Showing President Jimmy Carter Plants and Animals in the Jamaican Mountains

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Conservation and Environmental Policy
Global Careers and Education
Leo Douglas, Jamaica Columbia University,
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Columbia University www.columbia.edu Departmen
t of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental
Biology www.columbia.edu/cu/e3b
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Jamaica is an independent nation and a member of
the British Commonwealth. After enjoying full
internal self-government for a number of years,
Jamaica achieved independence in August of 1962.
Geography Jamaica is the third largest
Caribbean island, measuring 146 miles at its
widest point. Primarily of volcanic origin, the
lush island features a mountain ridge that peaks
at Blue Mountain which is 7,402 feet high. Many
white-sand beaches and clear seas surround the
island. Democracy is complete, with an elected
Parliament, a Prime Minister, an elected House of
Representatives and Senate. It works along
similar lines as the British parliament. The
constitution embodies absolute safeguards to
personal liberties and democratic rule of
law. Currency- Jamaica's currency is the
Jamaican dollar, not to be confused with the U.S.
dollar. Population standing at 2,731, 832
people at the end of 2005, Jamaica is made up of
the following approximate ethnic groups African
76.3, Afro-European 15.1, European 0.8,
Chinese and Afro-Chinese 1.2, East Indian and
Afro-East Indian 3.4 and others 3.4.
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More about JAMAICA
Arawak Indians were the original inhabitants
exterminated by the Spanish after Columbus
discovered Jamaica in 1492. The Spanish were
defeated by the British in 1655. Climate -
Year-round summer with no definite rainy season,
although it usually rains the most in May and
October. North-easterly trade winds blow
continually. Industries in order of importance
are tourism, bauxite, agriculture (sugar,
bananas, coffee, pimento, cocoa and tobacco).
Jamaicas pimento, also known as Allspice, is
considered superior to other countries Allspice
because of its higher oil content. Unexplored
country still exists in the Cockpit Country and
Blue Mountains, part of which is inhabited by the
Maroons, slaves turned loose by the Spanish
before they fled the island, and who went to this
wild country to form settlements. They later
harassed the British so much that they were
granted independence in a treaty of 1734 and
still govern themselves today. Biodiversity
Hotspot Jamaica, by way of its unusually rich
flora and fauna, is considered a global
biodiversity hotspot. Relative to its size, the
island has more endemic (unique) birds than
almost any other island in the world and is also
the only location on the planet where over 1000
unique plants and hundreds of other vertebrate
and invertebrate animals are found.
Jamaican Tody
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Conservation and Environmental Policy
I am currently a PhD candidate in Conservation
and Environmental Policy Why am I doing this?
Because the planets environmental problems are
bad and are only going to get worse in the
foreseeable future. Poverty is increasing,
potable water is becoming a scarce resource,
pollution and new diseases are on the rise and
the earths population will double from the
current 6 billion in my generation. We need
trained professionals to deal with the pending
crisis. The survival of life as we know it on
earth depends on this!
What is it like to work in this field? Doing
work related to the Environment, Development,
Poverty Alleviation and Rural Development
requires a wide range of skills. The majority
are from the Natural and Social Sciences. These
skills include negotiation, participatory
management, biodiversity conservation, and
international relations. Imagine you work for
the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP)
or the United Nations Development Program
(UNDP). Read the article Poor Nations are
Littered with Old PCs, Report Says. The New
York Times, Monday, October 24, 2005 Discussion
Questions What skills are needed to investigate
the report? Are people the only ones affected or
will plants and animals also be affected? How
large is the area that can be affected by this
problem? What kind of action is needed in the
communities affected? What kind of action is
needed at the national and international
level? Who needs to be involved to ensure that
this kind of activity does not reoccur?
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MY RESUMÉ Leo Ricardo Douglas CAREER
SUMMARY Over ten (10) years of experience as a
field ecologist, environmental consultant and
natural history writer. I have served in senior
positions in many conservation organizations in
which I have been involved in the region. My work
has been published both locally and
internationally. During this period I have
distinguished myself as a dedicated advocate of
environmental protection and an outstanding
research scientist. My future career goals are to
work within Latin America in Conservation and
Rural Development and with the United Nations
Development Program.
PREVIOUS UNIVERSITY EDUCATION University of the
West Indies, Mona, Jamaica MPhil. Degree
(Distinction) Tulane University - New
Orleans. B.Sc. Degree in Zoology (Honours
University of the West Indies, Mona
Campus.) PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE United
Nations Development Program (UNDP), New
York Date May December 2005 Position
Intern Global Environment Facility
Office United States Agency for International
Development (USAID), Jamaica Date
December, 2001- September 2004 Position
Project Support and Logistics Manager VOLUNTEER
EXPERIENCE Society of the Conservation and Study
of Caribbean Birds (SCSCB) 1995 present
Position held Vice-President, 2002 2004 and
Co-chair of the scientific program for
International Colour Photographic Club of Jamaica
(CPC) 1998 2000 HONORS AWARDS Fulbright
OAS Ecology Scholar 2004 Master of Philosophy
with High Commendation Distinction
2001 Government of Jamaica Millennium Scholarship
2001
Here I am, showing former U.S. President Jimmy
Carter plants and animals in the Jamaican
mountains
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