Pool illegal loggers denounced

Barbadians were chided for illegal logging of legally protected trees as the Minister of the Environment and National Beautification Adrian Forde discovered the removal of a dozen trees from one of the island’s few remaining woods.

Forde warned the offenders could land before the law courts as he unveiled the community-focused Clean on Green Programme at Pool, St John, which intends to create a recreational area from the mahogany wood there.

Forde, who announced the start of the project for residents, said he was dismayed to find that people had been illegally removing protected mahogany trees from Pool wood for profit.

Under Barbadian law, trees with a circumference exceeding one metre are deemed protected mature trees, which cannot be logged without a government permit.

Forde condemned the apparent removal of 12 trees from the wood and declared that Government will not stand for a practice that threatens to displace natural habitats.

“This is something that we are denouncing as a Government; we are certainly appalled today to come and find that all of these trees, the mahogany tree, an indigenous tree that is about 250 years old, has been destroyed because of the flippant and wanton behaviour of some Barbadians,” Forde said.

St John MP Charles Griffith, Minister in the Ministry of  Ministry of Transport, Works and Water Resources also mirrored Forde’s disgust, saying that the offenders are ruining the site, which Government has already greenlit plans to turn into a recreational area for the parish.

He declared: “I am deeply disturbed about the level of trees that are being cut here at Pool [Land]. It is evident that this is from someone outside of the constituency who is using these woods for financial gain. We are now trying to ensure that this park is up and running.

“For years we had a situation where this was just bush; now that it is being cleaned, persons are taking the opportunity to come to the area, to cut fully grown mahogany trees, adult mahogany trees. I am fully concerned, because if it continues at the pace that we are seeing, then it is going to make all of this [work] meaningless.

“So I want to send a message to those persons who are cutting the trees in Pool, to desist from doing that…If we find that particular individual or individuals, we will pursue them to the full extent of the law.”  (SB)