Rotary Adopt Rio Cobre Youth Field Trip
Rotary Club of Portmore led a field trip involving Rotarians, Rotaractors, Interactors, Interact school faculty advisors and youth from the communities on Saturday April 26. The objective of this field trip was to develop a better understanding of the Rio Cobre tributaries and ecosystem that supplies critical fresh water supplies to Jamaica’s largest city and the nearby Portmore and St Catherine community.
Along with other Rotarians in St Catherine, RC Spanish Town and RC North St Catherine the group comprised of 44 persons and travelled by bus and foot to visit several of the critical tributaries that come together in northern St Catherine around Bog Walk to form the well known Rio Cobre river that flows through the bob walk gorge from northern to southern St Catherine. An expert hydrologist accompanied the Rotary party and provided informative and fascinating learning on the complex and intertwined Rio Cobre eco-system, the tour route included Dam Head at Angel’s near Spanish Town, as well as the well known Rio Cobre river and its tributaries The Thomas River, Rio Doro, Rio Pedron, Black River, Natural bridge and the Mona River in northern St Catherine.
The field trip participants also included youth from Cumberland and Ascot High Schools Interact clubs along with Moneague Teachers college Rotaract clubs and had an inspiring and amazing learning experience and engaging in fellowship with each other.
The Rotary Adopt Rio Cobre program in Jamaica, District 7020 is part of a global partnership between Rotary International and the UN Environment Program (UNEP) called ‘Community Action for Fresh Water (CAFW)’ which seeks to encourage Rotarians to protect fresh water ecosystems around the world.
With advice from Rotary’s environmental area of focus manager these efforts are part of a rigorous community needs assessment exercise which also involves encouraging youth and the community to become Citizen Scientist.
These efforts will form the basis for further initiatives by Rotarians in Jamaica to encourage and support community members to protect the Rio Cobre ecosystem and ensure continuity in critical fresh water supplies for human consumption, industry and agriculture purposes.
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