Forestry, Agriculture and Watershed Management

Forests and other woodlands cover approximately 45 percent of the country, mostly areas of rugged terrain such as the Blue Mountains and the Cockpit Country and dry, hilly uplands of poor soils in the southern, western and northwestern parts of Jamaica. Few large areas of virgin forest exist in Jamaica, and most of the forest or other woodlands are comprised of ruinate or second growth.

There are five main types of forests: the limestone forests of the John Crow Mountains, central and western Jamaica; the predominantly shale forests of the Blue Mountains and Port Royal Mountains; the alluvial and wetland forests of the coastal plains; dry limestone forests in the southern part of Jamaica and, the anthropogenic forests (forest land altered by the action of Man e.g. to create pine plantations).

From a commercial utilization standpoint the forest area is divided into three major types - Natural forest (29%), ruinate forest (63%), and plantations (8%). Commercial forestry is supported only by the natural forest and the plantations (mostly Caribbean Pine), since the ruinate forest is degraded second growth. Much of the forest land is on steep or rugged terrain with little access. Because of inaccessibility, only about 26 percent of the natural forests can contribute to sustained timber production. The prospects for industrial uses of domestic timber for major forest products are minimal. However, the use of mangroves and other species from the high forest for fuelwood and charcoal manufacture has been of considerable effect environmentally, particularly as it relates to watershed degradation. The possibility for further development exists if some areas of ruinate are converted to the production of fuelwood on a commercial basis as the research by the Forest Department has shown. Of necessity, Jamaican forests are multiple-use forests and being so employment and revenue form the forest is important to the national economy. The current thrust of the government is for not only timber trees but fruit trees and other orchard crops to be planted within the forests.

Of the 26 identified Watershed Management Units, 19 have been declared critical, i.e. they have been determined to be very degraded and in need of remedial work to return to an acceptable state of health. Land that should have remained under forest cover has been cleared for other uses, e.g. coffee production, that are not compatible with soil and water conservation. Furthermore, the forest cover has been under serious pressure for the production of yam sticks, charcoal, resort and residential development, timber extraction, grazing and cropping.

One of the most serious aspects of deforestation is the clearing of steep, unstable slopes for cultivation. This is more so, particularly when slash and burn methods are employed, as they sometimes lead to destructive forest fires. The lack of soil and water conservation measures has led to high rates of soil erosion, loss of nutrients, and reduction of water retention capacity in watersheds. Improper road construction and logging operations both legal and illegal, in pine plantations, have also contributed to the problem.

Over the past 40 years successive governments have tried to address unacceptable levels of soil erosion and degradation of watersheds caused primarily by the activities of hillside farmers. The approach to solving the problem has been dominated by physical soil conservation methods, designed to allow the farmer to continue to produce annual crops but with reduced erosion. Despite a number of programs and the expenditure of substantial financial resources, primarily through direct farmer subsidies, little success has been achieved. There is, however, considerable scope for the expansion of agroforestry among hillside farmers since these practices could reduce the rate of erosion and increase overall productivity through the inter-cropping of agricultural crops and woody perennials on the same holding.

The Jamaica National Forestry Action Plan (NFAP) of 1990 listed as priority projects, the introduction of agroforestry systems in the Blue Mountains and land use control in Upper Watersheds. Another project involved watershed management, soil conservation and agroforestry in ten watersheds. The NFAP as a whole has not yet been implemented because of funding constraints. However, it is understood that funding has now been secured from the UNDP for the first step of NFAP implementation, namely, a Country Capacity Project.

Meanwhile, certain parts of the NFAP relevant to watershed management have been addressed by particular agencies. In 1991, the IDB executed a pre-feasibility study of the re-afforestation of six watersheds - Yallahs, Rio Minho, Black River, Cave River, Great River and Rio Grande. Negotiations are now underway for the immediate investment feasibility studies in forestry, agroforestry and infrastructure development in these watersheds, leaving others to undergo pre- feasibility analysis. Also in 1991, the FAO financed a one year project whose purpose, inter alia, was to assist in introducing agroforestry concepts to yam farmers on a community basis. In 1992, CIDA initiated a seven year "Trees for Tomorrow" Project whose purpose was to strengthen the institutional capacity of the Forest Department to plan and implement sustainable forest management and other soil and water conservation measures in a selected watershed (Buff Bay). Phase I of the project is currently being evaluated internally by CIDA before starting Phase II.

Other projects presently at the pre-implementation phase include:

the Northeast Jamaica Watershed/Agroforestry Project funded by the Dutch Government and which includes work in the watersheds of Rio Grande, Swift River, and Spanish River.
the EC funded watershed project in the Yallahs and Morant Watersheds which will involve agroforestry on private lands and re-afforestation on Government lands.

The NRCA, NGOs, and other agencies are presently in the process of formulating programs to heighten people's awareness of the importance and the proper practices to be followed when working in watersheds.

Actions:

The Government is committed to a programme of watershed rehabilitation and will continue to support the implementation of those aspects of the NFAP. This will include those NFAP projects concerned with community fuelwood and reforestation on private lands so as to take the pressure off the forested areas and reverse the trend of watershed degradation. The NRCA will integrate and co-ordinate planning and development of managements plans for watersheds and have the oversight for the major watershed areas through its own Watershed and National Parks System programmes. The NRCA will establish Watershed Management Area Councils to facilitate local inputs into watershed management. The reinvigorated Forestry and Soil Conservation Department will directly manage government owned forest lands, the Water Resources Authority (to be created in 1995) will monitor and regulate the use of surface and under ground water resources in the watersheds. RADA which is responsible for improving cultural practices on farmed lands will continue to foster appropriate inter-agency linkages which will enhance environmentally sound practices in the field within the watersheds.

Government will continue to train hillside farmers to adopt agroforestry systems that are environmentally friendly and economically beneficial to them and will provide support by ensuring that the necessary facilities for agricultural production, such as credit facilities and security of tenure, are readily available.

The new Forestry Act will be completed and the Forest Land Use Policy Green Paper issued in 1994 will be finalised and promulgated in 1995. Government will conduct the necessary feasibility study in order to establish and declare Forest Management Areas on Public and Private lands to facilitate better monitoring and enforcement to prevent deforestation.

Economic Policies for Forestry Management:

In view of the major budgetary requirements for forest resource management, within the next two years, Government will seek to increase stumpage fees levels in line with market rates in an effort to cover a greater share of this budget.

Previous Chapter

Next Chapter - Waste Management