Editorial | Keeping our eyes on climate change

Even though the eyes of the world are firmly fixed on the COVID-19 pandemic, those who are wise must continue to prepare for that other looming crisis – climate change.

We have had the sternest of warnings from the climate-science experts – if we do not make significant progress in combating climate change, global temperatures will soar above critical levels and destroy the natural systems that sustain life.

Planting trees is a critical component of the response, for it mitigates global warming by taking in and storing carbon dioxide. It also satisfies a deep-seated, aesthetic impulse among some persons.

Indeed, when one examines the various prescriptions for tackling the climate crisis: reduce carbon emissions, declutter waterways and oceans, and preserve the biodiversity of critical habitats, the easiest one seems to be reforestation. Regrettably, October 2, commemorated in Jamaica as National Tree Planting Day, went by without fanfare. This could be blamed on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. But is not there life after the pandemic?

The Forestry Department said this in a news release: “The act of planting a tree, though a seemingly minor one at the individual level, will have a much more significant impact when thousands of Jamaicans engage in the activity. This will extend beyond enhancing the aesthetics of our immediate surroundings and contribute to the maintenance of the island’s physical and natural environment generally.”

Forestry Department’s Efforts

To its credit, the Forestry Department continued its tradition of handing out trees to individuals and organisations to encourage them to become part of the national reforestation effort, even if it means planting a tree in one’s backyard.

Charitable bodies like the Rotaract Club of Kingston heeded the call and donated fruit-bearing trees and ornamental plants to three children’s homes in Kingston. The gesture ties in with the club’s priorities of environmental enhancement and sustainable development. The children will have fruits to eat in the future and, in the meantime, the grounds will be beautiful.

Quite apart from the economic and environmental benefits, individuals have much to gain from planting trees. For example, planting shade trees on the south and west faces of your property will keep your house cooler in the hot summer months and reduce the need for artificial cooling.

Regreening in Bamboo Avenue

Considering all the above, it is somewhat puzzling why regreening efforts of Bamboo Avenue in St Elizabeth have not been more aggressive over the years. Magnificent in its time, these bamboos have a long and rich history, and the avenue is among the nation’s cultural assets and a much-celebrated heritage site.

The once-attractive canopy of bamboos that hugged the four-kilometre roadway has been ravaged over time. Hurricanes, fires and theft by persons in search of construction material have led to the thinning of the bamboo stands. The dense tunnel that was often described as the “most photographed place on the island” is a mere shadow of its former glory.

This tree-lined avenue offers innumerable benefits for the environment. It is estimated that a tree can produce thousands of litres of oxygen through photosynthesis, thereby supplying 10 persons with oxygen for a year. As well, it is a habitat for certain species of birds and insects and is a testament of the natural beauty of the country.

We recognise that there have been multiple efforts to resuscitate this elegant avenue. From the St Elizabeth Parish Council to the Tourism Development Product Company to the Ministry of Agriculture and the Natural Environment Protection Agency, together they have merely applied a Band-Aid to a gaping sore.

What is needed is a detailed conservation map for Bamboo Avenue showing the route to restoration and including a programme for maintenance and protection.

If Bamboo Avenue is to remain a national treasure, it needs the attention of a forward-thinking individual or groups that understand the urgency of preserving it for its aesthetic and environmental value.

Minister of Agriculture Floyd Green, who hails from St Elizabeth, could add the necessary momentum to get this work done and save the bamboos.