Trinidad celebrates its women wetlands leaders

The Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust is uniquely situated within a petro-chemical , oil-refining complex in South Trinidad; actively managed by two vibrant, passionate women who have dedicated their lives to the cause of environmental education and wetland conservation.

Molly R. Gaskin, PaP Wildfowl Trust’s President, is an environmental activist, locally and internationally known for her commitment and achievements in the field of natural resource management, public awareness and environmental education. Ms. Gaskin was joined by Mrs. Karilyn Shephard in the early 1980’s, who shares that same zeal and commitment. 

Working together, these women have made their mark in wetland management and conservation for (T&T). They both initiated the first environmental education audio-visual programme in T&T which is taken to schools throughout both islands. In 1982, they presented the first Environmental Education Curriculum for schools to the Minister of Education, and it remains in the syllabus today. In 1983, at the Trust, they initiated ‘hands-on’ programmes for primary, secondary and tertiary students including limnological surveys, transects, pond-dips, leaf and feather labs. From the late 1980’s, Ms. Gaskin and Mrs. Shephard lobbied the Government of T&T to accede to the Ramsar Convention, and eventually succeeded in protecting Trinidad & Tobago’s first designated Ramsar site ( the Nariva Wetlands), which had been invaded by illegal rice farmers. Ms. Gaskin became the first female, West Indian national, NGO representative, to present a paper on “Wetland Reserves and Public Awareness” at the 5th meeting of the Ramsar Conference of Contracting Parties in Kushiro, Japan in 1993.

In 2001, a boardwalk for the physically challenged and elderly was built along the Trust’s main breeding lake, and special environmental therapy programmes were designed and implemented. A National Wetlands Policy for Trinidad & Tobago was implemented with the influential support of and the persistent efforts on the National Wetlands Committee in 2001.

2016 is the Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust’s 50th anniversary. This milestone is a credit to these women who have successfully led the Trust for many years. They have influenced the lives of  many people throughout Trinidad and Tobago, inspiring a passion for wetland conservation in the next generation of women.

By Tamara Goberdhan, Education Officer, PaP Wildfowl Trust