Thanks to the creative skills of Mr Nicholas King of MarNiko Media, with some help from the filming techniques of Mrs Vicky Merrick, we now have the Clean Up Barbados 2011 Video.

The video focused on three of the days of the Clean Up Campaign. You may remember that the actual day of Clean Up Barbados 2011 in September was a day drowned in rain which kept more than 450 away from undertaking their community’s Clean Up. This video includes some of the footage taken on that day with two of the nine groups along with two other groups on the following weekend and finished in November with KPMG.

Follow this link for the 3minute 45 second video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zl1_0NHgzIY&feature=g-upl&context=G277af13AUAAAAAAAAAA

Thank you for your patience in receiving this great publication! Nicholas and Maria, thank you for your patience in filming and editing this video production!

We look forward to Clean Up Barbados 2012. Register your interest at info@futurecentretrust.org.

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Would you like to show your support to the FCT in what you wear on a day? Why not consider a new FCT Lapel Pin which is made from recycled metals and is available in either a stick pin back or magnetic back. Contact the FCT to purchase your pin today for $10BDS. Sign up to be a Friend of the FCT, and you will receive the pin as part of the Friend package!

And in comparison to the size of a dime, this is the real size:

Contact the FCT by email at info@futurecentretrust.org or call the FCT Resource Centre on 625 2020 to reserve yours!

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At a meeting on Friday November 25 in the Conference Room of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport in the Pine, Minister John Boyce advised a group of interested citizens and MTW staff, that indeed, after much consultation and research on other options, the Silk Cotton Tree in Warrens – opposite the Baobab tree – will need to be removed.

Minister Boyce was speaking to a group which included David Spieler representing the Flower Forest and Earthworks pottery, Mr Reginald Medford – Medford’s Mahogany, Mr Dave Scantlebury – MTW, Mr Nigel Jones – Natural Heritage Department (NHD), Mr Abdul Pandoor – Consulting Engineer to the Warrens Project, Dr John Webster – Landscape Designer, Mr Kammie Holder – PRO for the Future Centre Trust, Permanent Secretary Mr Lionel Nurse, Mr Steve Devonish – Natural Heritage Department, Mr Mark Brathwaite – Consulting Landscape Architect to NHD and myself. This was in fact the second meeting called in recent weeks, with Dr Karl Watson and Ms Mia Mottley attending the previous meeting to offer their views.

It would appear that the main reason for the take down of the tree is related to cost. The landowner, after consultation with the Ministry, requested a sum of millions, which would in fact mean the acquisition of the entire land space surrounding the tree.

The discussion of the tree was brought to the attention of the FCT earlier this year with a large push on social media sites including Facebook, by Mr Kammie Holder. Mr Holder has pursued the matter since this time and has been a keen advocate for the tree.

During the meeting, the Minister highlighted the plans for the entire Warrens area and explained that the aim of the MTW was in fact “not to build as many roundabouts in Barbados, but to enable the traffic to move through Warrens in a speedy way.” Mr Steve Devonish of the NHD then explained the plan for green spaces and tree planting within the area, with specifics of species in each area indicated by Mr Brathwaite.

One main theme that arose from the discussion was the amount of privately owned land in Warrens which could prevent the area being transformed into a much greener thoroughfare in the future. Those from the private sector were encouraged to seek out land owners and lobby them to consider including trees in their various site plans.

So for now, the Silk Cotton Tree will be removed in short time. There are plans, depending on the condition of the tree, to use the trunk as a memorial to centenarians in the area and to re-use as much of the tree as possible. The support over the past ten or so months has not gone unnoticed by the Ministry with Minister Boyce explaining the plan to embrace the BAC Project – ‘Beyond Asphalt and Concrete’- as a way forward for any future road developments. They will be seeking means and ways to include as much green planning in the initial stages as possible to ensure reference to the physical environment and planting back of greenery.

Thank you Minister Boyce for taking the time to listen to the concerns of the people and we look forward to hearing more from the Ministry as it plans to plant more trees in the area including 3 silk cottons to assist in carbon offsets in the future for the tree that needs to be removed.

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After many hours and many metres of soil moved, the Future Centre Trust’s Future Trees Programme has plotted all trees planted up until November 21 2011.

There are still another 4 purchasers to be added which will be added in the new year.

Please click on this link to see where your tree is located: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=200366713453601586867.0004b25608893050f9ba0&msa=0&ll=13.117933,-59.605637&spn=0.188581,0.392761

Thank you to all of those who have chosen to buy their trees in this past year and we look forward to updating this map with 2012 purchasers.

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On Tuesday November 15, 2011, the Ellerton Primary School became the latest officially launched recipient of a CoRe NETWORK Recycling Centre with thanks to the FCT and funding from the Coca-Cola Foundation. The project would not be in full swing without the sheer hard work and dedication to recycling, the environment of Barbados and the desire to see communities benefit from their man made waste, from Mrs Vicky Merrick! Thanks Vicky!

Ellerton Primary School’s past Principal, Mrs Barker and is an avid recycler. In her last few months at the school, she applied to the programme for a Centre to be installed at Ellerton. It took some time, and through Mrs Barker’s persistence and love for the school, the centre was officially launched by local MP, Dr The Honourable Esther Byer-Suckoo (or Auntie Dr Esther as she is often referred to by the students and children of the area!) and dignitaries. The launch as was attended by representatives from both the Ministry of Education and Environment, the FCT and of course Staff, Students and Teachers of the school.

Ellerton Primary is the first government school to receive a Centre under this initiative and it is such a wonderful thing to be able to assist such a willing and eager team in the achievement of recycling goals as the team at Ellerton.

We thank all who made the time to be present for the occasion and wish Ellerton the very best of luck as they work to educate their school community and by extension, the Ellerton Community, on the benefits of recycling.

Thanks to Shawn Cumberbatch of Barbados Today and Kerri Gooding from The Advocate for their coverage seen here:

Thanks to Barbados Today for their coverage here

Thanks also for the coverage here – Ellerton Primary with the Advocate

Here are some of the images from the event from the FCT Roving Camera folks – on this day Ayana Moosa and Nicole Garofano!

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Check this article for November’s contribution to the Green Business Page on businessbarbados.com highlighting the need for more support of Farmer’s market and locally grown food supplies by Green Business Barbados Coordinator Lani Edghill: http://businessbarbados.com/green-business/farmers-markets-support-eating-local-organic/

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