Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park and World Heritage Site (BJCMNP & WHS) ? Linking Natural and Cultural Heritage Conservation
Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park and World Heritage Site (BJCMNP & WHS) ? Linking Natural and Cultural Heritage Conservation
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. If the problems are not addressed, the rich natural and cultural heritage will be seriously degraded and the values for which the site was inscribed will be at risk of loss. This will negatively impact rivers, forests and cultural heritage which provide existing and potential livelihood opportunities locally

The problems to be addressed are degradation of forest, threats to biodiversity and loss of Windward Maroon cultural heritage due to deforestation, inappropriate agricultural practices and migration of youth away from communities linked to rural poverty and the very limited opportunities for sustainable employment and income-generation. There is a need for biodiversity conservation linked to cultural heritage preservation within the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park and World Heritage Site and the associated Windward Maroon communities outside the protected area boundaries. Specifically, the need for detailed plans and the implementation of these as it relates to conservation and sustainable use of both biodiversity and cultural heritage, is addressed. Essentially, there is a need to develop and implement plans for conservation (particularly of natural forest and the Jamaican Hutia) and for visitor use and management in these areas.

These challenges are long-standing in the poor, rural communities of the Rio Grande and other Valleys of the Blue Mountains, inhabited by descendants of the Windward Maroons. The need for socio-economic benefits in the short-term often trumps long term biodiversity, ecosystem service and cultural heritage conservation. The deforestation of areas for agriculture and subsequent abandoning of the degraded land has led to overgrowth of invasive species such as bamboo and other grasses and this increases the risk of fires, particularly during droughts and landslides during heavy rainfall. Satellite imagery analysed by the Forestry Department shows a number of areas where there is secondary forest or disturbed broadleaf forest where there should be closed broadleaf forest. This degradation of the natural heritage values have a negative impact on biodiversity and ecosystems services e.g. soil conservation and water supply which in turn have a negative impact on local communities by blocking roads, destroying homes and affecting agriculture.
 
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Project Snapshot

Grantee:
Jamaica Conservation & Development Trust
Country:
Jamaica
Area Of Work:
Biodiversity
Land Degradation
Grant Amount:
US$ 100,000.00
Co-Financing Cash:
US$ 219,023.00
Co-Financing in-Kind:
US$ 16,464.00
Project Number:
JAM/SGP/OP6/Y2/CORE/LD/2017/02
Status:
Satisfactorily Completed

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Project Characteristics and Results
Planning non gef grant
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.
Gender Focus
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.
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Indicators
Biophysical
Number of globally significant species protected by project 1
Biophysical
Hectares of globally significant biodiversity area protected or sustainably managed by project 10
Empowerment
Number of women participated / involved in SGP project 51
Empowerment
Number and type of support linkages established with local governments/authorities 2
Biophysical
Hectares of degraded land rest 10
Biophysical
Hectares of land sustainably managed by project 10
Livehood
Number of individuals (gender diaggregated) who have benefited* from SGP project 60

SGP Country office contact

Ms Hyacinth Y Douglas
Phone:
(876) 978-2390-9 ext. 2030
Email:
Ms. Faradaine Forbes-Edwards
Email:

Address

1-3 Lady Musgrave Road
Kingston 5, LA and the Caribbean