Our Story

One of the approved strategies of Jamaica’s National Forest Management and Conservation Plan (2001) deals with the role of the private sector and the need to form ‘tree growers’ associations’ as a means of facilitating extended forestry services to farmers. In pursuing this strategy, the Forestry Department (FD) invited The Forest Conservancy (TFC) to develop a project to create a private tree growers association. In accepting the challenge, TFC considered that a ‘timber growers association’ would be more appropriate to give a greater sense of purpose to the national objective of reforestation by the private sector aimed at easing pressure on the residual natural forest for wood and wood products. It was expected that such an association would fit in with TFC’s priority focus to promote commercial plantation forestry.

TFC proposed the establishment of a national timber growers association and applied for a grant from the FAO National Forest Programme Facility. A grant was awarded in February 2005 and the project commenced in March 2005 with the holding of a ‘core group’ meeting of stakeholders comprising existing tree growers registered with the FD and other interested private persons known to TFC. The core group meeting was very successful and rather than focus only on timber the group decided to broaden its mandate to include trees for all purposes and recommended a series of four regional workshops around the country to seek a consensus from among other existing tree growers. It also decided to name the association the Jamaica Tree Growers Association (JTGA).

The core group then selected a ‘steering committee’ to implement workshops in June 2005, with sponsorship from Jamaica Standard Products Co. Ltd, a leading coffee producer with a keen interest in the benefits of tree planting. Over 60 persons attended these sessions and gave their full endorsement to the concept and mission of the JTGA, while nominating delegates for appointment to the board of directors. In November 2005, the association was incorporated as a non-profit company limited by guarantee, with three founding directors and a company secretary.

Following a very busy year, the JTGA held its first annual general meeting on 1 February 2006, during which our Board of Directors was elected, including four officers (President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary) and ten directors. The meeting decided to hold quarterly meetings that would rotate among the regions, and agreed on working committees for matters commercial, environment & conservation, urban forestry & tourism and fund-raising. In setting targets for its first year, the association decided to seek continued donor support to strengthen its capacity and to pursue assistance for members with plantation forestry and pest control.

The association is grateful to the Facility for its support, without which the JTGA could not have been formed. Indeed, the encouragement and assistance of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) staff and Forestry Department representatives played an essential role in the success achieved by the project.