"Only after the last tree has been cut down, only after the last river has been poisoned, only after the last fish has been caught, only then will you find that money cannot be eaten.'' This quote sums up the feelings of Save Open Spaces (SOS) spokesman Stuart Smith who has criticised Government for not doing enough to protect Bermuda's environment.

Mr. Smith voiced his concerns to The Royal Gazette after he felt he could no longer keep quiet about the rapid urbanisation that is threatening to turn Bermuda into an Island city.

Mr. Smith said: "If you consider the National Bermuda Budget of $500 million, and the Government puts aside 1.2 million dollars, that works out to be 0.3 percent of the budget which goes toward purchasing open space.

"How much land can you purchase with 1.2 million dollars -- not very much, so it is all ridiculous.'' Mr. Smith said Bermuda used to be a rural society but was now an urban society and one of the most densely populated countries in the world.

"All of these places that people want to develop are habitats for birds, skinks, insects and animals. We all see it as open space for people, but it is for both.

"We need these open spaces just for peace of mind and it is just crazy when they budget 1.2 million and don't even use it, they just let it sit.

Mr. Smith felt the time to act was now and suggested Government put up a large sum of money to buy open space before there was none left.

He said it was fine if Government did not want to purchase large tracks of open space but were more focused on buying small parks set in densely populated communities, "but buy it, stop talking about it and do it!'' he pleaded.

Government initiated an Open Spaces Committee in 1999 but Mr. Smith mocked: "We have the usual Government response, all over the world and especially in Bermuda, they create a committee. They meet every six weeks but it has been around for two years and it has done nothing. So what is the use of creating a committee, lets get things done, lets get out there and buy land.'' Responses to questions posed to the Ministry of the Environment said that Government had been in negotiations for nine pieces of land, of which no agreement on price could be reached for three, the owner withdrew the offer of one, four were currently in negotiations, and one had been agreed and was due to be presented to the legislature.

Despite these negotiations, Mr. Smith criticised the new Berkeley School for the open land it will consume and said Government was at a "negative'' in terms of preserving open space since they had come to power.

Mr. Smith said Governments claim that they had a "commitment to the preservation and enhancement of open spaces,'' was farce.

He said people do not realise how much the environment affects us all and said it was extremely important to be able to go out into a field or take a walk in the woods.

"A culture is no greater than its woods.'' said Mr. Smith, and added "Greed has consumed Bermuda which has had a detrimental effect on society and the environment. And as I say, as the Dow goes up, the environment goes down.'' Mr. Smith said Government had to realise that Bermuda's tourism industry would come to rely on places like Spittal Pond nature reserve, as people are becoming more environmentally conscious.

Mr. Smith said visitors no longer want to just sit on the beach, but also wanted to go for walks in open spaces.

He said: "The lack of open spaces no doubt affects tourism on the Island, people come here and the streets are congested, there are chock a block houses everywhere, and the Railway trails are not safe.'' Mr. Smith applauded the recent Biodiversity project and said: "Biodiversity is one of the reasons that we need tones of open spaces, to keep a thing called biodiversity.

But he felt that Government's Environment Ministry was definitely the ministry of the environment, and not for the environment. He said: "The PLP have continued on the UBP's same one million dollar allocation in the budget, they've hardly upped it and yet they talk about buying Chelston. They are willing to spend a large amount of money on buying Chelston, but they are not willing to buy open spaces.'' Mr. Smith said that Government could buy land with development rights on it, and preserve it as an open space rather than develop it.

"People don't realise that these are probably better spots to buy sometimes as the land would be saved from development.

"You don't always have to buy the spots that are woodland reserve, as it is more likely than not that they will not get developed,'' said Mr. Smith When asked if he thought compensation for people who do not develop their land was a good idea he said: "Yeah, that is a great idea.

"But again, more money is needed, money talks around here, its a shame, but that is what it comes down to, said Mr. Smith.

All the social ills with which we are now faced are born out of the lack of open spaces, said Mr. Smith.

Mr. Smith asked: "Where is the sustainable development, When do we stop building?'' But Mr. Smith believed the Island is already past the point of sustainable development, and is now limited to damage control. And he implored residents to become more actively involved in protecting and preserving the environment.

Mr. Smith also criticised the Island's religious institutions who he said should be helping conserve the environment. "What do they do for the environment,'' he asked, and said Gods creatures are out there and their habitat was rapidly disappearing.

Mr. Smith said: "The main point is Government has only spent $285,000 since they have been in power... they have not come near to what the UBP bought, and I was not happy with what the UBP bought!'' He also questioned how important the environment was in Governments priorities as the ministry has been included in Terry Lister's mega ministry of Environment, Development and Opportunity, and Government Services.

"And the worst thing about it is that we can all afford to be environmentally aware, we are not trying to go out and find water for the day's food, and food for that day's meal, we have the money to be environmentally aware, and it is sorely lacking in Bermuda.'' said Mr. Smith.

"People put on these glasses which have dollar bills over them, and that is all they see, all they are worried about is their house their car, and where the next money is coming from.'' An Environment Ministry spokesman said Government had reinstated the Acquisition of Open Land Account in the budget for the year 199 9/00 which he said the previous Government intended to cancel.

Government also increased the fund from $1 million to $1.2 million, and due to funds being carried over, $1.8 million was available in the current year.

In 2000/2001, the description of the capital account was changed to include a reference to "environmental improvements,''which Mr. Smith said would leave less money to purchase open spaces.

The Environment Ministry spokesman said that about ten years ago the department of Planning, in co-operation with Parks, produced a priority list of major open spaces for acquisition, and in the intervening period, all but one of the sites have been purchased.

The environment spokesman said Government intended to place greater emphasis on implementing environmental improvements and on the provision of small parks in Bermuda's densely populated neighbourhoods.

In addition, he said Government remains committed to purchasing parcels of open land that are considered key to the National Parks system.

Stuart Smith