• About Us & Our Partners
  • Media Gallery
  • Contact Us
Thursday, March 4, 2021
No Result
View All Result
JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER
Cari-Bois Environmental News Network
23 °c
Port of Spain
  • Home
  • Agriculture
  • Pollution
  • Climate Change
  • Mining
  • Oil & Gas
  • Forestry
  • Fishing
  • Wildlife
  • Governance
  • Home
  • Agriculture
  • Pollution
  • Climate Change
  • Mining
  • Oil & Gas
  • Forestry
  • Fishing
  • Wildlife
  • Governance
No Result
View All Result
Cari-Bois Environmental News Network
No Result
View All Result
Home Industry Forestry

Vandals Torch 110-Year-Old Tree In Botanic Gardens

Local NGO accuses "young vandals" of torching the tree

by Zico Cozier
October 30, 2020
in Forestry, North-West Trinidad, Wildlife
1
Vandals Torch 110-Year-Old Tree In Botanic Gardens
0
SHARES
6.3k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on LinkedInShare on Whatsapp

A 110-year-old Eucalyptus tree in the Royal Botanic Gardens died and had to be removed after suffering an arson attack on October 22. Local NGO, Friends of Botanic Gardens of Trinidad and Tobago (FOBG), blamed the incident on “young vandals” and described it as “sad news”. The update came via two posts to their social media pages today.

Initially, the group posted two photographs to their Facebook page showing the destruction of the beloved tree which they say was planted around the year 1910. In these photographs, smoke can be seen billowing upwards from the charred tree trunk as two firemen attempt to out the flame.

Photographs taken by Friends of Botanic Gardens of Trinidad and Tobago (FOBG) of attempt to save Eucalyptus tree

Four hours after the first post went viral, FFOB updated the public once again letting them know that the centenarian tree did not survive. They posted photographs showing the tree being excavated from its spot towards the perimeter of the Garden, just opposite the Queen’s Park Savannah in Port of Spain.

Photographs taken by FOBG of 110-year-old Eucalyptus being excavated

“Eucalyptus tereticornis” which is the scientific name for the species, is a fast-growing, evergreen tree that is native to eastern Australia and southern New Guinea. Its leaves are also known to produce a volatile highly combustible oil, which may have contributed to the effectiveness of the arson attack.

In an interview with Cari-Bois News earlier this year, Patricia McGaw, a founding member of FOBG, spoke of how the Royal Botanic Gardens came to acquire such a diverse collection of plants over its two century’s of existence.

“The Superintendents in charge of the Gardens were botanists and gardeners. They travelled all over Trinidad on horseback collecting plants,” she said. 

She also explained that they visited other West Indian islands and Central and South America to collect and exchange plant material and information – as the centre also engages in research and development of agricultural crops.

The eucalyptus tree stood five metres from the entrance guard booth and was also very near to the President’s House raising questions about national security.

Tags: arson trinidadbotanic gardens trinidadenvironmental threats trinidadeucalyptus trinidad
Zico Cozier

Zico Cozier

Communications Specialist at the Cropper Foundation

Next Post
Nabarima Confusion Highlights Importance Of Transparency And Public Participation

Nabarima Confusion Highlights Importance Of Transparency And Public Participation

Explore by Location

  • Nationwide
  • North-West Trinidad
  • North-East Trinidad
  • Central Trinidad
  • South-West Trinidad
  • South-East Trinidad
  • East Trinidad
  • Tobago
Facebook Twitter Youtube RSS

About Us

Cari Bois is a national community that brings together communities, activists, academics, scientists and journalists, to tell their own stories around the environmental impact of the extractive sector in Trinidad and Tobago, and wider irresponsible development.

Article Categories

  • Agriculture
  • Central Trinidad
  • Climate Change
  • East Trinidad
  • Fishing
  • Forestry
  • Industry
  • Mining
  • National
  • North-East Trinidad
  • North-West Trinidad
  • Oil & Gas
  • Policy & Governance
  • Pollution
  • South-West Trinidad
  • Tobago
  • Trinidad
  • Wildlife
  • World
Cari-Bois Environmental News Network

The Cari-Bois National Environmental News Network is supported by the European Union (EU). Click here to Read More.

© 2020 Caribois Environmental News Network. All Rights Reserved.
The contents of this website are the sole responsibility of the project partners and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Explore by Industry
    • Agriculture
    • Climate Change
    • Fishing
    • Forestry
    • Mining
    • Oil & Gas
    • Policy & Governance
    • Pollution
    • Wildlife
  • Explore by Location
    • North-West Trinidad
    • North-East Trinidad
    • East Trinidad
    • Central Trinidad
    • South-East Trinidad
    • South-West Trinidad
    • Tobago
  • Media Gallery
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

© 2020 Caribois Environmental News Network. All Rights Reserved.
The contents of this website are the sole responsibility of the project partners and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.