Tobago information

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Location: Tobago, the gem of the Caribbean, was linked politically to Trinidad since 1888. This country lies some 26 miles to the north east, forming the last link of the high mountain ranges extending eastwards from Venezuela Coastal cordillera. Tobago lies directly on the edge of the continental shelf where it is separated from Trinidad by shallow waters.

General: Tobago is roughly 26 miles long and 7,5 miles wide at its east point. It also consists of a mountain range reaching a height of 1890 feet which is connected to the main back bone of the country to form the most dominant feature of this country. This is the Main Ridge Reserve which has been protected since 1765 making the forest the oldest Reserve area in the Western Hemisphere.

Climate and Rainfall: Because Tobago has such undisturbed forest areas with lots of trees, the climate varies at times on the northeastern side of Tobago because we have a constant flow of the northeast Trade Winds blowing steadily, the humidity is lower than the southern side. The average rainfall ranges from 93 inches to 150 inches of rainfall in a year.
Tobago experiences two seasons: 1. dry, 2. wet. The first 5 months is considered the dry season where most of the deciduous plants shed their leaves so that their seeds can catch the last seven months which is classified as the Wet season necessary for the forest to replenish itself.

About the Rainforest: Tobago planters in the 1770´s cleared the land and replaced the rainforest with sugar cane estates and at the rate they were destroying the rainforest some one had to take action. In order to save the forest, a member of Parliament for Cambridge and a member of the Lords Commissioner for Trade and Plantation was concerned about the amount of the forest that was being destroyed for timber, so Miss Soame Jerrys worked hard for eleven years to enact a law that would put an end to the destruction.
Tobago Rain Forest Reserve, as it is now called, was established in 1776 by the Governor, Sir William Young. On April 13th 1776 the ordinance was signed making the Main Ridge Reserve the oldest of its kind in the Western Hemisphere. All together, the Forest Reserve was 10.000 acres until some 4.000 was added later to make up a total of 14.000 acres.
The Tobago Main Reserve is presently home to 210 bird species, 16 lizards, 123 butterfly and 17 bat, plus other animals.

Wayne Gray, tobago tour guide