Farmlands in Accompong which were destroyed during the Category 5 Hurricane Melissa. Photo: Jamaica Observer

Samuda told the House of Representatives on Tuesday that assessments conducted between November and December showed that Melissa “carved a west-to-north-west corridor of destruction across Jamaica, with western, central, and parts of northern parishes bearing the brunt of the damage”.

“In several forests, particularly those on steep terrain and shallow soils, damage levels reached between 76 and 100%. This level of destruction was characterised by complete canopy loss, uprooted mature trees, fractured trunks, and slope instability. It is sobering to note that disturbed broadleaf forests were the hardest hit, with over 42,000 hectares degraded, accounting for more than 30% of all recorded damage,” Samuda outlined.

He added that secondary forests, areas of regeneration from anthtropogenic damage followed closely, showing that urban tree cover declined by over 26%. The environment minister said the mangrove ecosystems – critical to coastal protection – suffered nearly 24% degradation.

“In key mangrove complexes in Trelawny, St James, Hanover, St Elizabeth and Westmoreland, an estimated 90% of trees showed evidence of uprooting, canopy loss or severe defoliation. These structural changes have direct implications for shoreline protection, nursery habitat for fish and invertebrates, and coastal carbon stocks,” Samuda stated.

He said it is in this regard that mangrove restoration has been prioritised within the national response, including targeted replanting at Parottee and other vulnerable wetlands, using species and techniques proven to stabilise shorelines and accelerate natural recovery.