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, the chain high mountain ranges extending east wards from Venezuela Coastal cordillera. Tobago lies directly on the edge of the continental shelf where it is seperated from Trinidad by same shallow waters.

General: Tobago is roughly 26 miles long and 7,5 miles broad of it widest point. It also consist of a mountain range reaching a height of 1890 feet which is connect to the main back bone of the country to form the most dominant feature of this country, this is the Main Ridge Reserve which was protected since 1765 to make the forest the oldest Reserve area in the Western Hemisphere.

Climate and Rainfall: Because Tobago has such undisturb 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 Wind blowing steadily the humidity is lower than the southern side. The average rainfall varies with figures ranging from 93 inches to 150 inches of rainfall in a year.
Tobago experience two seasons: 1. dry, 2. wet. The first 5 months is considered the Dry season where most of the decidious plants shed their leaves so that their seeds can catch the last seven months which is classified as the Wet season in order for the forest to replanish 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 going at some one had to step in. 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 been destroyed for the purpose of timber, so Miss Soame Jerrys worked hard for eleven years to enforce 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 it´s kind in the Western Hemisphere. All together the Forest Reserve was 10.000 acres until some 4.000 was added later to make up all together 14.000 acres.
The now Tobago Main Reserve is home to 210 birds species, 16 lizards, 123 butterfly and 17 bat plus other animals.

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Wayne Gray, tobago tour guide