Grande Riviere
Encyclopedia
Grande Riviere is a village on the north coast of Trinidad
located between Toco
and Matelot. The area was originally settled by immigrants from Venezuela
and Tobago
who cultivated cacao and subsistence crops
. After falling cocoa prices in the 1920s and expanding pest problems caused the collapse of the cocoa industry, Grande Riviere went into a decline which continued until the development of ecotourism
. Between 1931 and 2000 the population of Grande Riviere fell from 718 to 334.
Grande Riviere is one of the more remote settlement in Trinidad and Tobago. It is 60 kilometres from Sangre Grande
and 100 km from the capital Port of Spain
. It is accessible via a single paved road which runs from Toco in the west, and separated from the rest of the island by the hills of the Northern Range
.
International cocoa markets suffered with the disruption of shipping associated with World War I
, but recovered after the end of the war. A glut in production led to a collapse in the price in 1921. This was followed by the broader economic collapse caused by the Great Depression
, and the outbreak of witch's broom
. Coupled with higher prices for sugar
(the other dominant crop in Trinidad and Tobago) and the rise of the petroleum industry
, this led to a long gradual decline in cocoa production. As the cocoa industry collapsed, Grande Riviere went into decline. The population of the village declined from 718 in 1931 to 550 in 1946. The Masonic Lodge
and police station
were relocated out of the village, the Magistrates' Court
ceased to visit the village, and Grande Riviere estate was sold. The new owner, while maintaining cocoa production, cut staff to a minimum.
This decline continued through most of the remainder of the twentieth century. The economy was dominated by agriculture - cocoa and banana
s were grown as cash crops, artisanal fishing and road construction and maintenance work by the government. Subsistence agriculture, hunting and the capture of nesting Leatherback turtles also contributed food and income.
In 1992, following the success of Nature Seekers
in Matura
, the Grande Riviere Environmental Awareness Trust (GREAT) was established with the aim of protecting nesting Leatherback turtles on Grande Riviere beach. The following year Italian
photographer Piero Guerrini rented the former cocoa estate headquarters and converted it into a 12-room beach front hotel
, Mt. Plasir. The hotel was very successful and was eventually joined by three other hotels - Le Grande Almandier hotel, a 10-room hotel, McEachnie’s Haven, a six-room hotel, and Acajou, a 7-room ecological boutique-hotel. In addition, villagers started renting rooms to visitors.
GREAT began training tour guides, but a subsequent split led to the formation of Grande Riviere Nature Tour Guides Association (GRNTGA) which focussed more on tour guides, while the remainder of GREAT focussed on protection of turtle hatchlings. In addition to sea turtles, there is an interest in nature tourism more broadly, including the critically endangered
Pawi (Trinidad Piping-guan
, the only bird species endemic
to Trinidad).
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
located between Toco
Toco
Toco is the most northeasterly village on the island of Trinidad in the County of Saint David at the point where the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean meet. Tobago lies only some 35 kilometers to the northeast which renders Toco the closest point in Trinidad to the sister island. The name Toco...
and Matelot. The area was originally settled by immigrants from Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
and Tobago
Tobago
Tobago is the smaller of the two main islands that make up the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. It is located in the southern Caribbean, northeast of the island of Trinidad and southeast of Grenada. The island lies outside the hurricane belt...
who cultivated cacao and subsistence crops
Subsistence agriculture
Subsistence agriculture is self-sufficiency farming in which the farmers focus on growing enough food to feed their families. The typical subsistence farm has a range of crops and animals needed by the family to eat and clothe themselves during the year. Planting decisions are made with an eye...
. After falling cocoa prices in the 1920s and expanding pest problems caused the collapse of the cocoa industry, Grande Riviere went into a decline which continued until the development of ecotourism
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...
. Between 1931 and 2000 the population of Grande Riviere fell from 718 to 334.
Grande Riviere is one of the more remote settlement in Trinidad and Tobago. It is 60 kilometres from Sangre Grande
Sangre Grande
Sangre Grande is the largest town in northeastern Trinidad, in Trinidad and Tobago. It is east of Arima and southwest of Toco. Sangre Grande is sometimes abbreviated to just "Grande". It is the seat of the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation. The town falls into the Toco/Sangre constituency of the...
and 100 km from the capital Port of Spain
Port of Spain
Port of Spain, also written as Port-of-Spain, is the capital of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the country's third-largest municipality, after San Fernando and Chaguanas. The city has a municipal population of 49,031 , a metropolitan population of 128,026 and a transient daily population...
. It is accessible via a single paved road which runs from Toco in the west, and separated from the rest of the island by the hills of the Northern Range
Northern Range
The Northern Range is the range of tall hills across the northern portion of Trinidad, the major island in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. The hills rise abruptly from the lowlands of northern Trinidad , but only the two tallest peaks, El Cerro del Aripo and El Tucuche top 900 m...
.
History
Grande Riviere was initially settled by immigrants from Venezuela in the 1860s. They planted cacao as a cash crop, together with various subsistence crops. They were joined by immigrants from Tobago only 35 km to the northeast. This was the beginning of the cocoa boom in Trinidad which lasted from 1866 to 1920. Economic life was dominated by the 650 acres (2.6 km²) Grande Riviere estate, a cocoa plantation which was the major employer in the area. In addition to working as wage labourers on the estate, villagers also grew cocoa on small holdings which was either sold to the estate or to outside buyers.International cocoa markets suffered with the disruption of shipping associated with World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, but recovered after the end of the war. A glut in production led to a collapse in the price in 1921. This was followed by the broader economic collapse caused by the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, and the outbreak of witch's broom
Witch's broom
A Witch's broom is a disease or deformity in a woody plant, typically a tree, where the natural structure of the plant is changed. A dense mass of shoots grows from a single point, with the resulting structure resembling a broom or a bird's nest....
. Coupled with higher prices for sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
(the other dominant crop in Trinidad and Tobago) and the rise of the petroleum industry
Petroleum industry
The petroleum industry includes the global processes of exploration, extraction, refining, transporting , and marketing petroleum products. The largest volume products of the industry are fuel oil and gasoline...
, this led to a long gradual decline in cocoa production. As the cocoa industry collapsed, Grande Riviere went into decline. The population of the village declined from 718 in 1931 to 550 in 1946. The Masonic Lodge
Masonic Lodge
This article is about the Masonic term for a membership group. For buildings named Masonic Lodge, see Masonic Lodge A Masonic Lodge, often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge, is the basic organisation of Freemasonry...
and police station
Police station
A police station or station house is a building which serves to accommodate police officers and other members of staff. These buildings often contain offices and accommodation for personnel and vehicles, along with locker rooms, temporary holding cells and interview/interrogation rooms.- Facilities...
were relocated out of the village, the Magistrates' Court
Magistrates' Court
A magistrates' court or court of petty sessions, formerly known as a police court, is the lowest level of court in England and Wales and many other common law jurisdictions...
ceased to visit the village, and Grande Riviere estate was sold. The new owner, while maintaining cocoa production, cut staff to a minimum.
This decline continued through most of the remainder of the twentieth century. The economy was dominated by agriculture - cocoa and banana
Banana
Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
s were grown as cash crops, artisanal fishing and road construction and maintenance work by the government. Subsistence agriculture, hunting and the capture of nesting Leatherback turtles also contributed food and income.
Ecotourism
Nature Seekers
Nature Seekers is a community-based conservation organization formed in 1990 to protect nesting leatherback turtles in Trinidad and Tobago. Their main conservation efforts are based around providing tour guide services to visitors of Matura Beach, tagging turtles for tracking, and patrolling the...
in Matura
Matura
Matura or a similar term is the common name for the high-school leaving exam or "maturity exam" in various countries, including Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Serbia,...
, the Grande Riviere Environmental Awareness Trust (GREAT) was established with the aim of protecting nesting Leatherback turtles on Grande Riviere beach. The following year Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
photographer Piero Guerrini rented the former cocoa estate headquarters and converted it into a 12-room beach front hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
, Mt. Plasir. The hotel was very successful and was eventually joined by three other hotels - Le Grande Almandier hotel, a 10-room hotel, McEachnie’s Haven, a six-room hotel, and Acajou, a 7-room ecological boutique-hotel. In addition, villagers started renting rooms to visitors.
GREAT began training tour guides, but a subsequent split led to the formation of Grande Riviere Nature Tour Guides Association (GRNTGA) which focussed more on tour guides, while the remainder of GREAT focussed on protection of turtle hatchlings. In addition to sea turtles, there is an interest in nature tourism more broadly, including the critically endangered
Critically endangered
Version 2010.3 of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 3744 Critically Endangered species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and subpopulations.Critically Endangered by kingdom:*1993 Animalia*2 Fungi*1745 Plantae*4 Protista-References:...
Pawi (Trinidad Piping-guan
Trinidad Piping-guan
The Trinidad Piping Guan, Pipile pipile, is a bird in the chachalaca, guan and curassow family Cracidae.This species is found only in Trinidad; it is close to extinction. They are large birds, 60 cm in length, and similar in general appearance to turkeys, with thin necks and small heads. They...
, the only bird species endemic
Endemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
to Trinidad).