Rapid Assessment of Squatting Report (NOTE: LARGE FILE)

The primary concerns as it relates to the environmental impact are the proximity of squatter
settlements to forest reserves and other protected areas and distances to water sources and
waterways. The majority of squatter settlements in each parish are located in a watershed area.
Several of these watershed areas are also forest reserves and as such become exposed to threats
such as depletion of biodiversity, soil erosion on steep slopes and contamination of water sources
which have their sources or are otherwise located in these areas. These along with those that are
located along the coast increase the risk of contamination of waterways. It follows that the
inadequate disposal of sewage and solid waste leads to the contamination and pollution of rivers,
gullies, drains and ground water supplies.
Squatter settlements are mostly located close to natural resources from which the population can
make a livelihood, for example:
Bays for fishing
Lands suitable for agriculture
Where they can obtain employment at minimum transportation cost (example close to
mines)
Lands that are considered idle because they are not being actively used
Lands on which they can access firewood and charcoal for cooking
Approximately ten percent (10%) of the squatter settlements [eighty eight (88) settlements] are
located in environmental fragile areas.
The second major type of land uses within squatter settlements is residential and agricultural
which is consistent with the number of squatter settlements with vegetation cover as agricultural
crops (see figures 11 and 13).
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