Matthew Samuda, minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, says that the Forestry Department will declare the Constant Spring Golf Club a forest management area.

In his contribution to the 2025-26 Sectoral Debate on Tuesday (May 27), Samuda further explained that State-led forest restoration efforts have been bolstered with the procurement of a tree relocator, which is now in country.

“This will preserve for generations, this important green space, whether or not it remains in golf, but we will ensure it remains a green space for generations to come,” he said.

“This is critical as we seek to balance the development agenda with maintaining forest cover.,” the minister added.

Meanwhile, he informed the House of Representatives that the Forestry Department has achieved its target of three million trees planted as part of the National Tree-Planting Initiative that was launched in 2019.

“These trees have had a survivability rate in excess of 80 per cent,” the Minister noted.

Samuda said he has directed the Forestry Department to plant a further three million trees over the next five years.

He also informed that the department has completed a new land use and land cover change assessment for the entire island.

“Jamaica’s forest cover has actually increased over the last nine years, so we have actually improved our forest cover, and this is on the back of our protection work and restoration work and that is evidenced by our REDD+ which is a UN standard studies, which have been completed in Jamaica,” the Minister said. 

“The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) has completed the preparation of a National Ecosystems Restoration Plan (NERP), in alignment with the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, aimed at restoring degraded freshwater, marine and terrestrial ecosystems. This initiative promotes enhanced livelihoods, agroforestry, enhances soil stability, and improves climate resilience,” he added.

The minister further noted that Jamaica is expected to achieve 30 per cent protection of its terrestrial mass this year, a full five years ahead of target.

“Since 2015, Jamaica has led lobby efforts, as a part of the High Ambition Coalition for Nature to get global buy-in on the target to protect 30 per cent of land and national EEZs by 2030. The 30×30 target was adopted as part of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) at COP15,” Samuda said.          

“Jamaica, by passing 14 new forestry orders, the declaration of the Cockpit Country Protected Area (CCPA) and the Black River Protected Area, has so far achieved 25 per cent protection of its land mass. Jamaica is expected to achieve 30 per cent protection of its terrestrial mass this year, a full five years ahead of target. This will be achieved with the expanded protection of mangrove forests in Southern Clarendon and with the declaration of the Long Mountain Reserve,” he noted.

Samuda further said that additional protected areas will include Canoe Valley (along the border of Clarendon and Manchester); Montpelier, St. James; Long Mountain, St. Andrew; Bengal, St. Ann; and the expansion of the Negril Protected Area to include Industry Cove, Hanover.

“This is something that we believe will protect biodiversity for future generations,” he said.