Co-funding was received from the German International Cooperation resulted in 66 farmers from 2 additional Maroon communities outside the Rio Grande Valley receiving training in agro-forestry and climate-friendly agriculture. A Sustainable Agriculture Booklet and Summary Flyer were produced and distributed.
Currently more men are involved in the economic activities within the community due to the terrain. The project will seek to address this imbalance by targeting women during the studies for the Conservation Management and Visitor Use Plans and engage women the newly formed Maroon Indigenous Womens' Group.
Notable Community Participation
JCDT seeks to implement the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park and World Heritage Site - Linking National and Cultural Heritage Conservation to address degradation of forests, threats to biodiversity, migration of youths away from the community and limited opportunities for sustainable employment and income generation.
These long-standing issues are prevalent to poor rural communities and the need for socio-economic benefits in the short term often trumps long term biodiversity, ecosystem services and cultural heritage conservation.
Inovative Financial Mechanisms
Meetings and workshops will be the main focus during the assessment and development phase of the plans. Lessons Learned, Project and any other report coming out of these studies will be shared via the National Park's website.
Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods
The Blue and John Crow Mountains was inscribed on the World Heritage List in July 2015. The forests of the Northern slopes of the mountains around the Rio Grande Valley communities are home to 29 endemic bird species and the Jamaican Hutia. In the middle of the Blue Mountains (accessible only from Windsor) is the archeological site and former capital of the Windward Maroons. The Windward rich heritage, the natural flora and fauna will form the basis of Ecotourism activities.
Project sustainability
The JCDT is over 30 years old and has been managing the National Park for almost 25 years. They have recently sourced new funds through the IUCN-EU BIOPAMA Project to increase management effectiveness. The organization also just prepared a new three-year strategic plan with a focus on enhancing their sustainability
Replication of project activities
The JCDT is using similar approaches in other communities
around the National Park and World Heritage Site and using the lessons learned to improve approaches to preservation and management. Community leaders from the Rio Grande Valley has sought the support of JCDT to assist efforts in seeking funds to build on the successful results achieved by the JCDT.
Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples
The Windward Maroons (Charles Town, Moore Town, Scotts Hall) have been engaged through the JCDT for many years to ensure their participation in decision making as it relates to the preservation of their natural and cultural heritage. Sites in and around the Maroon communities including some within the National Park and World Heritage Site are being used by the Maroons for limited tourism activities; detailed studies of specific areas and plans are being developed to manage visitor use and conservation of high sensitivity sites (Cunha Cunha Pass, Corn Puss Gap Trails, Moore and Nanny Town.
The rich history and heritage of Nanny, National Hero and leader of the Maroons and a symbol of unity and strength for her people will be told. Also important to the Maroons is the Jamaica Hutia (Geocapromys Brown, Coney) listed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List (2016) as vulnerable, which was hunted for food. An increasing population of Hutia now threatens their livelihoods - a clear conflict between human and animal which will be studied under the project.
Policy Impact
The project will produce 3 plans that will develop, implement and guide policy for the conservation for visitor use and forest management:
1. Forest Assessments & Plans for Forest Rehabilitation in 2 sites (Moore Town and the Nanny Town Area)
2. Conservation and Visitor Use Management Plans for 3 sites (Moore Town Area, Nanny Town & Trail and the Cunha Cunha Pass and Corn Puss Gap Trails)
3. Population Study and Conservation Management Plan
Capacity - Building Component
environmentally unstainable agricultural practices (slash and burn and planting of crops on river banks) threaten the protected areas. To mitigate these practices community members will be trained in environmentally sustainable practices including agro-forestry and climate-friendly agriculture. Community farmers will been mobilized for face-to-face2 days training and will in turn use what they have learnt to re-forest their communities with over 300 seedlings. The project team will monitor techniques and progress of seedlings.
Policy Influence
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20200616/why-daryl-vaz-wanted-holywell-lands - JAM/SGP/OP6/Y2/CORE/LD/2017/02 (Jamaica Conservation and Development Trust). The above article said it all in terms of what NGOs face when they are managers/co-managers of these Protected Areas. They should always ensure that the necessary policies are in place to reject these types of demands. The plans that were developed and presented to the relevant authorities, strengthened the case/gave support to the rejection. We need these actions from more of our CSOs, especially those with management responsibility of these critical resources. These plans have influenced policies at both local and national levels. This has been a good example in Jamaica on how these well-managed Protected Areas are viewed by high officials, especially those in Government. These plans are also available for sharing if necessary
Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment
it is anticipated that the project will provide useful lessons for the Caribbean, Small Islands Development States (SIDS) and other World Heritage Sites. As manager of the National Parks and Heritage Sites the plans developed during the project will form National Policy and will guide the use of these natural resources. Information will be shared on the JCDT website and through a host of other media - photographs, satellite imagery, booklets and through video production and advertising campaigns.
Project Results
The Blue and John Crow Mountains was inscribed on the World Heritage List in July 2015 and is Jamaica?s only World Heritage Site and the only one in the Caribbean inscribed for both cultural and natural heritage. The management of the area requires close involvement of the Windward Maroon communities, linkage of cultural and natural heritage preservation and management and ensuring careful approaches to proposed use of sustainable tourism for income generation. The forests of the northern slopes of the Blue Mountains and the John Crow Mountains around the Rio Grande Valley communities are home to all 29 endemic bird species of Jamaica including the Black-billed Streamertail Hummingbird (Trochilus scitilus) which is endemic to eastern Jamaica (Haynes-Sutton et al, 2009). In addition, the area is the home of the endemic Jamaican Hutia or Coney (Geocapromys brownii) previously listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List (2016), but currently endangered (2018). Some key achievements include supporting research on the Jamaican Hutia leading to the development of a Population Study and Conservation and Management Plan with technical support from wildlife conservation scientists associated with IUCN. With support from the German Technical Cooperation (GIZ) Caribbean Aqua-Terrestrial Solutions (CATS) Project, training sessions were held for members of local communities at three sites in the Blue and John Crow Mountains World Heritage Site and Buffer Zone. Local knowledge was incorporated in the development of the various plans, also this is a unique project as some of the targeted sites are in Maroons communities with various cultures and norms. Currently more men are involved in the main local economic activity ? agriculture. There is limited employment for women. The project particularly the Conservation Management Plans and the Visitors Use and Management chapters were activities which supported the involvement of women through the newly established Maroon Indigenous Women?s? Group. Across six (6) communities, women were trained in Sustainable Tourism, and also participated in planning, agro-forestry activities and decision-making meetings. It is worthy to note that while women were invited to participate in all project activities, some have opted not to as their preference was to support in other areas. Women were key partners who came on board during the implementation of this project. Number of beneficiaries, both men and women from all projects completed - 162.
Five communications and knowledge products were produced as listed below
- Conservation and Visitor Management Plan
- Conservation Management Plan
- Forest Ecosystem Assessment Report
- Rio Grande Valley Tourism Assessment Report
- Coney population assessment
Jamaican Hutia Population Study was completed which included a questionnaire conducted with 100 community members who indicated that whilst people are aware that is a protected species, they are also aware that it is still hunted. The study was presented to the public through a webinar hosted by the National Environment and Planning Agency (on World Environment Day ? 5th June, 2020) and to the local community in Moore Town on 24th June. Support was provided to NEPA for a Video Animation Competition and production of artwork for a poster and flyer. These materials will be used to sustain the public education regarding the Jamaican Hutia (or Coney).
Agro-forestry training was conducted in 4 communities within the Rio Grande Valley. Over 100 farmers attended and over 1,000 tree seedlings distributed for planting. In addition, with co-funding from the German International Cooperation, the 2 secondary Maroon communities outside the Rio Grande Valley were targeted for training in which 66 farmers attended and over 700 tree seedlings distributed. A Sustainable Agriculture Booklet and Summary Flyer were produced and distributed.
Maroon community lands that had been deforested years ago and which suffer from regular fire due to invasive grasses and increasing drought were identified (during the Visitor/Tourism Assessment) ? it was noted that this area had potential for a hiking trail as the views from the plateau were spectacular and the scenery was very interesting. Over 1,200 trees of a wide variety ? fruit and lumber trees were planted in addition to 200 pineapple plants. In addition, native forest
trees were also growing back in the area.
