Project Title: Securing rural village livelihoods through community-based management of the natural goods and services from the specially protected areas: Morne Trois Pitons National Park World Heritage Site
Project Number: DMA/COMPACT/OP5/Y1/CORE/LD/12/09
1.1 Project Summary/Problem Statement
This Project introduces a new component in the battle to conserve our lands, forests and water in ways that protect and enhance the roadways serving the communities around the Park while creating new enterprise and employment opportunities for residents. The new element is the direct involvement of the people of the affected communities in planning, implementing and monitoring the Project and in documenting and sharing the skills and capacity to replicate the Project in all 12 communities living around the Park.
These communities first came together 12 years ago as members of a COMPACT Project sponsored by UNDP that was designed to create an organization that assembled their knowledge and capacity to ensure a long term solution to the problem of land and forest degradation in their communities. The formation of the Morne Trois Piton National Park Geotourism Stewardship Council in 2011 created an institution of communities living around the Park and with vital interest in the protection of the natural systems associated with the Park.
1.2 Project Objectives and Expected Results
Problem Statement: The uncontrolled degradation of land around the Morne Trois Piton National Park, places the forest and water systems of that 17,000-acre protected area at risk. These natural resources of land, forest and water are also vital to the traditional and prospective livelihoods of the people of the surrounding communities focused on farming and tourism. Efforts by State agencies to manage land degradation have not succeeded with consequent negative impact on our communities. Prospects for a lasting solution require our direct involvement in the design and management of an abatement strategy that builds local capacity, creates new economic opportunity and can be used by all the communities around the Park.
Primary Objective: The main objective of this Project is to build capacity for natural system management by engaging first, one and then, several village communities in developing an approach to stemming land degradation that can be replicated so as to protect the forest, water and biodiversity of the Park and surrounding areas.
Specific Objectives:
? Expand public awareness on the links between conservation and development
? Stimulate modernized sustainable farming and other enterprises
? Institutionalise local conservation and protection of natural resources
? Promote and disseminate a model approach to land degradation that stimulates diverse enrepreneurship and fosters partnerships within and between communities.
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This Project, aims to demonstrate that the protection of life-supporting systems is vital to sustainability and that the success of women and other vulnerable groups in overcoming such obstacles as land degradation provide a model that can be adopted for use by others.
Expected Results:
PUBLIC AWARENESS
*Evening Sessions: Membership in local groups increases by 10% by end of one year
*Cleanups: Roadsides and ravines noticeably cleaner
*Inventory: Preparation of quality illustrated documents on local area systems in digital and hardcopy formats
*Geo Map: Preparation of digital map of the area showing natural, human and built infrastructure. (Activity 2)
STIMULATING SUSTAINABLE FARMING
*Establish a small farm equipment and services pool (Activity 3)
*Establish small propagation and composting facility at FGG Site for selected vegetable and fruit crops
*Hold one Food Market Fair in addition to the Flower Show
*Use the Botanical Center and FGG Site for training in hillside farming methods
*Establish Awards Committee and Criteria and in recognition of the legacy of Andrew Royer, present the first ANRONAT Award to deserving person engaged in organic farming
*Through the training programme, the ANRONAT Award, suitable signage on farms and in public places and, use of electronic messaging, encourage sensible farming
ORGANIZED CONSERVATION & PROTECTION OF NATURAL RESOURCES
*Commence landscaping of the Giraudel/Eggleston Loop Road (Activity 4)
*Establish ?green teams? in each hamlet along the Loop Road
*Commence training in water management by the Water Company (DOWASCO)
*Assemble ?green teams? of youth, women and farmers to test water samples from area catchments
*Measurable improvement in the quality and diversity of natural systems in the targeted areas
PROMOTE & DISSEMINATE A MODEL APPROACH
*Incorporate residents from other Member Communities in the ?green teams?
*Start an ?adopt-your-school? program for local businesses in Member Communities
*Launch a ?voices of nature? campaign that sees youth use cultural art forms to speak for ?nature? (Activity 1)
*Hold an annual fundraiser event in at which the ANRONAT Award is presented
*Organize sponsored walks, rides and runs using the Loop Road as the course (Activity 5)
*Include partners in the planning and management of the Flower Show