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Monarch butterfly feeding at the Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust. – Photo courtesy Wildfowl Trust

THE POINTE-A-PIERRE Wildfowl Trust has begun creating butterfly gardens to mitigate the decline of the monarch butterfly, followings its recent designation as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The Switzerland-based IUCN issued a statement on July 21, saying, “The migratory monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus plexippus), known for its spectacular annual journey of up to 4,000 kilometres across the Americas, has entered the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as Endangered, threatened by habitat destruction and climate change.”

Speaking with Newsday, environmental activist and president of the trust Molly Gaskin, said the Wildfowl Trust is in the early stages of creating the gardens, outfitted with food and host plants, with the assistance of students and the south arm of Soroptomists International TT, of which Gaskin is a long-time member. The organisation is also spreading the message to schools, encouraging them to implement gardens to attract not only butterflies but birds also.

Monarch butterfly and a pupa at the Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust. – Photo courtesy Wild Fowl Trust

“Without birds, we wouldn’t have certain fruit trees,” Gaskin said.

“The presence of specific food plants is of primary influence to the presence of butterflies.

The monarch butterfly is generally migrates according to the climate but not in Trinidad, Gaskin said, owing to the country’s ideal weather conditions.

“In Trinidad its migratory instinct is completely lost in the relative uniformity of our climate; it exists here happily.

“A very dry season,” she said, “followed by heavy rain, is good for butterfly breeding and hatching.

“Butterflies thrive, where there is sunshine, warmth and a great abundance of flowering shrubs and trees.”

However, Gaskin is concerned that climate change is a major contributor to their dwindling numbers locally, in addition to the removal of food plants.

“We have everything that they need; the weather, the climate (and) the food so far (but) we are still doing what we’re not supposed to do. We are still cutting down forests, we’re still cutting down plants rather than planting.”

Gaskin noted that common food plants for butterflies in Trinidad include asclepias currassavica (Mexican butterfly weed), common milkweed, butterfly and swamp milkweed, flowers of the cucumber, pumpkin plants and citrus trees (especially orange trees).

She said one does not necessarily need a full or partial garden to make a difference but can do so by placing a few plant pots with these plants outside the house.

“They also suck the juices from rotting oranges, grapefruit, and bananas, (along with) pois doux (padoo) flowers, all the variety of cassia flowers, and all the passifloras, to name a few. “

Gaskin said, In proportion to its size, Trinidad is one of the richest places on earth for butterflies. “Our little country is some 200 times more popular than Brazil which is the world’s largest butterfly hot house,” she said.

Gaskin cited famous TT butterfly collector Malcolm Barcant, who, according to his 1970 publication Butterflies of Trinidad and Tobago, as of 1968, counted 740 species on the two islands (617 in Trinidad, 123 in Tobago) many of which are close to extirpation (local extinction).

She recognised the efforts of Serena Hearn, a fellow environmental activist of the non-governmental organisation Friends of Botanic Gardens of TT, who, along with volunteers, has made considerable progress in attracting butterflies back to the Botanic Gardens. Hearn described it as an “act of repatriation for the butterflies,” in a feature article published by Newsday in June.

The emperor butterfly has indeed been seen in increasing numbers at the Botanic Gardens since the butterfly garden began to flourish.

“I think (the initiative at the Botanic Gardens) is wonderful. but it’s not wide enough. It’s not understood sufficiently and, therefore, education is vital.

“What we are trying to do is spread the education, not just to a handful of people who like (butterflies). This is gone much further than knowledge or liking something; this is at the point where it’s vital that we are aware and can in some way assist.”

She said the efforts to educate the public revolve around the importance of human survival through the preservation of forests, waterways and creatures responsible for fertilisation.

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Tekst en beeld John Zaalman PARAMARIBO — De verdaagde algemene ledenvergadering (alv) van 20 december 2021 van de Surinaamse Volleybalbond

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Organisers of the CanEX Jamaica Business Conference and Expo are now adding the finishing touches to the preparation for the fifth staging of the event which will be hosted at the Montego Bay Convention Centre between September 15 to 17.

CanEx Jamaica Business Conference and Expo is a business-to-business (B2B) conference that returns to Montego Bay after a two-year absence due to COVID-19.

Minister of Agriculture in St Vincent and the Grenadine, Saboto Caesar, who will once again be in attendance at the event, voiced the need to develop a robust cannabis industry in the region.

“CanEx Jamaica continues to blaze the trail and drive the sorts of conversations and connections that we need to develop a strong and vibrant cannabis industry throughout the Caribbean. We are proud to continue to attend and support this important industry platform,” the CanEx release quoted Caesar as saying.

Founder of CanEx, Douglas K Gordon shared that an increased number of regional stakeholders will participate in this year’s staging of the conference which will provide key information on the fledgling industry.

The conference will also feature a wealth of high-profile and powerful speakers, and experts to discuss a wide range of topics across the industry.

Investors, business operators, and entrepreneurs looking to venture into the lucrative cannabis industry will benefit from the participation of high-value networking, discussions and marketing opportunities from international participants at the event.

“We’re excited to see that more islands are moving forward to participate in the legal market to allow their citizens access to this wonderful medicine as well as to empower their citizens to enter and benefit from the growth and development that awaits this industry,” Gordon is quoted as saying in a release from CanEx.

“What a lot of folks still fail to realise is that in terms of the global opportunity and how this can benefit the citizens of the Caribbean directly, we are in the very, very early stages of this industry and for me that is incredibly exciting and invigorating”.

Additionally, a special Marcus Garvey Award has been included in this year’s awards ceremony.

Since its inception in 2016, CanEx has brought together cannabis industry professionals from over 37 countries across North America, the Caribbean, Europe, South and Central America and Africa to discuss the latest advances in the medicinal, health/wellness, legal, regulatory, business and investment landscapes. The event features presentations, panel discussions and exhibitions from experts, policymakers, researchers and business people, and provides a professional platform for knowledge sharing and high-level business networking.

It has hosted more than 250 speakers and 5,000 attendees.

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File photo.

A brother and sister were robbed on Friday while inside the personal Hindu temple at their Arima home.

According to the police, around 10:30 am, Isha Boodoosingh, 60 and Zaman Zhor, 49 of Jokhan Trace, Carapo, Arima were in the temple when four masked men jumped over the wall of their property.

The men, who were said to be about six feet tall and of African descent, pointed guns at the siblings and announced a robbery. They took three Samsung cellphones, $1,500 in cash, as well as Boodoosingh’s TT passport and US Visa.

The men left the compound through the front gate and escaped on foot. Enquires are continuing.

This incident occurred after the Carapo Hindu Temple was robbed in May and June, the first time being desecrated as the thieves cooked corned beef in a pot used to prepare vegetarian meals.

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