About FACRP
Founded in 1982 by Akilah and Tacuma Jaramogi in St. Ann's, Trinidad, the Fondes Amandes Community Reforestation Project is one of the Caribbean's longest-running community-led conservation initiatives. Over four decades, FACRP has transformed roughly 125 acres (50 ha) of degraded hillside into dense native forest, planting over 200,000 local trees from its community nursery. Its impact has been recognised with Trinidad and Tobago's Hummingbird Gold Medal (2007) and multiple EMA Green Leaf Awards.
Fire management is at the core of FACRP's work. The project pioneered a community fire-defence system using a network of cleared fire traces, year-round volunteer patrols, and rapid-response brigades. No major bushfire has been recorded in the Fondes Amandes area since 1997. Roughly 90% of FACRP's workforce are local residents, and the project also operates a community nursery, agroforestry plots, water-conservation works, and an eco-tourism programme.
WEPTT partners with FACRP on reforestation drives, species habitat work, and community outreach in the Northern Range corridor.
Key Activities
- Fire prevention: fire-trace network, dry-season patrols and rapid response (no major fires in the area since 1997)
- Community tree nursery: 5,000 to 10,000 native seedlings produced annually
- Reforestation: over 200,000 trees planted across 125 acres since 1982
- Agroforestry and permaculture: fruit orchards, hardwoods, medicinal herbs, and water conservation
- Environmental education: school tours, fire-prevention workshops, and citizen science programmes
- Eco-tourism: guided forest walks, nature experiences, and on-site cultural events