Lewis.

The community dimension has become particularly important to the way she understands conservation. Some of her most meaningful experiences have come from seeing people take ownership of the trees being planted around them. There is a difference between putting a tree in the ground and seeing someone in a community recognise it as something worth protecting. “You can plant a tree, but the real success comes when someone in the community says, ‘This is our tree, and we are going to take care of it.’”

Those experiences have shaped her as a professional, teaching her that environmental conservation cannot depend on technical knowledge alone. Listening, building relationships and understanding people’s realities are equally important. Her experience with projects such as the urban forestry work in Rockfort has reinforced her belief that people must remain at the centre of environmental conservation.

That people-centred approach also shapes how Ivey-Blackwood explains the value of urban forestry. Its impact can be felt in everyday experiences, from the shade provided by mature trees on a hot day to greener community spaces and opportunities for recreation. Urban trees also contribute to cleaner air, biodiversity and stormwater management, while helping communities become more resilient to climate change. The Forestry Department’s 2024 State of Jamaica’s Forests report identifies 30 per cent canopy cover as an important target for urban areas.

The scale of Jamaica’s tree-planting efforts reflects the growing importance of this work. Under the National Tree Planting Initiative, more than three million trees had been planted or distributed by August 2024, with more than 73,000 people engaged. Following Hurricane Melissa, 50,000 seedlings were prioritised for urban and peri-urban areas during the first phase of the RE-LEAF initiative’s 300,000-seedling recovery programme.

Yet Ivey-Blackwood is careful not to define success by numbers alone. “The real measure of success is not simply how many trees we plant. It is how many trees survive, mature, and continue to provide benefits to communities.”

That long-term perspective is also what makes the Urban Forest Run meaningful to her. Under the theme ‘Run in the East, RE-LEAF the West’, the event connects several elements that have become central to her professional philosophy: people, health, recreation, community and environmental stewardship. It also draws a connection between the benefits of urban green spaces in Kingston and the urgent need to restore ecosystems in western Jamaica affected by Hurricane Melissa. Participation offers people a tangible way to become part of that wider mission.

The journey from a curious student observing Jamaica’s natural environment to a professional helping to protect it has reinforced the fundamental belief that forests are investments in people and in the future. The work may involve planting, maintaining and protecting trees, but its impact reaches much further. Ivey-Blackwood reinforces that it is about creating healthier communities, strengthening the connection between people and nature and ensuring that the Jamaica inherited by future generations remains one worth caring for.