The Public Entity Saba is carrying out a reforestation project in order to restore and conserve Saba’s unique habitats and the diverse biodiversity found therein and to develop local food production. This project is part of the PES’s plan of action to realize the strategic goals and targets as set forth in the Caribbean Netherlands Nature and Environment Policy Plan 2020 — 2030 (NEPP). Moreover, it is a measure to mitigate the effects of climate change and prepare Saba and its people for the future.

Trees play an important role in the functioning of healthy ecosystems, the prevention of erosion, retention of soil moisture, the mitigation of the effects of climate change by storing carbon dioxide and cooling of built-up areas and are a source of food. 5,000 trees will be planted for this purpose throughout various parts of the island. Of the 5,000 trees, a portion will be fruit trees. These will be used to develop what are called food forests (a form of agroforestry).

The Public Entity Saba is, therefore, asking members of the community who have land and who would like to be involved in reforesting their land and support this project to contact its project manager. Some criteria to be met are that trees are not already growing (in large numbers) on the land, the land is accessible and no activities that would lead to the cutting down of the planted trees are expected to take place in at least the next 15 years.

For more information, please contact project manager Justin Simmons at justin.simmons@sabagov.nl.

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