Abstract

Using Geo-informatics to Manage Natural Vegetation Habitats in Trinidad
Track: Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries Management
Author(s): Amarnath Chinchamee, Serwan Baban, Raid Al-Tahir

Trinidad is undergoing rapid economic development, aiming to achieve the developed nation status by 2020. Coupled with a fast pace of industrialization, illegal settlement and urbanization, the natural resources are being depleted. It is evident that Trinidad urgently requires accurate data to provide decision makers with the critical information required for planning and managing the environment.

The biophysical land units were also developed and defined for Trinidad. The land use/cover map along with data such as geology, soil, rainfall, aspect, elevation and slope were the components used to develop these BLUs. This was achieved by the used of a comprehensive GIS, which was built on Esri ARCMAP 9.0.

The developed BLUs can assist in reforestation efforts by identifying what plant communities can grow in certain areas, while the deforestation and forest fragmentation analysis can identified area where the forest require urgent attention.

Amarnath Chinchamee
University of the West Indies
21 Mohammed Street
El Dorado Village
Tacarigua , Tacarigua 00000
Trinidad & Tobago
Phone: 868-497-6707
E-mail: amarnath.chinchamee@utt.edu.tt

Serwan Baban
Southern Cross University
P. O. Box 157, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia
Lismore , NSW 2480
Australia
Phone: +61 (0)2 66 203766
Fax: +61 (0)2 66 212 669
E-mail: sbaban2001@yahoo.com

Raid Al-Tahir
The University of the West Indies
St. Augustine campus, Trinidad
St .Augustine , St. Augustine 00000
Trinidad & Tobago
Phone: 868-662-2002
E-mail: Raid.AlTahir@sta.uwi.edu