Building a Wellness Culture for a Happier Efficient Forestry Department
“Building a Wellness Culture for a Happier and Efficient FD” was the theme of the Forestry Department’s first Health and Wellness Fair, held on Friday, September 12, 2025.
The Agency’s Welfare and Social Affairs committee in collaboration with the Human Resource Management and Development branch treated the staff to numerous health and wellness services, most of which were free of charge, at three office locations, including the head office on Constant Spring Road, St. Andrew.
Shanee Cameron, Performance Appraisal Officer, who spearheaded the fair, said, “The five areas of wellness that we looked at were physical wellness, environmental wellness, financial wellness, mental wellness and social wellness because we believe in the holistic employee”.
Staff accessed services including eye tests by Phoenix Vision, dental care by First World Dental and aerobics, health talks and screenings (Know Your Numbers and PSA testing) by the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW).
Staff also benefited from one-on-one counselling sessions with a psychologist. Financial health was also a focus, with representatives from Sagicor, Portland Corporative Credit Union and Jamaica National Bank on hand to provide information. A farmer’s market supplied by staff, Gatha Estates, The Life Store and Shanz Streetvybz Café offered healthy foods in addition to vegetable seedlings distributed by the Jamaica 4-H Club, which also presented guidelines for growing a healthy garden.
Ainsley A. Henry, CEO and Conservator of Forests expressed that he values the opportunity to be able to do this for his staff and “I recognize the fact that there are lots of people who don’t take the time to find out what their current health status is and it is essential that we do so because it is only in knowing that we can take steps to ensure that we live healthy and productive lives. People who are healthier are much better at their jobs…and I know that going forward [the staff] will benefit from it.”
The day did not end without the crowning of the first Mr. and Miss FD Health and Wellness Fair, awarded to the male and female who competed to lose the most pounds. This award went to Natalee Marks and Michael Watson. Staff also walked away with exciting prizes from a nail-biting raffle competition.
The health and wellness fair supports the MOHW’s 8x8 Corporate Wellness Challenge, which the Agency has joined to boost staff engagement in health and physical wellness.
Photo caption: Michael Moore from Jamaica Moves engages Forestry Department staff and exhibitors in an aerobic session at the Agency's first Health and Wellness Fair at the Constant Spring location on September 12, 2025.
