Gabrielle-Jae Watson – Woman in the woods
IF you sign up for a hike with the Jamaica Conservation and Development Trust (JCDT), you’ll notice 24-year-old Gabrielle-Jae Watson among the male park rangers leading the group through the mountains.
The petite chief of corps will be decked out in sturdy hiking boots and waterproof hiking gear with a pair of binoculars slung over her shoulders. She will effortlessly make her way up the hilly terrain, at one with nature.
A Kingstonian by birth, Watson grew up loving the environment.
“I have always had a deep compassion for animals/animal rights and as a child my family went to the beach often so from early on I learnt to love and respect the environment,” she says.
Watson’s appreciation for the environment prompted her to study marine biology and natural resource management at the University of the West Indies.
A Immaculate Conception High graduate, she confesses that in the study of natural resource management the gender ratio is equal. The disparity in gender is seen, however, in the field, where she says there are more men. But it’s a situation that’s slowly changing.
The JCDT is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation delegated by the National Environment and Planning Agency to manage the Blue and John Crow mountains. The mountains are the first and only national park in Jamaica (designated in 1993).
Watson is committed to the vision of the Trust, which is to protect Jamaica’s rich ecological (plants, animals, habitats, processes) and cultural value. The JCDT’s programme employs several activities, including enforcement and compliance; monitoring and evaluation; natural and cultural conservation; education and outreach.
As chief of corps, Watson is the co-ordinator for the patrols of the area. She also monitors and trains park rangers, most of whom are male.
As a young woman in the field she says she encounters many challenges, a significant one of which is getting Jamaicans to understand, respect and appreciate the value of the natural environment.
What can be frustrating at times, she says, is persuading people to contribute financially towards the protection, conservation and management of the environment.
Watson doesn’t want to leave her mark on the environment; instead she wants nature to leave its mark on us, as this is the only way for us to see change.
IN PHOTO: Gabrielle Watson and Deon Brown of the JCDT along with a tour guide on the December 2014 Footprints hike; and Rangers and community members participating in a water quality observation and sampling training exercise.
