World Forestry Day originated at the 23rd General Assembly of the European Confederation of Agriculture in 1971, as a means of celebrating and promoting the significant benefits of forests. Later that year, the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) lent support to the idea, believing the event would further contribute to building public awareness on the importance of forests. Subsequently, it was agreed that World Forestry Day should be observed annually and numerous countries adopted the practice. March 21, the autumnal equinox in the Southern Hemisphere and the vernal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, was chosen as the day to be celebrated. An equinox is when night and day are of approximately equal length.
We need to promote and protect forests in The Bahamas. In the 1700s almost all of our large sized, valuable hardwood species were exported. Up to the early 1970s, the pine forests were harvested for pulpwood. Today, our forests are rebounding and our forestry itself is facing a revival. We possess substantial natural forest resources, comprising pine forests, coppice hardwoods and mangrove forests, with approximately 80% of forest resources on state lands (Crown land) and the remaining 20% on private lands. Pine forest is considered the most productive of the three vegetation types, and is a protected species. Coppice (hardwood) forests are found in the central and southern Bahamas, which the mangrove ecosystems dominate on the leeward shores of most islands. With the enactment of the Forestry Act of 2010, the drafting of stringent Regulations and the creation of the Forestry Unit, forests in The Bahamas can grow exponentially.
The Forestry Unit is located in the Ministry of Environment and Housing. Its mandate is to develop the forest resources of the Bahamas to their maximum potential by applying sound, scientific, and sustained yield forest management principles and concepts. A National Forest Plan and Forest Management Plans for National Forests will be prepared with guidelines for managing Bahamian forests. We hope to develop small scale forest based industries to reduce wood imports. Forests provide opportunities for biodiversity conservation, ecotourism, soil and water conservation, microclimate regulation and climate change, agro-forestry development and environmental enhancement.
In February 2012, the FAO approved funding for a two-year Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) forestry project, titled "Forest Management Pilot and Training in Abaco". The TCP is managed by the Forestry Unit. A workshop was held on New Providence in January followed by one on Abaco. The Abaco workshop trained Bahamians in basic forest management. Fifteen participants from the Bahamas National Trust (8), Department of Environmental Health Services (2), The Bahamas Environment Science and Technology Commission (2), Friends of the Environment (1) and 2 private citizens, benefitted from the training.
The project was highlighted on several occasions on TV on the Bahamas At Sunrise show. Several newspapers also published articles about the forestry project. A town meeting held in Marsh Harbour during the training by the Forestry Unit, highlighted the workshop, forestry in The Bahamas, and the economic potential for this industry. In January 2013, the director of the Forestry Unit discussed the economic potential of forestry for small and medium sized businesses at the Grand Bahama Business Outlook seminar. More training is also slated to produce a highly skilled and competent cadre of foresters in the country. Our public awareness campaign on forestry will continue with additional town meetings, television and radio appearances. The support and participation of Bahamians is appreciated and encouraged, particularly at the town meetings.
The Forestry Unit is also engaged in a Global Environment Facility full-sized project related to the land degradation focal area strategy entitled: Pine Islands-Forest/Mangrove Innovation and Integration (Grand Bahama, New Providence, Abaco and Andros). The key deliverables under the project are:
1) Enhanced enabling environment in support of sustainable land management (SLM) and sustainable forest management (SFM) with integration of biodiversity into land use planning;
2 ) Increased targeted public awareness of the importance and benefits of sustainably managing forest and mangrove biodiversity, ecosystems services and sustainable land management;
3) Improved management effectiveness of existing and new forest reserves;
4) Strengthened livelihoods of people dependent on the use of forest resources - increased use of sustainable land, agro-forestry and forestry management practices among coastal communities.
Forests are essential for life on Earth and are affectionately known as the lungs of the Earth, providing oxygen and absorbing carbon dioxide. On this World Forestry Day, the Forestry Unit is urging Bahamians to become serial planters and plant a tree today, to save our environment!
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