PLANS TO preserve the Dunn's River Watershed were discussed by the National Environment & Planning Agency (NEPA) and several other interested organisations recently.
The management committee of the Hills United Development Organisation (HUDO) along with representatives of the Rural Agri-cultural Development Authority (RADA); the Forestry Department; Social Development Commission (SDC); Jamaica Bauxite Mining Ltd; Friends of the Sea (FOTS); Local Initiative for Urban Environment (LIFE) and NEPA met to finalise HUDO's action.
Dunn's River Falls, one of Jamaica's most popular attractions, is neighbour to the communities of Parry Town, Snow Hill and Pimento Walk from which HUDO membership comes. Their upstream activities can affect the quality of the water downstream.
COMMUNITY GROUP FORMED
With this in mind the three communities recently formed the community-based organisation HUDO with the aim of ensuring the sustainable use of the Bogue property (part of the Dunn's River Watershed) as a national watershed, while promoting alternative livelihood activities for community members.
Over the past four years Friends of the Sea, a non-governmental organisation based in Ocho Rios, has been working with these communities with the aim of protecting the water resources.
This latest initiative is a continuation of its work, spearheading major reforestation of the Bogue property. Youths have been trained as junior forest wardens and others have been selected as Community animators for a public environmental awareness programme.
Community animator for NEPA, Onyije Chigozili, will assist with training the local animators.
The proposed projects discussed by HUDO and its partner agencies include craft training and enterprise, bee keeping, organic farming, a nature trail with bird-watching and the upgrading and regulating of Irie Beach.
The activities have a skills training component and will be implemented over
the next two years.
