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Sunday, December 8, 2024
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View Article
Cantarra Cooper posted on August 25, 2015 14:44
Ministry of Agriculture,
Lands, Forestry and Fisheries
Forestry Department
Millet Range
Status report on Wildfire Impact in the Millet in 2010
Date June 7 2010
By Aloysius Charles: Forest officer
Background
Isaac
(2004) documented the irregular patterns in the occurrence of wildfires in St.
Lucia. There was an initial increase in
the number of wildfires from 2000 to 2003 with 262, 427, 444, 595. In 2004 there were only 84 wildfires.
The
year 2010 registered an unprecedented drought period and an increased number of
wildfires
island-wide. A report from the Corporate Unit in the
Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Forestry and Fisheries detailed the downward
trend in the average monthly rainfall from July 2009 to February 2010. There was a percentage reduction of 6, 33,
61, 67, 48, 53, 78 and 96 from July 09 to February 2010.
This
document serves to provide baseline data on the number of wildfires, the
acreage of area burnt and the wildlife present- including fauna and flora.
Objectives
1.
To
assess areas affected by wildfires in the Millet Range in terms of their
location, the acreage burnt and the
relative presence and absence of fauna.
2.
To
develop recommendations to rehabilitate sites affected and or to reduce the
risks of wildfires in the future.
Methodology
1.
Wildfire
affected areas were geo
referenced using a GPS in Anse La Raye,
Venus, and Canaries. In areas where
access was a constraint, a GPS position, a bearing and an estimated distance to
the site was recorded. The size of the
area burnt was estimated. Inventories of plant and
wild life populations were also done.
2.
The data on the species richness was then analyzed for locations
in two (2) tables of absence and presence for plants and other wildlife, and
analyses were done of the relative abundance of species per location.
3.
The data on acreage was then sorted from largest to smallest
according to location and analyses were done the total acreage burnt and the
relative number of burns per location.
Figure 1
Map Showing Affected Areas
Results
Table 1 details the extent of and
the total area that was burnt in the Millet range. There was a total of 10.9 hectares (25.9
acres).Canaries was most affected with a total area of 5 hectares (12.4 acres). In general the other areas affected were
smaller patches of land between 0.5 and 2.5 hectares.
Most of the fires in Canaries were
on gentle sloping lands, (less than 10 percent) and appeared to be of an
agricultural nature. The wildfires either
on the roadside may have been set by farmers using the slash and burn method to
clear land for planting, or may have
been set by lit cigarette buts, foreign objects in the dry grass, or intentionally
set by pedestrians. Notable in all the locations were the presence of species
like Bamboo, Razor Grass and Heliconia Leucaena, Gliricida and Coconut trees-
species (see Table 3) of high calorific content and by the foliar structure
made spread of wildfires more probable especially as they were dry during the prolonged dry
season.
Canaries was also one of the sites
that recorded a relatively high number of plant counts 47 (see Table 2) and 18
counts for wildlife (see Table 4).
Venus, located in close proximity
to the Forest Reserve recorded the highest number of counts of plants- 61 (see
Table 2) and the highest number of counts of fauna (see table 4).
There were also wildfires in
Millet near Parc Estate that were reported to be of an initial agricultural
origin that went out of control.
There were fewer wildfires in the
Vanard area. This area is general highly
populated and is used for agriculture and housing.
Most of the wildfires in the Anse
La Raye area were near the road side.
From the point of view of
biodiversity of ecological importance for conservation, three (3) endemic
species of fauna were identified in this study:
the St. Lucian Oriole, the St. Lucian Parrot and the St. Lucian
Warbler. The St. Lucian Parrot was
identified in Millet and Venus. The St.
Lucian Oriole was only identified in Millet.
The St. Lucian Warbler was identified in Canaries, Millet and in Venus.
Table 1 Total Area Burnt by Wildfires
Location
|
Acreage (acres)
|
Area (hectares)
|
Vanard
|
1.26
|
0.5
|
Venus
|
4.19
|
1.7
|
Millet
|
6.25
|
2.5
|
Canaries
|
12.4
|
5.0
|
Anse La Raye
|
1.82
|
0.7
|
|
25.9
|
10.5
|
Table 2 Abundance of Plants
Location
|
Counts
of Plants
|
Anse La Raye
|
24
|
Canaries
|
47
|
Millet
|
10
|
Venus
|
61
|
Vanard
|
6
|
Table 4 Abundance of Fauna
Location
|
Counts
of Fauna
|
Anse
La Raye
|
14
|
Canaries
|
18
|
Millet
|
19
|
Vanard
|
5
|
Venus
|
36
|
Table 3 Total Number and Diversity of most abundant Plants
Species
|
Number of Counts
|
Aralie
|
4
|
Cashew
|
4
|
Kakolie
|
4
|
Bwa Canon
|
5
|
Leucaena
|
5
|
Ti Bom
|
5
|
Gommier Maudit
|
6
|
Gliricida
|
6
|
Sip
|
6
|
Bwa Blan
|
7
|
Bamboo
|
7
|
White Cedar
|
9
|
Coconut
|
11
|
Mango
|
12
|
Table 5 Total Number and Diversity of most Abundant Fauna
Species
|
Number
of Counts
|
St. Lucian Oreole
|
2
|
St. Lucian Warbler
|
4
|
St. Lucian Parrot
|
4
|
Scaly Breasted Thrasher
|
6
|
Carib Grackle
|
10
|
Lesser Antillean Bullfinch
|
11
|
Lesser Antillean Saltator
|
13
|
Banana Quit
|
21
|
Conclusion
·
The
total area burnt was approximately 10 hectares.
Most of the wildfires were in Canaries with 5 hectares, followed by
Millet with 2.5 hectares, Venus with 1.7 hectares, Anse La Raye with 0.7
hectares and Vanard with 0.5 hectares.
·
Venus
was the site with the highest number of counts of plants and fauna: 61 and 36
respectively. Canaries recorded 47
counts of plants and 18 of fauna, Anse La Raye 24 of plants and 14 of fauna,
Millet 10 plants and 19 of fauna, and Vanard with 6 counts of plants and 5 of
fauna.
·
Three
endemic faunal species were present in the site inventoried. They were: the St. Lucian Parrot, the St.
Lucian Oriole and the St. Lucian Warbler.
Native plant species that inventoried were Bwa Blan, Lowye Mabre, Dalmarie, Bwa Canon, Bwa Bleu,
Mahoe Cochon, Aralie, Bay Leaf and White Cedar and Kakoli, Sip, Savonette, Bwa
Damand, Bwa Tan Si and Sip.
·
The
causes of the wildfires are uncertain.
There were many plausible causes of the wildfires included: being set by farmers using the slash and
burn method to clear land for planting, or may have been set by lit cigarette
buts, foreign objects in the dry grass, or intentionally set by
pedestrians. In most cases especially in
the Venus and Canaries areas these wildfires went out of control where the initial
purpose of the fire was for agricultural purposes.
·
The
prolonged drought caused the increased probability and incidence of
wildfires. The intensity and spread of
wildfires was enhanced with the presence of plant species with high calorific
content including: Leucaena, Gliricida, Razor grass and Bamboo.
Recommendations
1.
Some
of these parcels are on a gentle slope and would be good for grazing before the
onset of the dry season. This would help keep the brush under control therefore
lessening the amount of material that will fuel fires in the dry season. This venture should be undertaken in
collaboration with the Extension Division and private land owners and farmers.
2.
Pruning
of branches and trees before the onset of the dry season. Establishment of wildfire traces in areas
prone to or where prescribed burnings will be carried out.
3.
Reforestation
using the existing local species including: Bwa Blan, Lowye Mabre, Dalmarie, Bwa Canon, Bwa Bleu,
Mahoe Cochon, Aralie, Bay Leaf and White Cedar and Kakoli, Sip, Savonette, Bwa
Damand, Bwa Tan Si and Sip.
4.
5.
Fat
poke can be used for terracing on some of the steeper areas as it has proven to
be very good as a fire retardant and also recovers very well after a fire.
6.
Forest
officers should also be trained in the suppression of fires and there should be
increased patrols around the hot spots where fires are being set.
7.
Education
programs should be developed especially in Canaries and Venus with private land
owners as the Forestry Department does not manage lands in these areas. There should be collaboration with the Fire
Department, the National Emergency Management Organization ( NEMO), the
Extension Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Forestry and
Fisheries and the Schools.
8.
The
dynamics in the populations of the 3 endemic species should be monitored in
Venus, Millet and Canaries. Fruit trees
such as Kakoli should be part of reforestation programs in the mentioned areas
that were burnt.
Appendix
Table
1 Summary of Data on the Flora, Fauna and Use
and Extent of Wildfires that Occurred in the Millet Range
DATE
|
WAY-POINT
|
FLORA
|
FAUNA
|
VEGETATION
|
EXTENT
|
REMARKS
|
28/4/2010
|
N. 1356.610
|
grapefruit, oranges, breadfruit
|
Banana Quit, Grackles
|
AGRICULTURE
|
1 acre
|
about 150 feet from the Sarrot river
|
|
W. 060.59.495
|
coconut, Roseau
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
28/4/2010
|
N.1356.597
|
bois canon, guava, low shrubs
|
King bird, Banana Quit,
|
AGRICULTURE
|
1 acre
|
alongside road
|
|
W. 060 59.569
|
and grass, mango
|
Grackles
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3/5/2010
|
N. 1354.942
|
Palms, blue mahoe,
|
Banana Quit, Bullfinch, Ramier,
|
|
0.25 acres
|
secondary forest growing venus estate
|
|
W. 06100.273
|
mango bwa blan
|
St. Lucian Warbler, Saltator
|
|
|
ferns re-generating along road-side
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3/5/2010
|
N. 1354.941
|
SAME AS ABOVE
|
SAME AS ABOVE
|
|
0.01 acres
|
ferns re-growing
|
|
W. 06100.603
|
SAME AS ABOVE
|
SAME AS ABOVE
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3/5/2010
|
N. 1354.967
|
mabre, dal marie,
bois blan
|
Thrashers, Banana Quits
|
|
0.35 acres
|
razor grass might have fuelled fire
|
|
W. 06100.624
|
bois canon, mahoe cachon,
|
|
|
|
Secondary Tropical Forest
|
|
|
coconut palms
|
|
|
|
|
3/5/2010
|
N. 1354.974
|
bois blea, dedefounden, bois
|
Banana Quits,
Saltator, Bullfinch
|
|
0.01 acre
|
lots of razor grass
|
|
W. 06100.675
|
blan, coconut, garlic
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3/5/2010
|
N. 1354.982
|
coconut, mango, powye, bois
|
Banana Quit, Bullfinch
|
|
0.02 acres
|
razor grass and ferns
|
|
W. 06100.703
|
blan, bay leaf, mahoe cochon
|
|
|
|
could have facilitated fire
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3/5/2010
|
N. 1354.986
|
|
Parrots, Gracklers, Humming
|
|
0.15 acres
|
Secondary Forest
|
|
W. 06100.723
|
|
birds, Banana Quit, Bullfinch
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3/5/2010
|
N. 1354.989
|
coconut, ferns, powye,
|
Grackles, Humming birds,
|
|
0.15 acres
|
Secondary Forest
|
|
W. 06100.753
|
bois blan
|
Banana
Quit, Bullfinch
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3/5/2010
|
N. 1354.337
|
gommier, maudit, bamboo,
|
Saltator,
Elaenia
|
|
1.5 acres
|
callapo maconoides - regenerate
|
|
W. 06103.716
|
powye, lucaena
|
|
|
|
pangola grass regenerating
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3/5/2010
|
N. 1354.303
|
bamboo, glory cedar, Campeche
|
Saltator,
Warbler
|
|
0.5 acres
|
regeneration- tetneg, sensitive plant
|
|
W. 06103.659
|
lucaena powye, tibom
|
Butterflies
|
|
|
high regen of yellow flowered plant
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3/5/2010
|
N. 1354.625
|
powye, campache, gommier,
|
Saltator,
Bullfinch, Banana
|
|
4 acres
|
dry scrub forest around digicel satellite
|
|
W. 06103.865
|
maudit, Ti bon
|
Quit, Grackle
|
|
|
receiver high pangola regen
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3/5/2010
|
N. 1354.402
|
gommier maudit, lucaena,
|
|
|
0.75 acres
|
regenate
pangola sensitive plant
|
|
W. 06103.553
|
bamboo, mango
|
|
|
|
high lucaena regenated
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3/5/2010
|
N.1354.497
|
gommier maudit, glory
|
|
|
0.25 acres
|
Secondary Dry Forest
|
|
W. 06103.464
|
cedar, ti bom, cashew
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3/5/2010
|
N. 1354.589
|
glory cedar, flamboyant,
|
Zenaida Dove, Elaenia
|
|
0.15 acres
|
regenarating
calapo, tet neg
|
|
W. 06103.502
|
ti bom, gommier, maudit
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3/5/2010
|
N. 1354.681
|
|
|
|
1.2 acres
|
150 degrees north
|
|
W. 06103.397
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3/5/2010
|
N. 1355.180
|
bois l'homme, bread fruit,
|
Lesser Antillean Fly Catcher
|
|
0.20 acres
|
on a steep slope about 25 degrees
|
|
W. 06100.856
|
kakolie
|
|
|
|
heliconia leaves might have fuelled fire,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
established forest
|
3/5/2010
|
N. 1355.191
|
mango, marbre, sip
|
Banana Quit, Saltator, Ramier
|
|
0.35 acres
|
secondary forest on a steep slope
|
|
W. 06101.016
|
savonnette,
bois tan
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3/5/2010
|
N. 1355.165
|
garlic, bois canon, wild
|
Saltator,
Banana Quit, Vircos
|
|
1.25 acres
|
very steep slope on either side of the
|
|
W. 06101.112
|
anthurium, bamboo, kakolie,
|
Butterflies, Thrashers
|
|
|
road was burnt
|
|
|
sip
|
|
|
|
|
3/5/2010
|
N. 1355.738
|
SAME AS ABOVE
|
SAME AS ABOVE
|
|
|
Minor Fire
|
|
W. 06101.673
|
SAME AS ABOVE
|
SAME AS ABOVE
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3/5/2010
|
N. 1355.731
|
SAME AS ABOVE
|
SAME AS ABOVE
|
|
|
Minor Fire
|
|
W. 06101.712
|
SAME AS ABOVE
|
SAME AS ABOVE
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3/5/2010
|
N. 1355.789
|
sip, hog plum, glory cedar,
|
Banana Uuit, Grackle,
|
|
0.1
|
10 meters east of the
|
|
W. 06101.873
|
mango, coconut
|
Saltator
|
|
|
Anse La-Raye river
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3/5/2010
|
N. 1354.884
|
powye, strangler fig,
|
Birds
|
|
4 acres
|
60 degrees north of G.P.S. point
|
|
W. 06103.258
|
gommier, maudit
|
|
|
|
about 6 parcels
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3/5/2010
|
N. 1354.983
|
strangler fig, glory cedar,
|
Thrashers, Banana Quit
|
|
0.5 acres
|
very steep slope on the edge of the
|
|
W. 06102.590
|
lian duce,
powye, gommier
|
|
|
|
highway 62 degrees north
|
|
|
maudit, ti bom
|
|
|
|
|
3/5/2010
|
N. 1354.127
|
elephant grass, mango, lucaena
|
|
|
0.25 acres
|
260 degrees north
|
|
W. 06102.459
|
sip, lian duce
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3/5/2010
|
SAME AS ABOVE
|
glory cedar, ti bom, powye
|
Thrashers, Banana Quit
|
|
0.25 acres
|
60 degrees north
|
|
SAME AS ABOVE
|
bwa guan fey
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3/5/2010
|
N. 1355.222
|
pat poul, tet neg, bwa gwon
|
Birds
|
|
0.2 acres
|
|
|
W. 06102.509
|
fey, bois tan cashew, elephant
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
grass
|
|
|
|
|
3/5/2010
|
N. 1355.342
|
pat poul, powye, lucaena, pine
|
Birds
|
|
2 acres
|
good for grazing
|
|
W. 06102.536
|
mango, cashew, lian
duce
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3/5/2010
|
N. 1355.975
|
mangoes, powye, campache,
|
Birds
|
|
1.5 acres
|
20 degrees north of G.P.S. point
|
|
W. 06102.742
|
coconut
|
|
|
|
good for grazing and used for
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
agriculture
|
5/5/2010
|
N. 1354.400
|
coconut, grass
|
Grackles, Banana Quit,
|
|
0.25 acres
|
agriculture land on the edge of road
|
|
W. 06059.711
|
|
Bullfinch, Oreoles, Parrots
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
St. Lucian Warbler
|
|
|
|
5/5/2010
|
N. 1354.376
|
coconut, ferns, mangoes,
|
Agouti, Mongoose, Parrots
|
|
2.5 acres
|
about 350 meters east of main road on
|
|
W. 06059.727
|
bois domande
|
Oreoles, Warbler, Bullfinch,
|
|
|
a partially abandoned farm
|
|
|
|
Saltator
|
|
|
|
5/5/2010
|
N. 1354.408
|
bois blan,
bois domande,
|
Butterflies, Parrots, Agouti,
|
|
1.25 acres
|
abandoned agricultural area about 200
|
|
W. 06059.715
|
mangoes, coconut ferns
|
Mongoose
|
|
|
meters east of main road
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5/5/2010
|
N. 1354.740
|
guava, cashew, mango
|
Bullfinch,Kingbird
|
|
|
fire burnt both east and west side
|
|
W. 06059.678
|
bamboo, heliconia
|
Hummingbird, Saltator
|
|
|
of road
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Table 2 Scientific Names of Plants
in the Inventory of Areas affected by Wildfires
NUMBER
|
LOCAL NAME
|
SCIENTIFIC NAME
|
1
|
coconut
|
cocos nucifera
|
2
|
blue mahoe
|
hibiscus elatus
|
3
|
mango
|
mangifera indica
|
4
|
bwa blan
|
simaruba amara
|
5
|
lowye mabre
|
ocotea leucoxylon
|
6
|
dalmarie
|
adenanthera pavonina
|
7
|
bwa canon
|
cecropia schreberiana
|
8
|
mahoe cochon
|
sterculia caribaea
|
9
|
bois bleu
|
symplocos
martinicensis
|
10
|
dedefouden
|
ocotea leucoxylon
|
11
|
aralie
|
clusia major
|
12
|
white cedar
|
onnosia monospenna
|
13
|
bay leaf
|
pimenta racemosa
|
14
|
gommier maudit
|
bursera simaruba
|
15
|
Leucaena
|
leucaena leucocephala
|
16
|
bamboo
|
bambusa vulgaris
|
17
|
glory cedar
|
gliricidia sepium
|
18
|
campeche
|
haematoxylum
campechianum
|
19
|
ti bom
|
croton guildingii
|
20
|
cashew
|
anacardium occidentale
|
21
|
flambouyant
|
delonix regia
|
22
|
bwa l'homme
|
guazuma ulmifolia
|
23
|
breadfruit
|
artocarpus altilis
|
24
|
kakolie
|
inga ingoides
|
25
|
sip
|
cordia sulcata
|
26
|
savonnette
|
lonchocarpus punctatus
|
27
|
bwa tan si
|
byrsonima spicata
|
28
|
wild anthurium
|
anthurium cordatum
|
| | |