About Wa Samaki Ecosystems

Wa Samaki Webcard

Location
Wa Samaki Ecosystems is located in Freeport within the Central Range Of Trinidad. Agriculture practiced within this area went through successive stages of tobacco, sugarcane and citrus with much of the land currently being used for short crops or slowly being turned into housing.
The layout at Wa Samaki was initially guided by what was available on the farm when it was purchased and it has slowly evolved as projects have gotten underway. The layout as best as possible has followed some of the basic Permaculture principles and at present it is evolving towards something more perfect.

The original landscape
The original layout of the farm in 1997 consisted of a large farmhouse surrounded by approximately 15 acres of citrus laid out in a 20ft square grid. The fields were maintained by brushcutting with a tractor and by applying weedicides and herbicides around the citrus trees. The other 18 acres consisted of bulldozed land that was being prepared to plant more citrus and a large flat area where a goat shed and hydroponics shed once stood and two other flat areas that were earmarked for sheds to mass produce chickens. Three streams run through the property that carry water during the rainy season (June to December) but quickly dry up during the dry season (January to May). Almost all the trees along the streams had been cut down to allow maximum sun exposure for the citrus. A few ponds had been excavated within the streams and one stream had been dammed to produce a large pond that was earmarked for irrigating the citrus. The topography of the farm is undulating with a ridge running through the centre of it in an east west direction. Bush fires on unused lands surrounding the farm are a constant threat throughout the dry season which requires the constant monitoring and clearing of firebreaks. Wildlife on the farm was minimal due to a loss of habitat and a manager that was an avid hunter.

Beginning the permaculture landscape
The basic Permaculture layout requires the dividing of the landscape into a number of sectors (1-5) that represent the number of times each sector will be visited or would require maintenance. Sector 1 requires the most attention and maintenance eg the nursery or kitchen garden, section 2 are vegetable/crop areas that require less attention, sector 3 are crops that require weekly attention, sector 4 are orchards etc while sector 5 is unmaintained or rarely visited such as forest or land left for wildlife conservation
Years 1 and 2
The evolution of Wa Samaki ecosystems happened over a number of stages. The initial project in 1997 was the starting of the fish farm to produce fish for the ornamental trade. Wa Samaki loosely means "from the fish " in Swahili, the language spoken in the countries from which our fish originate. An indoor re-circulating system consisting of approximately 10,000 gallons and 300 glass tanks was constructed in one of the goat sheds built close to the main house. Initially the fish house became sector 1 , the areas between and surrounding the fish house and the farmhouse now became 2 and 3 while the citrus fields became sector 4 and the remaining land was slowly re-afforested as time allowed that would eventually become sector 5. C

Directions to Wa Samaki Ecosystems
Please call (868) 673 - 4180 or (868) 373 - 2890 to arrange an appointment before visiting.
From Northern Trinidad proceed south on the Uriah Butler highway. Exit at the Freeport intersection which is the exit after Chase Village / Carlsonfield. You will come to a 4 way intersection (turning right at this point would take you under the highway, do not go that way). Proceed straight through this intersection in a southerly direction (you are now parallel to the highway) which will put you onto Mission Road. Drive down 4 km on Mission Road and you will reach a 4 way intersection with a small ‘Freeport Todds Road’ sign, a phonebooth and a Frankies Autoparts sign on the left hand side (if you reach a large 3 way junction that is surrounded by a number of bars and leads to Chicklands, you have gone too far). Turn left onto Freeport Todds Rd (also locally called Siewdass Rd) and drive down another 4 km. Wherever the road branches keep left.

You will pass through a few small villages and eventually be out in farmland. You will come to a large fork in the road with some palm trees surrounding a light blue and yellow WASA pumphouse #15. Turn left here and drive down about 20 meteres. We are the large white house directly behind the pumphouse. Look for the Wa Samaki Ecosystems sign on the second gate. Please honk your horn.

From southern Trinidad, drive north on the Uriah Butler Highway. Exit at the Freeport exit (the exit after Preysal / Couva). Turn Right which will take you under the highway and immediately turn right again to put you on Mission Road. Now follow the directions above from Mission Road.