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Contributors to the documentary Plight of the Ibis are urging authorities to put conservation plans into practice, warning that protecting Trinidad and Tobago’s national bird requires action to safeguard its wetland habitat. At the film’s launch, researchers and conservation advocates called for implementation of an existing Ibis Management Plan, renewed attention to wetlands policy and resources for the agencies responsible for conservation, according to TTT. Writer and producer Gideon Hanoomansingh said he wanted the documentary shown in schools and communities across the country. His message was that admiration for the Scarlet Ibis should be accompanied by recognition of the pressures facing its environment. During a panel discussion, researcher Dr Ryan Mohammed described salt water entering freshwater areas where juvenile ibises feed. He said an Ibis Management Plan had already been prepared and reviewed, but had yet to be implemented. His appeal centred on following through on work already undertaken rather than beginning the planning process again. Fellow researcher Dr Rahanna Juman called for the Wetlands Committee to be reappointed and the policy updated. She also stressed that agencies with responsibility for implementation, including the Forestry Division, needed resources to carry out that work. Attorney-at-law and philanthropist Wendy Fitzwilliam brought a personal perspective to the discussion. She said visits to the Caroni Swamp with her son had strengthened her appreciation of its ecosystem, and encouraged people who had never visited to experience it themselves. Graeme Suite, chief executive officer of the National Trust of Trinidad and Tobago, framed conservation as a responsibility owed to future generations. He urged citizens to take an active role in protecting the natural heritage entrusted to them. Hanoomansingh hopes to secure funding to bring the documentary’s message to audiences beyond the launch. The contributors’ central appeal was for that message to lead to practical protection: implementing the management work already prepared and supporting those responsible for carrying it out.
Contributors to the documentary Plight of the Ibis are urging authorities to put conservation plans into practice, warning that protecting Trinidad and Tobago’s national bird requires action to safeguard its wetland habitat. At the film’s launch, researchers and conservation advocates called for implementation of an existing Ibis Management Plan, renewed attention to wetlands policy and resources for the agencies responsible for conservation, according to TTT. Writer and producer Gideon Hanoomansingh said he wanted the documentary shown in schools and communities across the country. His message was that admiration for the Scarlet Ibis should be accompanied by recognition of the pressures facing its environment. During a panel discussion, researcher Dr Ryan Mohammed described salt water entering freshwater areas where juvenile ibises feed. He said an Ibis Management Plan had already been prepared and reviewed, but had yet to be implemented. His appeal centred on following through on work already undertaken rather than beginning the planning process again. Fellow researcher Dr Rahanna Juman called for the Wetlands Committee to be reappointed and the policy updated. She also stressed that agencies with responsibility for implementation, including the Forestry Division, needed resources to carry out that work. Attorney-at-law and philanthropist Wendy Fitzwilliam brought a personal perspective to the discussion. She said visits to the Caroni Swamp with her son had strengthened her appreciation of its ecosystem, and encouraged people who had never visited to experience it themselves. Graeme Suite, chief executive officer of the National Trust of Trinidad and Tobago, framed conservation as a responsibility owed to future generations. He urged citizens to take an active role in protecting the natural heritage entrusted to them. Hanoomansingh hopes to secure funding to bring the documentary’s message to audiences beyond the launch. The contributors’ central appeal was for that message to lead to practical protection: implementing the management work already prepared and supporting those responsible for carrying it out.
News Desk is the editorial publishing account for Tringlobe Media News, covering breaking news, public affairs, entertainment, community developments and regional stories across Trinidad and Tobago, the Caribbean and internationally.
