Current Projects
Gayap Toolkit Initiative
The Gayap Toolkit documents and shares traditional Gayap practices as practical, modern tools for community environmental problem-solving. Rooted in West African traditions of collective labour, the Gayap spirit has driven FACRP's community work since its founding — the toolkit makes this wisdom accessible to communities across Trinidad & Tobago.
Launched in 2023 with an updated edition in 2024, the toolkit covers collective firebreak clearing, tree planting coordination, traditional ecological knowledge transfer, and participatory watershed management.
Spirit of Gayap — Documentary Film
A short documentary film bringing the Gayap tradition to life on screen — capturing the community spirit, ecological wisdom, and lived experience of FACRP's Forest Defenders. The film is both a cultural preservation tool and an advocacy piece for community-based environmental action.
Screened at community events and used in educational settings across Trinidad, Spirit of Gayap documents the stories of those who have dedicated years — in some cases, decades — to protecting the Fondes Amandes hillsides.
Annual Bush & Forest Fire Prevention Campaigns
Each dry season, FACRP launches a coordinated public awareness campaign across radio, social media, and community engagement — educating the public about fire risks, responsible land use, and how to report and respond to fires in the hills.
In 2025, in partnership with F1 Agency, the campaign earned a Gold ADDY Award for Best Public Service Advertising — recognising the creative and reach of a campaign that put endangered species and watershed protection front and centre in the national conversation.
New FACRP Fire Tower
A landmark infrastructure achievement — FACRP completed construction of a new 24-foot fire observation tower at the Fondes Amandes site in 2024. The tower dramatically extends the visual range for early fire detection across the St. Ann's hillsides, providing advance warning that is critical during the dry season when fires can spread rapidly.
The tower is staffed during high-risk periods by trained FACRP volunteers and integrates with the organisation's wider early warning and rapid response system.
Draft National Bush & Forest Fire Policy
FACRP spearheaded the development of a Draft National Bush and Forest Fire Policy for Trinidad and Tobago — a civil society–led initiative that broadens stakeholder participation, strengthens collaboration between civil society and the State, and creates a structured framework to reduce bush and forest fires while minimising their impacts.
The policy advocates for enhanced inter-agency coordination, community fire response teams, prescribed burning protocols, and public education standards — drawing on FACRP's four decades of on-the-ground fire management experience.
