Members of the Department of Environment & Maritime Affairs (DEMA) initiated the second controlled burn in the Middle Caicos pine yard on Tuesday, 9 December 2014.
This is an on going part of the Caicos Pine Recovery Project. Various measures were put in place to ensure safety and residents were alerted via radio announcements and other media outlets.
B Naqqi Manco, Caicos Pine Recovery Project Manager, DEMA stated; “Similar to 2012, the low-intensity fire will help to replenish important nutrients in the thin soil and the fire-adapted pine trees will survive without difficulty.
“As the National Tree of the Turks & Caicos Islands, Caicos pine dominated the pine yards in North and Middle Caicos and Pine Cay until an invasive insect called the pine tortoise scale killed over 95% of the pine trees between 2005 and 2010.”
He also said; “The controlled burn is part of an effort to save the pine from extinction due to the scale insect. The Caicos pine variety should not be confused with the invasive Australian pine or “cedar” which is not a pine at all.”
Amy Avenant, Outreach Coordinator, DEMA added; “Some of these experts were on the team of the successful controlled burn in May 2012. We saw improvement shortly after the previous burn, with insect-stunted trees growing up quickly, free from pests, and producing cones within a year.
“We expect the same results. The burn was also used as a training exercise and Five people received training in controlled burning, including three DEMA staff members.”
The controlled burn team includes members of the Department of Environment and Maritime Affairs, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and the United States Forest Service. Turks & Caicos Fire & Rescue, Environmental Health Department, and Civil Aviation Department have given their support of the exercise.
