A US$20,000 donation of tools and equipment to the Forestry, Wildlife and Parks Division will advance ongoing works of the Division particularly in the rehabilitation of forests through Silviculture (the growing and cultivation of trees).
The donation was made on Friday 7th August 2020, by the Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Land Management (PISLM) which is the Executing Agency for the GEF funded, UNEP implemented project “Strengthening Resilience of Agricultural Lands and Forests in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria”.
The project seeks to support the reforestation efforts of the Forestry, Wildlife and National Parks Division. The support provided to the Division will include tools and equipment, planting material and training for Forest Technicians in the area of Watershed Management & GIS (geographic information system, a framework that provides the ability to capture and analyze spatial and geographic data).
The tools and equipment, include water pumps, shovels, wheelbarrows and mixers among others. They were officially handed over to the Director of Forest, Wildlife and Parks Division, Mr. MinchintonBurton, by Alison Alfred, PISLM National Project Manager (Dominica).
Mr. Burton stated that the Division is grateful for the partnership and support from the PISLM which is important for continuing works not only to rehabilitate the forest but also to enhance agricultural development. He said that due to the substantial decimation of forest by Hurricane Maria, Dominica’s watersheds and forest have been compromised and so require consistent investment and effort toward rehabilitation.
“This is a long term ongoing project which requires national effort,” the Director of Forestry remarked adding that everyone can contribute to the project by planting trees. Ms. Alfred said that PISLM is honoured to provide the much-needed tools and equipment to the Division.
PISLM was established based on a decision taken at the Caribbean Sub-Regional workshop on Land Degradation in February 2004. PISLM serves as a mechanism to facilitate exchange of good land management practices between participating countries and serves as a mechanism for stimulating the replication of approaches, tools and methodologies throughout the region.
Everytime we get these donations i dont know why i feel bad. In dominica a lot of the time we dont want to invest in ourselves, we wait for others to give a donation. Need a road? wait for a donation. Hospital? donation. airport? donation. EC$20,000 worth of tools and equipment…donation. Why doesnt the government invest in its own equipment especially for agriculture and public maintenance? Why did Public works have to look the way it does by deep water harbor instead of how the Dominica Strong lot in Massacre does? Why dont the people who clean roseau use machinery like electric swipers (for noise reduction), blowers and weedicides (to prevent plant growth in sidewalk cracks) to clean the streets and sidewalks instead of brooms and cutlass in 2020?
The government says it has the most money. But always crying brokes. dominicans ask yourselves questions and stop making excuses for *mediocrity*. I am thankful for the nonations. But we know where we fall short and we can do better.