The Botanical Gardens in Georgetown intends to form international links to enhance its flora and conservation awareness as it looks to upgrade its facilities.
To this end, the National Parks Commission (NPC) held a workshop at the Eagle’s Eyrie - the zoo’s cafeteria - last Wednesday to come up with plans for the restoration of the gardens which have been around for 126 years.
The workshop’s presenters were Indira Anandjit, Executive Director of the Tourism and Hospitality Board; Clayton Hall of Conservation International Guyana; Carol Khan, Senior Land Administrator of the Lands and Surveys Commission; Elroy Charles, Lecturer of the University of Guyana; Ramesh Lilwah, Project Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Dr. Indarjit Ramdass, Director of Natural Resources of the EPA.
Participants broke into working groups to share ideas on flora and fauna, funding and capacity building, land use planning and eco-tourism and planning.
Plans for the long term include the establishment of a bio-diversity park while existing infrastructure and resources of the garden will be restored in the short term. Security of the gardens is also slated for improvement.
The completed bio-diversity park should closely resemble the natural landscape of Guyana, according to Chairman of the NPC, John Caesar.
He added that part of the garden’s development was the enhancement of the nursery and the formation of links with the Horticultural Society. A return to the use of the garden’s bandstand for musical performances is also envisaged in the near future, Caesar said.
He noted too that the gardens would be engaging in germ plasm science, or the husbandry of seeds of endangered species of plants. One of the aims of the development plan is the economic viability of the gardens and as such, efforts will be concentrated on generating income through vehicle parking fees and other services. Garden rangers are also under consideration as part of the plans.
Speaking at the workshop, Joe Singh, head of Conservation International Guyana made the point that the Botanical Gardens should be actively involved in the areas of science, education and social enrichment. “They must provide a valuable service to the community by providing pleasant areas where people can enjoy peace, tranquility and escape from the very real pressures and worries of life.”
Inge Nathoo, General Manager of the NPC told Stabroek News that links would be formed with gardens internationally, such as Kew Gardens in the UK and the Fairchild Botanical Gardens in Florida. She added that her commission wants to work with the National Bio-diversity plan for the improvement of the gardens and the NPC wants to expand its terms of reference to include the Botanical Gardens, in addition to the Georgetown Zoological Park.
Nathoo also commented on the progress being made on the new cage which is to be constructed for the resident Harpy Eagles at the zoo and said that drawings had been sent back for the architects to improve.
She said the cage might not be in place before the end of this year and completion would most likely be by the middle of next year.
The NPC had earlier this year received US$30,000 for the construction of an aviary, or flight cage which, on completion, is supposed to resemble the Harpy’s natural habitat.