User:Guettarda/to do/beat

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The Blanchisseuse Environmental Art Trust (BEAT) is a community-based organisation in Blanchisseuse, Trinidad and Tobago. The group is dedicated to the promotion of environmental conservation through the arts.

BEAT was established in 2001 and registered with the Ministry of Community Development and Gender Affairs. The original concept behind the formation of the Blanchisseuse Environmental Art Trust is to promote conservation issues through the creative medium of art. The synergism of art and the environment is a natural one as the rugged coastline, crashing waves and picturesque landscape of the North Coast are an artist’s dream. These images stimulate artistic endeavours and must be preserved for future generations through greater awareness and conservation of landscapes and ecosystems. The communities of the North Coast can be described as the canvas on which the ambitions of BEAT will work.

Art Projects

As part of BEAT’s development of art in the community, agreements have been made with the Asa Wright Nature Centre (AWNC) to showcase artwork produced by the group and offer them for sale to international and domestic visitors to the Centre. The AWNC’s focus on the environment makes this relationship a mutually beneficial one as the AWNC encourages initiatives that conserve and protect the natural environment. As part of a wider initiative in art a number of special projects are planned to develop art among members of BEAT. These include:

Blanchisseuse Mural: This mural is to be produced in conjunction with the University of the West Indies (coordinated by Kenneth Critchlow, Creative Arts Centre). It will be located in a prominent position along the Blanchisseuse Road and will capture the beauty and uniqueness of Blanchisseuse. This mural will serve to foster community pride and raise awareness of threats to the wider environment.

Art Exhibitions These are a showcase for BEAT members and usually culminate some aspect of the art programme. Art exhibitions will coincide with other BEAT activities such as the seamoss programme. They will be held within the north coast community but the intention will be to host them at other venues (such as Asa Wright Nature Centre or art galleries) as well.

Art Workshops These workshops are intended to increase the artistic and associated skills of members and interested persons within the community. They will include workshops on different art styles and genres utilising a variety of themes. Workshops will also cover topics such as making easels and framing art pieces, so that the artists can improve the presentation of their work. Established artists will be invited to make presentations and focus talks to BEAT and interested persons on their specific genres. These art workshops will not be restricted to traditional forms of art as it will include use of computers and software in digital art so as to appeal to the younger members of BEAT and encourage more young people into art.

Artwork Competition Several competitions are envisioned among the BEAT members primarily for choosing art, which will be utilised in other BEAT activities such as posters for sensitising communities on coastal issues.

Notecards/Postcards These media present another opportunity for BEAT members to produce artwork for sale. The intention will be to capture the scenic coastline and communities of the north coast and to capture the ‘spirit’ of this unique area of Trinidad. Cards such as these can complement tourism activities and initiatives in the area. Talks can be held with the Ministry of Tourism to facilitate this endeavour so as to offer a unique opportunity for tourism ‘branding’ of the North Coast.

Drama/ Booklet

Drama productions are a creative means by which BEAT members and the Blanchisseuse community will disseminate information and educate people about the role and importance of the marine environment. The drama production will initially focus on ongoing projects such as the seamoss project and will inform viewers on the problems with indiscriminate harvesting of seamoss. This will also provide a forum in which Blanchisseuse residents can air their concerns regarding environmental issues, how it affects their community and what they are doing about it. The drama production is a 'mobile' means of communicating the message with other coastal communities and eventually with the national community. The drama will target all age groups and will involve the participation of the Blanchisseuse community in its execution.

The booklet project will be a vehicle to disseminate information that will be geared toward children (from ages 7-13 years). The process aims to bring to focus a theme, develop the storyline and relevant contents, then develop suitable graphics and finally put it all together on the computer for printing. It will follow a similar plot to the drama production but will be specifically tailored to attract and motivate a younger audience. Apart from the primary theme, there will be activity pages that draw from the main plot but focus on marine issues and will help readers make connections. The hope is that in using an instrument that will be considered entertainment, proper ideals towards the environment can be put forward and empowerment through information can effect change among young people. To ensure the process is participatory, resource personnel will conduct creative writing workshops with BEAT members.

Patois: The French Connection

Historically, the village of Blanchisseuse had a strong French influence and patois was spoken freely, sometimes even as a first language. There is a strong French influence of the area (as evinced by numerous place names) but the language is slowly being eroded, as it is not being passed to the younger members of the community. The Patois Project is meant to capture the language from those users that are still alive (together with an oral history of the area which will be obtained in conjunction with recording the language). Patois will then be taught to other members of the community such as the younger BEAT members (some of the BEAT members speak some Patois) and incorporated into other activities such as posters and booklets to be disseminated for the coastal sensitisation projects. This initiative will be an attempt to maintain a community tradition that will be incorporated into projects (where possible) and maintain a historical link to the French influence in the development of Trinidad society. Ultimately material produced utilising patois, such as a booklet on marine issues, can be shared with other patois speaking communities (such as Paramin) in Trinidad and other Caribbean islands such as St. Lucia.

Community Outreach:

Community outreach is important not only for disseminating the findings of the seamoss project but also to communicate the concept that human activities have impacts on natural resources. Much of the preliminary work in this area will be to highlight the importance of the marine environment, benefits to be derived and how best to minimize impacts. BEAT’s artwork will be used as the vehicle for conveying these messages.

Several special projects are planned under the community outreach programme. These are:

Art Competition in Schools: This competition will be open to schools in the north coast area (Maracas to Matelot), possibly to Standard Four and Five/Forms One and Two. Parents take an interest in what their children are doing therefore the messages of caring for the environment and natural resources would reach the adults (at least those with children). This initiative in environmental and marine education to these schools could be tied to IMA’s (co-ordinated by Lori Lee Lum) ongoing work in the north coast area. Once they have some information, the theme would be proposed and the competition opened. BEAT can source funding to offer prizes such as books or art supplies to the school and prizes to individuals. BEAT members are to judge the competition.

Posters: BEAT members would be responsible for producing art work that would highlight the seamoss project. These posters could be distributed to schools and community centres.

Posters will be produced with themes relating to: - Sustainable use of seamoss, and - The marine environment.

Marine Ecology/Environmental Workshops: Several of the activities that are planned complement other activities of BEAT and organisations that are concerned with conservation and protection of the marine environment and coastal resources. Material produced by BEAT such as art for posters and notecards can be incorporated into existing initiatives in public awareness of coastal degradation. The material produced can be used in the IMA’s programme of environmental awareness workshops in coastal communities. This is an initiative of the IMA in which they make presentations to communities and schools that have close interactions with the marine environment. Material can be produced by BEAT that is pertinent to the Blanchisseuse area and other coastal communities along the North Coast (such as Las Cuevas to Blanchisseuse).

Liasing with coastal communities: The results of any scientific component within conservation projects will be shared with other coastal communities. Several road trips to areas such as La Fillette, Las Cuevas, Grande Riviere, Toco and Sans Souci (where there is a tradition of seamoss harvesting) are proposed. These trips will also afford BEAT members an opportunity to interact with other communities and to give them opportunities to develop communication skills. Liaison with Tobago and St. Lucia communities is also proposed. Both these islands have seamoss harvesting traditions.

“Sustainable harvest of Seamoss, Blanchisseuse”

BEAT’s liaisons with other CBOs in the area identified a number of environmental issues that impact negatively upon the wider community. One of the issues raised was the harvesting and use of seamoss and the depletion of stocks in the coastal areas. In order to bring about more sustainable harvest practices for local seamoss stocks, BEAT approached the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) to seek advice on the development of a management strategy for the resource, to ensure that the harvesting method used on the coast was sustainable. With the long-term objective of sustainable management in mind the Blanchisseuse Seamoss Planning Committee was formed and includes representation from BEAT, the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI), the Institute of Marine Affairs, the Asa Wright Nature Centre (AWNC) and the University of the West Indies (UWI). As part of a wider management strategy funding was accessed from the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) under the Global Environment Facility – Small Grants Programme for Community Management of Seamoss Harvest at Blanchisseuse (Project Number: TRI/04/06).

The project will cover a range of disciplines and will use scientific information and indigenous knowledge to inform a programme of community awareness and education on the sustainable use of seamoss leading to initiatives that would promote sustainable enterprise development in Blanchisseuse. Baseline data will be collected on the biology of the seamoss and the socio-economic and cultural value of the resource to the Blanchisseuse community.

The goal is to provide the Blanchisseuse community with the information needed to develop a strategy for managing the harvest to ensure long-term benefits from the resource and to foster sustainable enterprise and livelihood opportunities for community members. Outputs of the project can be used to engender a sense of community and to provide an environment for the strengthening of community pride and values and to nurture any potential enterprises that may arise from activities surrounding the seamoss project.

Publications

It is the intention of BEAT that the information gathered from all its activities shall reside in the community where it has been generated. All information from its activities such as the seamoss project shall be summarised and technical reports produced. From the finding of these reports information will be used in the creation of other material such as posters and booklets, and supplied to the relevant stakeholders. The educational materials created will be applicable to, and can be disseminated to, other coastal communities whose livelihoods include harvesting seamoss.

From the activities mentioned it is expected that several publications shall be produced including: · Newsletters Quarterly production of the newsletter would provide the means whereby progress on activities and projects can be systematically summarized in a dedicated space. The newsletter will be used to highlight the Blanchisseuse community and any other issues BEAT would like to deal with. An electronic copy of the first newsletter produced by BEAT is on the CANARI website. The documentation process will be further enhanced utilising video and/or digital camera to capture images and activities.

· Technical Reports Several of the activities mentioned will have the production of technical reports as the final stage. These will be produced by sector specialists (as is the case in the seamoss project) and BEAT members.

· Booklet/Posters These will be produced for information dissemination to educate the public about marine issues and environmental concerns as they relate to coastal communities conservation of areas. Material will be produced specifically on the seamoss project, which is critical to harvesters and end users of seamoss products.

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