As the pressures of modern life takes it toll on the Tobago population there are many reasons to not bother with nature, go see about ‘family’, ‘work’ ‘career’ and all that jazz. But that right there is a luxury no one can afford.
Nature requires care. Not the hands-on flavour you’d want to give to a backyard garden but certainly, reefs, forest, rivers and streams need some form of stewarship. Protecting such assets from the tender mercies of the masses require comprehensive policies, strong law, robust enforcement and an ongoing program covering education across the board.
Environment Tobago has a record of involvement in conservation matters in Tobago and Trinidad, going all the way to it its inception in 1996. Along the way we have progressed from simply drawing attention to issues (and ourselves) by hugging trees, wading in murky swamps and screaming bloody murder for felled forest cover.
Its not exactly a proud feeling to go out there and do those things, times however do still call. That being said, we are far more wary, not wanting to risk safety (of volunteers and other key stakeholders). We have also learnt that taking our NGO’s voice to those rooms where decisions are influenced is a step well worth the effort.
Leaving things to develop as they may - especially leaving things to the tender mercies of the actual designated stewards (the Tobago House of Assembly) is the same as inaction. Not good. Not now, certainly not now.