1) The parrot population in St. Lucia has increased to between 1500-2500 individuals, classified now as vulnerable instead of endangered. A new population estimation method was used. 2) The parrot's range has expanded due to the increased population to areas not seen in decades. 3) A forest resource inventory project commenced in January 2009 to assess the northern range forest ecosystem and collect data to recommend sustainable management practices. To date, several areas have been sampled with work ongoing.

1. D E PA RT M E N T O F F O R E S T RY APRIL/MAY 09
E N V I RO N M E N TA L E D U C A T I O N U N I T BU L L E T I N
What’s been going on ?
Southern Career Showcase
Expo
The Parrot Project
Many secondary school students
especially from the south of the island
had the opportunity to visit a The parrot project which ran from late January to early March has
wonderful career showcase from the 28 ended and here are the preliminaries as we know it:
th to the 30th of April 2009. • The parrot population is now estimated to be between 1500 to
2500 individuals and is now classified as “vulnerable” instead of
Its theme being “Career Opportunities
Broaden Horizons” aimed to guide
“endangered” by the IUCN. Great news!!!
students not only with their subject
choices but also their future career • A new and better method of estimating parrot population called
choices and the requirements for their “Distance Sampling” was used. Method piloted in 2007.
success. Present were many private • Without a doubt the increase in the parrot’s population has re-
business houses, the clergy among them
as well as governmental agencies and sulted in the expansion of its range to areas where they were not
departments including yours truly, seen over the last 20 years and decades of intense conservation
forestry department and her other programmes. Keep up the good work everyone !
agricultural counterparts.
Happily explaining, and answering
students questions on careers in forestry
World Earth Day The global theme for this year’s
were Ms. Sylvie Raymond, Mrs. earth day is ‘The Green Genera-
Magdalene Marcelin and myself Ms. tion’. St. Lucia adopted the theme
Nicole La Force. How wonderful to
guide our future leaders. “Greening Fair Helen” and though we
did not do anything in particular for it’s
commemorative date of April 22 nd, it is
FOREST INVENTORY not too late. Greening Fair Helen is a
• The Forest resource inventory project com- task that will be on going, so let’s col-
menced in January 2009 in the Northern
Range. laborate, cooperate and participate to-
• The purpose of the inventory is to assess the wards that end.
status of the forest ecosystem in terms of bio-
diversity, quality, quantity and distribution of Anyway, The National Trust had a lovely
tree species and yield and volume of timber programme where our very own Mr.
and non-timber resources.
• The data collected will be used to recommend Michael Bobb delivered the feature ad-
proper silvicultural practices and improved dress at the Soley kouché with the gov-
sustainable management and development of ernor general planting a latanye. We
forest resources.
• To date the Castries, Waterworks, Dennery are going to share some pics with you,
waterworks and Dennery ridge have been so enjoy!!
sampled. Work is on going in the Central For-
est Reserve B. Fact: Did you know that World Earth
Let’s applaud Prospere, Adams and their team, for Day was founded by an American sena-
it was grueling work !
Done by: Nicole La Force.
Phone: 468-5648/5 Thanks Ms. Sylvie, Alwin and Prospere
E-mail your suggestions/ ideas to: for the information.
eeunit@gmail.com