Wild Tobago

As we explore our islands’ natural spaces, Anjani Ganase poses a challenge to all explorers, groups and families, and individuals who hike.   When visiting natural spaces, it is essential to understand that we are visiting the homes of wildlife, the plants, animals, insects and microbial communities that occur in a stable cohesion. Furthermore, natural spaces are beneficial to us through the provision of healthy food resources and waterways, as well as benefits to our mental and physical health. Therefore, caring for natural spaces means minimising the presence of human influence and impact as much as possible. This sounds simple enough, yet there are many ways in which we unknowingly leave our mark. Hiking and trekking have become increasingly popular in Trinidad and Tobago, especially after the COVID pandemic that encouraged citizens to explore and appreciate their native beauty. However, with the growing popularity, we must consciously monitor any degradat...

Dr Anjani Ganase looks at some of the latest marine and climate science research.     The World Meteorological Office reported a seven-fold increase in extreme events since 1970s. While some of the increase is associated with better reporting mechanisms and population expansion, climate change is a major driver. Given the projected increase in extreme climate events, researchers from New Zealand have assessed the global cost of extreme events attributed to climate change over the last twenty years. Assessments pertaining to the US alone estimated a cost of $260. 8 billion in economic damages related to climate change, which roughly made up 53 % of the total cost. Most of the cost was associated with storm damage (64 %), followed by heat waves (16 %), then flood (10 %) and drought (10 %), wildfires (2 %) and cold events (2 %).   Over the last twenty years, the extreme events that cost the most in the US were the storm events of 2005 – Katrina, ...

Anjani Ganase visits the immigration island through which many entered Trinidad, and reflects on the importance of knowing what was there   I see the Five Islands on the way to work every day, even cruise past them by boat or kayak on occasion. I’ve always viewed these islands as abandoned     or uninhabited. I had the opportunity to change my mind when the National Trust invited me to tour Nelson Island and learn about its place in our history. Nelson Island is a National Heritage Site, one of the group known as the Five Islands, all under the jurisdiction of the National Trust. The Trust carried out refurbishments of the buildings and outfitted the island to hold educational tours, or as a site for exhibitions and workshops.   We gathered at the Port of Spain water taxi terminal and were escorted onboard, about 100 passengers. The island is tiny - roughly 150 m in length – yet spacious enough for exploration in comfort. The island is also elusive as neither...

Dr Anjani Ganase considers the planetary boundaries that allow human expansion, civilisation and existence.   Last year, I reported on the planetary boundaries that should not be exceeded for human civilisation to continue in the way we’ve known. The last report was produced in 2015, and this year the results have been updated with new information collected over the last eight years. The latest study highlights nine planetary boundaries, six of which are currently being transgressed . All nine components must occur within safe operating zones for humanity.   Here is what you need to know:   All planetary boundaries refer to conditions that have significance for the environment that supports human wellbeing. Three main zones have been defined: zone of safe operation, zone of increasing risk, and zone of high risk. The latter two zones indicate conditions that exceed the planetary boundary. The planetary boundary has a baseline of the Holocene...