Protecting Ja’s valuable resources

THE ‘LAND of Wood and Water’, Jamaica, the land we love, could not have held on to this claim without the efforts of the Forestry Department to preserve these God-given resources.

In commemoration of the agency’s 80th anniversary, it is important for us to acknowledge that our forest is an indispensable part of our earth’s ecological system. Therefore, 80 years of service to Jamaica aimed at managing forests on a sustainable basis to maintain and increase the benefits they provide cannot be overlooked.

Your theme, ‘80 Years of Growth: Safeguarding our Future’, strongly represents the fulfilment of your organisation’s mandate to protect and conserve the forest resources of Jamaica for the benefit of present and future generations.

Since its establishment in 1937, the Forestry Department has been committed to educating the public about the values of the forest beyond producing timber and the myriad environmental protection functions and important aesthetic, cultural, scientific and historical values.

ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT

I use this opportunity to commend the Forestry Department for actively engaging Jamaicans through initiatives such as the annual ‘National Tree Planting Day’. These initiatives remind all stakeholders, whether state agencies, private-sector entities, or our country’s citizens, that they play a critical role in the process of protecting the nation’s forest resources. I also extend best wishes for the execution of the year-long celebratory events and activities geared at educating Jamaicans about your agency and its works.

Happy 80th anniversary! SIR PATRICK ALLEN Governor General