Barbados may be returning fruit trees to the gullies in an effort to focus more on the sustainable use for all the island’s available land space.
Minister of Environment Denis Kellman made this declaration this evening, moments after launching the Sustainable Land Management Project in conjunction with the United Nations Development Programme.
Kellman told the media that along with Ministry of Agriculture and Minister David Estwick, his ministry was looking at ways to increase the island’s fruit stock.
“We also have to increase our fruit stock in Barbados. We are not going to be planting trees for the sake of planting trees, but we will ensure that we will be planting fruit trees, not only for Barbadians but to ensure that the monkeys remain where they should be.
“Over the years we have destroyed all the fruit trees in the gullies and we have not gone back to the gullies to replace them. In this ministry we will be looking at the possibility of utilising that large mass of land that has been ignored over the years,” said Kellman.
He said he believed as well that the gullies were the perfect place for greenhouses and plant nurseries.
“I strongly believe that instead of using lands like these [at Sturges] for plant nurseries that the best place you can use for plant nurseries will be the gullies. The climatic conditions are just suited for them,” he said at the National Heritage Unit at Sturges.
“In the gullies you will find a natural greenhouse where the trees provide the shade, take off the heat and so on. It will be things like those that we will be looking at.” They would also be looking at uses for the controversial Greenland, the minister said too, with suggestions thus far pointing toward a fish farm or a natural park.
“The Ministry of the Environment along with the Ministry of Agriculture, we are discussing it and that we will find a positive role for it and that is as you know is already in the Scotland District and we have no intention of damaging the environment. Further from damaging the environment, we will ensure that we protect the environment.
“Some time ago when we visited Greenland I suggested that the best use for it was a fish farm but I can assure you that there are many other ideas that we are tossing around within the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture. For example, it is in a natural park, so it can easily be a park,” he said adding that the suggestions would be revisited.
“It is something that we will have to go back to, but I can assure you that Greenland will not be a waste. We will find a solution to it and one that everyone will be happy about.” (LB) (Barbados Today)
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