Jimmy Carter, former United States President and Nobel Peace Prize Winner birdwatching with Leo Douglas (centre) of the Ridge to Reef Watershed Project and Herlitz Davis (left), technical co-ordinator for the Important Bird Areas Project of Jamaica. - Contributed
ON TUESDAY, October 15, BirdLife Jamaica hosted former United States President and 2002 Nobel Peace Prize recipient Jimmy Carter on an early morning birdwatching expedition into the Blue Mountains. The former President, who is an avid bird watcher and nature-lover, walked along the roadside Montane Cloud Forest between Newcastle and the Hollywell Recreational Park in search of Jamaican birds.
Of particular interest to the President was finding a male Red-billed Streamertail (commonly known as the Doctorbird), the national bird of Jamaica. During his relatively short walk, the President not only saw the Doctorbird, but also observed approximately 30 species of Jamaican birds including 11 endemic species (that is, bird species not found elsewhere on the earth) and two globally threatened species. The President noted that his birdwatch on the island enabled him to add several new birds to his life list of bird species he has observed around the world.
He also expressed particular interest in the conservation of natural forest areas on the island the prospects of initiatives such as the Ridge to Reef Watershed Project, which focus includes the promotion of sustainable environmental practices, to restore degraded areas. The Ridge to Reef Watershed Project (R2RW) is a five-year, US$6 million initiative between the Government of Jamaica and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) addressing the degradation of watersheds in Jamaica. President Carter applauded the efforts of BirdLife Jamaica, the island's only organisation with a specific focus on the study and conservation of the island's bird life, and the University of the West Indies for their work. In addition, he noted his concern that more local people had apparently not yet become interested in the appreciation and conservation of the island's unique natural environment and species.
President Carter was presented with a poster of Jamaica's 30 endemic birds, a copy of the book Birds of Jamaica and an Audio Guide to the Birds of Jamaica by Peter Vogel, president of BirdLife Jamaica. Both of the latter publications were co-authored by Jamaican environmentalist Robert A.L. Sutton who was murdered at his home in Mandeville, on July 22 of this year.
