Caiman Hill Workers

We all know daily exercise is important for our health and mental well-being.  Citizens are looking for destinations where they can take walks in the mountains and at the same time feel safe and secure. They want to feel comfortable and know they would not be ambushed or have their vehicle broken into. In the North, the most popular places are the Queens Park Savannah, Lady Chancellor and in recent times the trail above Chancellor Lookout known as The Pines or Breezy Hill. In Chaguaramas, there is Mt Catherine and in the Tucker Valley Region, there is the Golf Course, Bamboo Cathedral and Plane Crash Site. In the east, a popular destination is St Michael Road, which includes Saltfish Hill, Maribonta Trail and continues onwards to Lopinot. Mt St Benedict Pines is another area of interest for those seeking exercise.             A place that is gaining popularity among fitness and nature enthusiast is Caiman Hill. The trail starts at the top of the hill inside Caiman Road in Maracas, St Joseph Valley. The distance to the Caiman Hill View Point is 2km and is along a wide-open dirt road.  The trail meanders but rises constantly and upon reaching the top there is the option to divert to a steeper climb. The altitude at View Point is 430m and during World War 11, the Americans used this area as a heliport. The hill overlooks the East to West Corridor where there are breath-taking sceneries of Aranguez, El Socorro and Caroni Plains. The trail continues further west for 2.5km and ends at another heliport located just above Quarry Road. For those looking for an extra challenge, the trail offers numerous options, where one can descend one ridgeline and climb back up another. Along the ridge, tracks descend to Champ Fleur, Mt Hope and Upper Bushe Street. The ridgeline is full of panoramas that are just mind-blowing. Heading north, the trail continues up the mountain in the direction of the Maracas, St Joseph Valley. The peak is known as Mt.Cayman (730m), however, accessing the summit is a separate challenge. To the northwest, there are stunning views of Saddle Road, Santa Cruz Valley, Petite Curacaye and Grand Curacaye Road. Prominent in the distance is Mt. La Vigie (670m), which is the highest peak in the Santa Cruz Valley.           The Caiman Ridgeline is most vulnerable to bush fires and to prevent this the trails need constant maintenance. The wild shrub grows abundantly on the trails. Over the years, hectares of mountains have been destroyed by bushfires. Three crews are employed to work the 4.5km stretch, which extends from Caiman Road all the way to San Juan. In some areas, pine trees have been planted along with Syzygium cumini, which is locally known as jamoon.  The crew at Caiman Hill is enthusiastic about its increasing popularity. They aim to set up facilities that will complement the landscape and encourage more people to visit. The technical adviser to the group is Mr Darien Jones who has professional experience in reforestation. He works with the National Reforestation and Watershed Rehabilitation Programme {NRWRP} which is controlled by the Rural Development Corporation. The team working the hill is spearheaded by Mr Eric Herbert aka Shaka who follows the guidance of Mr Jones on the reforestation program. Despite the lockdowns, Eric and his team have planted thousands of trees over the past eighteen months. They include almonds, black–heart, cedar, mangoes, nutmeg, soursop, tamarind, yellow poui, mahogany, pommerac, and penny piece. Many of the trees planted are to support and encourage wildlife in the area. Outsiders may not be aware of the significant role of reforestation. A fire can easily spread and destroy valuable real estate. The efforts by Eric and his team have been highly praised by some communities for their effort in fire prevention.  Each morning at around 6 am, the forty workers walk the 45-minute trek. Getting to the top of Mt Caiman requires great effort especially when they have to carry heavy equipment. They walk carrying their garden tools, which consist of bush cutters, weed wacker etc. They are inspired by the compliments received from people walking the hill. Their efforts have attracted a lot of visitors who go up there to exercise and hike. Even families go for walks and bring their dogs. Visitors are so impressed by its ambience. Their comments are "we never knew up here is so beautiful", " it is one of T&T’s best-kept secrets". The habitat is clean, serene, scenic and safe. A variety of wildlife such as agouti, deer and manicou play hide and seek in the forest. On mornings the red and green macaws fly daily across the valley. In the evenings, large flocks of mainly orange-winged parrots raid the trees in search of food. Echoing through the valley is the Channel-billed Toucans that give a Ki-aarh” sound                     Eric, who is a marathon runner, cares about promoting a healthy lifestyle. He is passionate about the project and takes great pride in his work. For his efforts, he has received high praises. He can push his team to the limits with his positive, focused and enthusiastic attitude. Through his reforestation program, he has been able to employ many of the youths who are now in a position to further uplift themselves. The team is so proud of their achievements. They hope to turn the place into a National Park. They want families to visit and enjoy nature. Their goal in the next few months is to set up a picnic area. Using material from the land, they plan to build rest huts and swings. Although they are not seeking financial assistance they do require signs to identify the name and species of the trees. They want to encourage a clean environment by placing "no littering" signs. Interested organisations are welcome to donate and can place their logo on the sign. Once they have completed their restoration goals they plan to have an official launch and invite groups involved in outdoor activities.