PRESS RELEASE - April 19, 2004
NRCA Donates Four Million Dollars to Forestry Department’s Seedling Project...…Welcomed Boost to Private Planting Programme
The Forestry Department’s Private Planting Programme (PPP) got a welcomed boost on Friday, April 16 with the donation of a million dollars to its seedling project by the Board of the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA). The money which was handed over at the Forestry Department’s Mount Airy Nursery in St. Andrew is the first part of a $4 million dollars aid package to be disbursed by the NRCA over the next two years.
Under the project seedlings for the fifty hectares of land planted under the “Lift Up Jamaica” Programme, last year, will be maintained. The money will also ensure that the Department meets its quota of 100,000 seedlings set for this year.
In handing over the cheque, Chief Executive Office of the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), Patricia Sinclair McCalla said she was delighted that the NRCA was able to provide this particular type of intra-agency support to the Forestry Department. She outlined that part of the NRCA’s objective is to assist with the protection and development of crucial environmental projects. Mrs. Sinclair McCalla was deputizing for Chairman of the NRCA Board, James Rawle.
The seedlings project aims to increase replanting of trees on both private and Government-owned lands and implementing sound forestry practices, especially in watershed areas. Of the 69,000 hectares of land suitable for reforestation island-wide, 67,000 hectares are privately owned.
Last year, the Forestry Department surpassed its 112,000 seedlings production target courtesy of
a two million dollars donation by the NRCA. A total of 180,000 seedlings were produced at the Department’s
Mount Airy and Williamsfield nurseries. The Department has similar expectations for this year’s donation.
The NRCA is one of three former Government agencies which merged in 2001 to form the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA).
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