Climate change is high on the agenda for the International Federation of the Red Cross. As such, the Trinidad and Tobago Red Cross Society is engaging in climate change mitigation and adaptation in vulnerable communities.They have embarked on a Climate Change project entitled "Changing Lives and Landscapes" in the Grande Riviere community on the north coast of the island.Since 2008, the TT Red Cross has been doing disaster preparedness training programmes in the Grande Riviere area and adjoining communities.
It has continued to partner with them over the years improving their preparation to deal with disasters as they live in an isolated part of the island. This time around, the Red Cross is working in partnership with the Grande Riviere Tourism Development Organisation and the Forestry Division on a reforestation project.Recently, a Red Cross team journeyed to Grande Riviere to officially open the nursery and reforestation project. In her opening speech the Director General of the TT Red Cross said: "If we protect the climate we will have fewer disasters."
After the official opening everyone went to a ridge in the Grande Riviere forest to start planting. Some trees were planted to act as windbreakers, while others will bear fruit to feed the animals.This project will be beneficial to the community as forests play an important role in the climate system and most members of the community generate their livelihoods from the forest.Len Peters, coordinator of the project is very keen on doing climate change mitigation. He said during his speech: "Despite being a small community in an island state, we could address climate change by looking at our relationship with the forest and mitigating any negative effects human activity has caused. We can contribute in a positive way by engaging in this forestation project."Peters also added "education is the key to anything sustainable and having a nursery project on site will give members of the community exposure to training in soil management, proper forest use and plant propagation."
In addition, this nursery and reforestation project will create sustainable activity by providing planting materials for farmers. Farmers and other members of the community will get life-saving training they need in First Aid and CPR.Moreover, the Red Cross will provide a shredder to transform the compost heaps into useable material.
Present at the opening were Len Peters, Coordinator of the project; John Radgman, Vishnu Bedassie and Lutchman Ragoonanan of the Forestry Division; Stephen Mc Clatchie of Stakeholders Against Destruction (SAD) for Toco; Angela Gouveia, Director General; Augustus Forde, First Aid Coordinator TTRCS; other members of the Red Cross; and members of the Grande Riviere community.This project is funded by the Japanese Red Cross.