Forests, Rivers and Mangroves Protection

The watersheds on St. Vincent are threatened by clear cutting forest for farming Unsustainable farming practices such as this, have led to an increase in landslides, which have created floods and loss of life in recent years. Landslides are exacerbated by a lack of management of woodlands -and increased dry biomass-, and urbanization of forest areas.

Our rivers are being polluted by unsustainable farming practices and in particular those that are practised on riverbanks, including livestock farming whereby the runoff pollutes the rivers. Rivers are still being used a garbage receptacles in villages. As the rivers get polluted at villages upstream, the pollution ends up into the sea via the river mouth. The removal of stones from our rivers removes important habitats for river creatures. As such we see a great decline in river species such as river lobster and tri tri.

Mangroves and sand dunes form the basis of our natural sea defences. As mangroves are cut down to make way for development or sand dunes removed in sand mining, coastal communities are put at risk of the rising sea level and storm surges. Sand mining on St. Vincent is a major threat to coastal communities and their ecosystems. The SVGEF will support projects that protect our forests, rivers, mangroves and beach vegetation