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A Burning Issue: Turning Trees Into Charcoal

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Illegally burning trees to create charcoal is not a new practice.

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Illegally burning trees to create charcoal is not a new practical but authorities say it’s becoming more common. 

Hundreds of slash and burned pine tree trunks piled up ready to be burned and transformed into charcoal.

The site was so fresh, that smoke was still rising from the burned wood.

Officer In Charge of the Unregulated Community Action Task Force, Superintendent Stephen Carey explains the complex process.

Supt. Stephen Carey, “I don’t know where they get the trees from whether they cut them down or take it from different sites. But they are brought here, they are assembled, and they are stacked on pallets and then they are burnt. They use the banana leaf, and some wood chipping in order to start the fire and then they smother it in order for it to crystallize.”

Take a look at this drone footage shot by our news production supervisor Terran Knowles.

It shows the extent of the illegal operation, right near homes off Carmichael road

It also uncovers other small operations hidden from sight.

But why is putting an end to the illegal action so hard to manage?

Supt. Stephen Carey, “On several occasions as the vehicles pull in, we always hear persons run away. We’re not able to catch them, they know this area very well. Every track road that leads through here they know. So they know where to hide they have their hiding spots they have it makeshift so just when they see our vehicle coming they find their hiding spot and wait till we leave.”

Supt. Stephen Carey, “We need to set up more patrols to see if we can catch persons in the act. When we could ask persons to discontinue this type of coal and go to regulated coal sellers in the food store so that we stop supporting the habit of these criminals.”

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