DR RITA PEMBERTON

Nature has blessed the island of Tobago with several landforms and marine features which, in addition to providing the island with its unique geographical profile, have been central features in the island's history and have shaped its development in important ways. These constitute important parts of Tobago's heritage.

Heritage is a legacy of the assets of a society which is passed on from one generation to the next. It is made up of the objects that are valued by the society and serves as the backbone for the development of the culture which creates social values, traits and traditions - a community to which members have a sense of belonging and shapes its identity. In turn, these traditions are passed on from one generation to the next. Heritage can be tangible and intangible and is an inalienable birthright belonging to 'all ah we.'

Tobago's tangible heritage includes its art, historic buildings and its physical features. There are two important features of Tobago's heritage which present a fascinating history: the Main Ridge Forest Reserve and the Pigeon Point complex which includes Buccoo Reef, Nylon Pool and Bon Accord Lagoon. Both were subject to controversy. The issue surrounding Forest Reserve occurred in Britain during the 18th century. It was primarily the domain of the planting interest and was not contested on the island. The case of Pigeon Point, which was a long festering grievance of the population, is very different .

Tobago's Main Ridge constitutes the physical backbone of the island, and because of its heavy forest cover, was considered an economic attribute to an island that was being placed into plantation agriculture under British rule. The island became a British possession in 1763 after years of wrangling with the French - its main contender for ownership - and was earmarked for sugar plantations.

When the island was being subdivided for sale into estate lots, there were two restrictions on land use; the lots were to be of a maximum size of 500 acres, and an area of land was to be reserved exclusively as a forest reserve to protect the island's climate and attract rain. This departure from the tradition established in the older colonies was directly related to two other developments.

Firstly, for more than a year, Soan Jenyns undertook a campaign to convince British parliamentarians of the relationship between forest cover and soil productivity which was supported by developments in Barbados. Most of that island was considered ideal for the production of sugar, and, as a result, its forest cover was swiftly denuded. When a decline in that island's productivity was noted, it was regarded as the negative impact of deforestation and Jenyn's ideas won increasing support from parliamentarians.

Secondly, despite opposition from the planting interest, the British parliament passed the law that established a Forest Reserve on the island of Tobago to attract rain. The intent was mainly stimulated by the need to facilitate plantation agriculture, an activity