Akilah Jaramogi began the multi- award winning Fondes Amandes Community Re- Forestation Project ( FACRP) with her late husband Tacuma in 1982 . The project is located 750ft up Trinidad's Northern Range Mountains, on the outskirts of Port of Spain. Since its inception, over 17,000 trees have been planted on the steep hillsides, interspersed with organic crops. Previously only bamboo stands and razor grass grow in this terrain. Jaramogi says such a harsh environment had been routinely ravaged by bushfi res and the FACRP was started as a response. " We wanted to halt the degradation of the St Ann's Watershed ( where the Fondes Amandes is located) through agro- forestry activities such as: tree planting; cutting fi re traces, developing proper drainage and terracing, and the introduction of hillside farming, intercropping with fruit and hardwood trees." The project, which began on 15 acres of WASA ( Water and Sewerage Authority) land now protects more than 115, and is looking to expand further still towards the degraded ridge of Chancellor Hill. It has now been over a decade since the last forest fi re. " It's also about community empowerment; empowering people back into indigenous agriculture," explains Jaramogi, " and to show what can be achieved when communities take responsibility for their own watersheds. " Through living in balance with our watershed in this way, we are protecting its bio- diversity and simultaneously creating employment opportunities within the community." The FACRP employs 36 local community members with occupations such as organic gardening/ permaculture; running a tree nursery; aquaculture; eco- tourism; tree planting; recycling/ composting, and craft and cottage industries. " We focus on wise land- use practice, creating sustainable livelihoods, making use of our natural environment and the impact of people on the environment. Be it positive or negative, we are all connected to the environment," adds Jaramogi. ? Visit www. facrp. org CONSERVATION AKILAH JARAMOGI 2 Akilah Jaramogi Community Re- Forestation Project AKILAH JARAMOGI 36 ZiNG July - September 2009

July - September 2009 ZiNG 37 Zach Norman is battling to save one of nature's true giants. The Arapaima is the world's largest freshwater scaled fish, reaching lengths of up to 3m ( 10ft) and weights of 200kg ( 440lbs). Overfishing, however, has left Guyana's Arapaima population at perilously low levels. Norman, 40, is Arapaima Fisheries project manager at the Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development, in North Rupununi, Guyana. He took part in the first surveys of this freshwater leviathan, in 2001, which estimated local numbers at around 400. Norman, a Makushi Amerindian, understands the economic importance of the Arapiama to this impoverished region but also the need to promote sustainable practices to ensure its survival. " In 2001, in partnership with the North Rupununi District Development Board, we began a programme that would allow the Arapaima population to recover while local fishermen continued harvesting. " The Management Plan organises local fishermen into Fisheries Committees responsible for counting the Arapaima every year. After the annual surveys, a quota is 3 Zach Norman Arapaima Fisheries Project determined and 20 per cent of the adult population, of fish more than 1.5 metres, can be harvested. This harvest is then shared among the 16 communities. Fishing is only permitted between December and February and we do not allow harvesting of breeding adults," says the trained Forest Ranger. The plan is based on a Brazilian project by the Mamirauá Institute which, following the quota system, increased its Arapaima population by 300 per cent in three years and simultaneously doubled fishermen's profits through selective marketing. Despite the fact that, ironically, the demand for this fish from Guyana comes from Brazil, Norman says the Iwokrama plan is showing similarly stunning results. " From just over 400 fish in 2001, a recently concluded survey revealed there are now more than 3000. And very few people are still engaged in illegal harvesting," he adds. Norman continues to conduct community education outreach and heads regular river patrols to catch anybody fishing illegally. The father- of- four patently loves his job. " I love everything I do, especially being in the field counting the Arapaima. I will continue working as long as I am healthy." l Visit www. iwokrama. org The Iwokrama plan is showing stunning results: from just over 400 fish in 2001, a recently concluded survey revealed there are now more than 3,000. And very few people are still engaged in illegal harvesting Cynthia Watson ll