The Global Environment Facility-funded Integrating Watershed and Coastal Areas Management (GEF-IWCAM) Project
Capture and Demonstration of Good Practice and Lessons Learned
Empowerment and Participation:
Case Study of the GEF-IWCAM Jamaica Demonstration Project
“An Integrated Approach to Managing the Marine, Coastal and Watershed Resources of east-central Portland”
FINAL July 2011
Prepared by Sylvester Clauzel Managing Consultant Scribal Consultancy Services PO Box CP 6151, Castries, Saint Lucia ABBREVIATIONS BJCMNP Blue and John Crow Mountain National Park BOD Biological Oxygen Demand CWIP Coastal Water Quality Improvement Project CPEC Caribbean Regional Human Resources Development Program for Economic Competitiveness Project DAC Development Area Committee DRW Drivers River Watershed EAST Environmental Audits for Sustainable Tourism EFJ Environmental Foundation of Jamaica ENACT Environmental Action Programme EUBSP European Union Banana Support Project FD Forestry Department GEF Global Environment Fund GOJ Government of Jamaica IICA Inter-American Institute for Co-operation and Agriculture IWCAM Integrated Watershed and Coastal Area Management JAS Jamaica Agricultural Society JaNEAP Jamaica National Environmental Action Plan JCDC Jamaica Cultural Development Commission JCDT Jamaica Conservation & Development Trust JET Jamaica Environmental Trust JHTA Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association JMA Jamaica Manufacturers Association KAP Knowledge Attitudes and Practices LDUC Land development and Utilization Commission NEPA National Environment & Planning Agency NGO Non Governmental Organization
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NRCA Natural Resources Conservation Authority NSWMA National Solid Waste Management Authority PAMP Port Antonio Marine Park and Forest Corridor PDMG Portland Destination Management Group PEPA Portland Environment Protection Association PIOJ Planning Institute of Jamaica PPC Portland Parish Council PPDC Portland Parish Development Committee PCU Programme Coordinating Unit PMU Project Management Unit RADA Rural Agricultural Development Authority R2RW Ridge to Reef Watershed Project RGWMC Rio Grande Watershed Management Committee SDC Social Development Commission SEP School’s Environment Programme STATIN Statistical Institute of Jamaica TBL Triple Bottom Line TPD Town Planning Department TSS Total Suspended Solids WMU Watershed Management Unit WPA Watershed Protection Act WRA Water Resources Authority
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Table of Contents
ABBREVIATIONS ...... 2
Table of Contents ...... 4
Introduction ...... 6
Approach to Lesson One ...... 6
Approach to Lesson Two ...... 7
Summary ...... 8
Background ...... 9
Methodology ...... 12
Baseline Information on demonstration site ...... 13
The Communities ...... 13
Institutional Arrangements ...... 14
The Legislative and Policy framework ...... 15
Key Lessons Learned: Assessment of Success Factors ...... 18
Social ...... 18
Community involvement in planning ...... 18
Addressing community priorities ...... 19
Using community skills and talents over imported ones ...... 19
Livelihood enhancements of local community ...... 19
Increased access to physical assets by the community ...... 20
Increased appreciation of local culture and traditions ...... 20
Environmental ...... 21
Improved solid and liquid waste management ...... 21
Innovative appropriate technologies ...... 21
Improving water conservation and quality practices ...... 22
Improving soil conservation and reduction in sedimentation ...... 22
Environmental Management Systems ...... 23
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Education and awareness building activities to change behaviour ...... 24
Economic ...... 25
Potential for viable small businesses ...... 25
Employment opportunities ...... 25
Opportunities for entrepreneurial activity ...... 26
Access to finance for spin-off business initiatives ...... 27
Demonstrated Best Practices ...... 28
Community participation ...... 28
Clarity of communication with stakeholders from the onset ...... 28
Response from and collaboration with key contributors to the problem ...... 28
Community identification of problems/Community priorities ...... 28
Technical local capacity and Institutional arrangements ...... 29
Strong Leadership/ Management/co-ordination capacity...... 29
Technical capacity available to project ...... 29
Workable linkages to supporting institutions ...... 30
Adequate financing/co-financing ...... 30
Enabling policy and legislative environment ...... 30
Review of and harmonisation of supporting legislation, policy, and regulations ...... 30
Enabling policy framework - Incentives and disincentives ...... 31
Conclusion ...... 32
Appendix I ...... 33
References ...... 36
List of Interviewees/Contributors ...... 37
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Introduction The GEF-IWCAM Project’s Jamaica demonstration project titled “An integrated approach to managing the marine, coastal and watershed resources of east-central Portland” was conducted over a period of approximately thirty-six months, with an implementation phase of eighteen months. It resulted in many important lessons or good practices, two of which are highlighted in this Case Study. The first was a strategy describing how to incorporate the lessons and best practices of older projects in improving the chances of success in a new project; and the second lesson was the development of methodologies suitable for successfully replicating integrated watershed and coastal area management (IWCAM) practices in other similar projects in the future. Approach to Lesson One The demonstration project attempted to capture existing best practices and lessons learned primarily through three previously implemented coastal, watershed and community management initiatives within the country. These were the Ridge to Reef Watershed (R2RW) Project; the Coastal Water Quality Improvement Project (CWIP) and the Environmental Action Programme (ENACT) to create an effective Watershed Management Mechanism for Eastern Portland. The R2RW Project focused on three distinct, but interrelated activities working towards the objective of improving the management for Jamaica’s Watersheds. These included Sustainable Environment Practices; Compliance and Enforcement; and Institutional Strengthening. As the R2RW name suggests, the Project was intended to adopt an integrated and all encompassing ecosystem approach. However, it actually addressed issues that were more “ridge” than “reef”, as it did not become deeply involved in coastal/marine issues. The assumption was that land based interventions will protect and improve the coastal environment. This assumption also influenced the approach applied to the East Portland GEF- IWCAM Demonstration Project in the Drivers River Watershed (DRW). The CWIP was designed to protect and improve the environmental quality of the country's coastal resources. It was conceptualized in recognition that Jamaica's flourishing tourism industry, and hence the health of the country's economy, were inextricably dependent on the quality of Jamaica's coastal resources, particularly water. Discharges from industry, commercial establishments, hotels and households had posed and continue to pose a growing threat to water quality. The Project relied on a community-based program to tackle the problem, and the project implementers worked in partnership with national agencies, national and local
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NGOs, community groups, and the private sector. This approach was also applied by the Drivers River GEF-IWCAM Demonstration Project. The ENACT Programme is a reflection of Jamaica's commitments to Agenda 21 and the United Nations Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) (1994). The 1995 Jamaica National Environmental Action Plan (JaNEAP) clarifies the country's environmental issues and priorities. The document reflects the emerging commitment to participatory environmental planning and management, linked with economic and social considerations, involving partnerships with the public sector, the private sector and civil society. ENACT was initiated to help address Jamaica's environmental challenges. The first lesson therefore, is based on the GEF-IWCAM Demonstration Projects’ ability to combine the lessons of managing human activities on land, thus resulting in improving coastal water quality (R2RW); relying on community-based approaches to tackle environmental problems (CWIP); and linking the use of participatory planning methodologies to economic and social considerations among stakeholders in resolving environmental challenges (ENACT). Approach to Lesson Two The second lesson was the development of methodologies suitable for successfully replicating IWCAM practices in other similar projects in the future. Much of the East Portland GEF-IWCAM Demonstration Project’s success can be attributed to the combination of effective community participation strategy, the capacity and institutional linkages of the demonstration project executing agency (National Environment & Planning Agency, NEPA), a supportive legislative and policy environment, and the strong partnership with other agencies who worked on the project. The lessons learned from this project intervention are best understood against the background of the project objectives described below on page 8. However, of equal importance is the result of a participatory analysis of the issues related to watershed management of the East Portland Watershed, an activity conducted at the commencement of the project (Caribbean Waterways, Vol. 1, Issue 3, p2.) These issues included inappropriate garbage disposal; unapproved development along the coastline; dumping of garbage in wetlands; inappropriate agricultural activities along waterways; and poor sewage disposal. The activities identified by the community in collaboration with the GEF- IWCAM Demonstration Project Managers and described in the analysis of the previous section, all reflect these concerns. The lessons learned based on interventions to remedy these problems are described against the backdrop of the aforementioned critical success factors of community participation, capacity of the management agency and a supportive legislative and policy environment.
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Summary This case study will document the processes applied in the implementation of the project and describe the application of the lessons and good practices that evolved, using relevant examples extracted from the project implementation processes.
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Background Portland is known for its lush vegetation and agricultural products of coffee, bananas, coconut, and breadfruit. There is an important fishing industry and a thriving tourism industry with large and small hotels, distinguished festivals like the Jerk Festival and world famous attractions, notably the Blue Lagoon. Portland is divided into five Watershed Management Units (WMUs). The majority of the upper and middle watershed areas of the parish are within the Blue and John Crow Mountain National Park (BJCMNP), Jamaica’s first terrestrial national park, opened in 1993. Under the protected areas system plan a Port Antonio Marine Park and Forest Corridor (PAMP) environmental protected area site was proposed. The area includes approximately 20 km of coastline extending from Downer’s Bluff to North East point and all inshore marine habitats from the coast to the 100 fathom mark (~ 200m in depth) and the interior watershed area draining into the sea between these points, up to the northern boundary of the BJCMNP. Portland is also world renowned for its rich heritage, laid-back pace and exquisite coves and beaches. The DRW represents one of the most pristine watersheds in Jamaica and the Caribbean. With the Caribbean having over 13% of the world’s coral reefs, of which over one- third are under high stress and nearly two-thirds are threatened by human activities (Burke and Maiden, 2004), it is critical that actions are taken to reverse further degradation and promote the preservation of mangroves and sea-grass beds are transferable and sustainable. The DRW is located in the eastern section of the island, and within the Parish of Portland. The watershed stretches from the eastern border of Port Antonio along the coast into Hectors River and ends in Amity Hall, St. Thomas. Its mountainous border extends along the peak of the Blue and John Crow Mountains to the eastern border of Port Antonio. It is fed by several main rivers and tributaries including Priestman’s River, Fair Prospect River, Salt River, Fletchers River, Long Bay River, Drivers River and Hectors River. The DRW encompasses thirteen (13) major communities within its influence. These are Boston, Kensington, Long Bay, Reach, Long Road/Rural Hill, Windsor Forrest, Castle, Nonsuch, Manchioneal, Fairy Hill, Hectors River, Prospect and Sherwood Forest. The parish of Portland has had a high level of environmentally focused interventions spearheaded by international and local donor agencies and non-government organizations (NGOs). These have attempted to address project specific focal points of interest with varying degrees of success. However, to date, none of these projects have sought to build on previous interventions or capture in a structured way, the various elements undertaken by previous projects. Attempts to measure impacts or to utilize appropriate benchmarks for impact
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assessments, continuity and intensification have been limited at best. However, there are important strategies for “empowerment and participation” which could be extracted from previous projects, and which if applied suitably, could enhance the ability of the current project to deliver on its objectives. Those prior projects included the Ridge to Reef Watershed Project (R2RW), the Coastal Water Quality Improvement Projects (CWIP and CWIP2) and the Environmental Audits for Sustainable Tourism (EAST and East 2). The DRW was selected among nine in the Caribbean as a demonstration project. It was specifically chosen to help identify good practices in environmental behaviour and activities by communities within the watershed.
The overall objectives of the project were two-fold and included: The capture of existing best practices and lessons learned through other coastal, watershed and community management initiatives within the country (e.g. CWIP, ENACT and R2RW) to create an effective Watershed Management Mechanism for Eastern Portland To develop transfer methodologies to allow for the replication of these lessons to other Watershed Management Units (WMU) within Jamaica as well as to other Caribbean SIDS.
To achieve these overall objectives, the demonstration project focused on the following activities: Improving the institutional and human resource capacity of the sustainable watershed and environmental management agencies within the project area Monitoring of environmental and other indicators (volume of solid waste, siltation, water quality, governance, etc.) to assess project impact and to guide policy reform and legislation Encouraging the development and implementation of participatory approaches to environmental stewardship and awareness, information dissemination and enforcement of existing regulations and policies among communities in the project area Promoting the development of economic activities (agriculture, tourism, fishing and their related sub-sectors) as alternative practices with reduced impact to the WMU, through conservation and environmental management programmes within the project area
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Identifying solutions to on-going detrimental activities which consistently threaten and impact watershed and coastal environmental integrity and human welfare (e.g. wastewater and chemical pollution, solid waste management, flooding/drainage, improper land management).
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Methodology Although the Jamaican GEF-IWCAM Demonstration Project is largely an environmental management project, there is widespread agreement by project implementation theorists that projects that attempt to resolve environmental issues cannot do this successfully by focusing exclusively on the environmental problem. Often there are social, or more specifically, livelihood or even national economic development considerations which impact the project and may determine success or failure. The approach employed by this study was intended to capture best practices and lessons learned, by attempting to assess the social, economic and environmental opportunities for positive change which occurred in the Eastern Portland communities as a result of the project. The triple-bottom line (TBL) approach suggests that the bottom line of viability should not refer exclusively to financial feasibility or environmental sensitivity issues; but should give equal weighting to all critical dimensions of the assessment. It recommends giving equal weighting to socio-economic, environmental and financial considerations, which are all necessary for sustainability. To this end, project managers were required to extract information based on specific questions referring to the capacity of the project to contribute to social development, viable and sustainable economic development as well as an improved natural environment. This information, captured in the section below entitled “Key Lessons Learned: Assessment of Success Factors”, was distilled to establish the interrelatedness of these variables and their collaborative contribution to best practices and replicable lessons. Further, the lessons learned were extracted from the TBL in a manner to determine the feasibility of the project to replicate lessons, and the demonstration value of the good practices (see section below entitled “Demonstrated Best Practices”). The criteria for identifying various components of good practice as well as criteria to aid in replication of lessons learned were developed by GEF- IWCAM Demonstration Project Managers and associates. It was concluded that three broad criteria should be used to determine the feasibility of a project to provide lessons and good practice. These were identified as follows: I. The enabling environment provided by supporting national policies and legislation. II. The capacity of the local implementing agency and its supporting linkages. III. The participation of the host community at all levels from planning to implementation.
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Baseline Information on demonstration site
The Communities The DRW is home to an estimated 24,860 persons with an estimated total of 7,670 households. (Source: 2001 population census). A Knowledge, Attitude and Practices (KAP) survey was conducted within the watershed communities at the commencement of the project with a sample size representing 10% of the total population. The KAP survey revealed a general lack of knowledge about watersheds and their functions in managing water flow and water quality. Most persons had no knowledge of what a watershed was, with 95% either not responding to the question or admitting that they did not know. Whilst 70% of respondents were aware of the various institutions conducting environmental work in the region, for example the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) and the local NGO - Portland Environmental Protection Association (PEPA), there was scant knowledge of the activities being conducted by these agencies within the watershed. Sixty-nine percent (69%) of respondents were not able to name any environmental activity in their community. However, there was evidence of general basic environmental awareness. 84% indicated that the environment was important to them and there was a relatively high level of awareness of the environmental ills plaguing their communities. Respondents identified problems such as improper disposal of garbage; littering; beach and river pollution; mosquito infestation; burning of garbage on the beach; the poor condition of toilets (generally and in schools); and the lack of adequate water supply. Further testimony of this awareness was the revelation that 61% had taken part in environmental activities in the past, including beach, river and mangrove clean- ups; drain cleaning; tree planting and attending environmental meetings. 88% indicated that they were willing to participate in activities to help solve the problems identified. Solid waste appeared to preoccupy the concerns of residents and they identified the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) as being the pivotal agency to managing the environmental problems within the watershed. The situation with respect to sanitation in the watershed is primitive in most respects. Approximately 50% of the households within the DRW use pit latrines and there are no waste water treatment systems. The Build Jamaica Foundation revealed that 90% of basic schools have inadequate sanitary conveniences (Caribbean Waterways, Vol.1 Issue 3, p4. 2007). Given the apparent knowledge and willingness to address environmental problems, it is a credit to the GEF-IWCAM Demonstration Project Managers that they were able to identify that the expressed knowledge and attitude towards the environment was in some respects superficial
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and reflected only visible assessments of the threats to the watershed and did not consider deeper and more profound non-visible threats. It is instructive that they should conclude “it is evident that public education would have to be addressed as a priority objective”. The KAP survey report concluded, among other things, that residents of the DRW were “aware of the social and economic importance of sustainable environmental interventions and preservation efforts” and that they had made “the connection between this and their livelihood and quality of life”. This understanding is instructive as it reflects the attempts by the project to include initiatives that involved the emergence of micro-business opportunities related to watershed management.
Institutional Arrangements The institutional arrangements in support of environmental management in Jamaica are unique in the Caribbean. First of all, NEPA is an executive agency created in 2001 to implement the Town and Country Planning Act (1958). The Act is made operational through a central Town Planning Authority and through regional planning authorities that are vested within the various parish councils. Although these parish councils are not subsidiaries of NEPA, they act locally on its behalf, and link the granting of planning permission for any development to the granting of environmental permits. Together, these agencies cover the island’s entire geographical area. NEPA, at the time of project implementation, was an agency of the Ministry of Land and the Environment1, and represented a merger between the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA), the Town Planning Department (TPD) and the Land Development and Utilization Commission (LDUC). The aim of the merger was to integrate environmental, planning and sustainable development policies and programmes and to improve customer service. NEPA is the executing agency of the GEF-IWCAM Demonstation Project. The critical role which it plays in environmental planning at both a national and local level accounted for much of the success that this project enjoyed in Jamaica. The structure of NEPA combined with the strength of its various branches facilitated management as well as other technical support to the project, which would not have been effected as efficiently, if it was done otherwise. The branches of NEPA, which were involved in the GEF-IWCAM Demonstration Project, include Public Education, Ecosystem Management, Financial Management and Facilities Management. These branches were all made available to the Project Management Unit (PMU) of the Drivers River IWCAM Demonstration Project in
1 Presently the Ministry of Land, Health and the Environment
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developing the public awareness strategy, water quality monitoring, project financial management and procurement of goods and services, respectively. Such support allowed the technical project personnel to focus on executing the project, while the parent institution, in collaboration with the PMU ensured that the project met the requirements of the regional Project Coordination Unit (PCU) as well as other local institutional and legal requirements.
The Legislative and Policy framework The legislative framework in support of watershed and coastal areas management is generally very good in Jamaica. There are pieces of legislation covering water quality, solid waste management, agricultural practices, the coastal marine environment, etc. There are also agencies empowered to act, as well as regulations which empower local communities, through their respective Parish Councils, to participate in decision making about development and activities within their respective communities. The NRCA Act of 1991 established Jamaica’s lead environmental regulatory agency at that time. All governmental entities and agencies were subject to the scrutiny of the Authority because the Act binds the Crown. The Act functions to take all necessary steps to manage the country’s physical environment so as to ensure the proper management, use and conservation of its natural resources; to manage national parks, marine parks, protected areas and public recreational facilities and to advise the Minister on general policy. Officers of the NRCA had the authority to enforce provisions of the other various Acts that it administered including the Beach Control Act and the Wildlife Protection Act. In 2001, NEPA was established to merge the functions of the NRCA with the Town and Country Planning Act (1958), thus bringing together physical and environmental planning under one authority. This represented a major policy shift by the Government, thereby recognising the critical symbiotic relationship between the two planning authorities. The Watershed Protection Act (WPA) of 1963 is the premier and most direct law relating to watershed protection. NRCA was the implementing body for the Act, a function now usurped by NEPA since 2001, as explained above. The Act is intended to protect watersheds and to promote the conservation of water resources. It also recognizes the importance of protecting areas adjacent to watersheds, although no zoning laws or regulations adjunct to this or any other statutes are in place. No directives as to the management of watershed areas are provided under the law and there is no definition of a “watershed” in it. There are also no Regulations to the Act although it has a number of Orders that demarcate the geographical boundaries of named watersheds. There are significant areas of functional overlap with the Water Resources Authority and the Forestry Department, but all 3 agencies partake in various
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levels of cooperative interaction. At least one preliminary review of the Watershed Protection Act has been done but no date or specific time for completion was obtained. The Water Resources Authority (WRA) was created by an Act of the same name in 1995. The primary responsibility of the WRA is the management of surface and underground water throughout the island. It allocates water resources throughout the island, obtains and disseminates water resources data, exercising planning functions in relation to the National Water Quality Master Plan, controls the quality of water resources according to the Act and provides technical assistance to other departments or Agencies of government on activities that relate to its overall mandate. The WRA also operates a licensing system for the abstraction and use of water and the construction of any other works to carry this out. Exceptions include abstraction for domestic use or if the person has a right of access to the water. The extraction of underground water is also licensed, as is the drilling of wells to do so. Any person extracting minerals pursuant to permission granted under the Mining Act must have regard to the WRA’s directions regarding protection of underground water resources when constructing a new boring or altering an existing one. The WRA also has the power to determine the safe yield of aquifers. The Authority can also establish water quality control areas. The procedure for establishing these areas are provided for in the Act. The Minister is also empowered to declare emergency areas if the water supply threatens to become inadequate because of drought or other conditions. On advice, the Minister may also reserve all or part of a water supply for a public purpose. The National Solid Waste Management Act 2001 established an Agency of the same name as the primary body responsible for solid waste management in Jamaica. The Agency must dispose of solid waste in an environmentally sound manner, provide receptacles for litter, and develop public education programmes, landfill sites and codes of practice. Operators of solid waste disposal facilities must be licensed and littering or otherwise disposing of solid waste except as authorized are punishable offences. Fines under this Act are extremely high. Enabling legislation in the form of Regulations has been under draft since the passage of the Act. Other relevant supporting legislation would include the following: Land Development and Utilization Act 1966 which requires the Land Development and Utilization Commission (LDUC) to consult relevant watershed authorities, established under the Watershed Protection Act, before development licenses are issued. The Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) Act 1990 established an Agency of the same name – RADA. It is a key agency in the development of best practices for agricultural activities within rural watersheds and has an island-wide spread by virtue of the development and operation of satellite agricultural service centres.
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The Quarries Control Act 1984 allows for the creation of zones within which quarrying activity can take place. Persons must be licensed to operate a quarry. Failure to be so licensed attracts criminal sanctions. Applications must be made to the relevant Minister who must consult with the related authorities defined under the Act including the Water Resources Authority as well as local Parish Councils. The Mining Act 1947 regulates mining and prospecting of land and is implemented through a Commissioner of Mines. There is a licensing regime for both, and failure to adhere can result in criminal sanctions, although fines are very low. Except with the consent of the Commissioner, certain lands should be excluded, such as within town limits, lands dedicated for a public purpose or within one hundred yards of buildings, works, dams or reservoirs owned or occupied by the government or another public authority. The Housing Act allows the Minister of Housing to declare areas as “housing areas” if such a need is deemed to exist in a particular area. In so doing, notice must be given to the local Parish Council which must be given the opportunity to raise objections. However, the Minister may make an order notwithstanding. The Housing Act can arguably override the developmental considerations under the Town and Country Planning Act which does not explicitly bind the Crown. Declarations under the Housing Act are reportedly not uncommon. The Local Improvements (Community Amenities) Act 1977 allows the government, through the Commissioner of Lands, to compulsorily obtain a limited leasehold interest in land (10 years) to undertake improvements in the public interest including “amelioration enduring to the benefit of the land from its reclamation, clearance, excavation, filling, grading, levelling, protection against erosion or flood, or any other works, additions or alteration”. Of near equal importance are conventions signed by the Jamaican government in support of the IWCAM approach. Perhaps the most important would be the Cartagena Convention with specific reference to the Protocol Concerning Pollution from Land-Based Sources and Activities. The Contracting Parties to the Cartagena Convention decided in 1987 at a meeting in Guadeloupe to give priority to a Protocol on Marine Pollution from Land-Based Sources and Activities (LBS). The adoption of this Protocol took place on 6 October 1999. Whereas the adoption of these conventions and protocols are not legally binding within a sovereign country, they do point to the willingness of a country to work towards certain objectives.
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Key Lessons Learned: Assessment of Success Factors The GEF-IWCAM Demonstration Project in the DRW in Portland, Jamaica, comprised five major sub-projects. These were Environmental Monitoring, Public Education, Agriculture and Sustainability Livelihoods, Governance and Enforcement, and a Small Grant Programme2. Based upon the principles of the triple bottom line assessment of success factors, which were identified broadly as social, environmental and economic, the following lessons were extracted from the application of these sub-projects.
Social This section attempts to demonstrate how the project activities contributed to social development by responding to questions of community involvement in planning and implementation of the project; its ability to address community priorities by focusing on the critical needs of the communities, for example the need for more sanitary toilet facilities at local schools; facilitating stakeholder participation by using local knowledge and skills; facilitating livelihood opportunities from environmental projects; and fostering greater appreciation of local culture. Community involvement in planning The project was a regionally conceptualised project, based on documented information about shrinking forest reserves, improper land use practices; poor solid waste disposal practices; and the resultant impact on coastal resources. It was therefore important to situate an understanding of this regional problem within a Jamaican context even though the DRW of Eastern Portland had been described as perhaps among the best managed in the region. To this end, East Portland Watershed stakeholders associated with and within the host community, were engaged from the onset of the project through a series of three consultations aimed at introducing the project and its broad goals and objectives. The purpose of these consultations was multi-fold and included identifying key stakeholders among relevant national agencies and community organisations; identifying capacity gaps; and developing a workplan that reflected realistic project expectations (Caribbean Waterways Vol.1, No.3, pp.2-3). This action not only incorporated the views of stakeholders from project inception, but facilitated ownership of the process, outputs and responsibility for outputs.
2 See Appendix I for a listing of the components under each sub-project
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Addressing community priorities The rationale behind involving communities in project planning as well as execution is to harness local knowledge as much as possible and avoid gaps emanating exclusively from strict scientific data gathering practices. Moreover, the advancement of community priorities over exclusive scientifically assessed conclusions, which often lead to host community hostility, at best, and no relevance to community priority needs, at worst, presents a major justification for ensuring that community concerns, related to the project objectives, are given priority. To this end, the passage of Tropical Storm Gustav in 2008, and its consequent destruction of forests allowed the project objective of sustainable forestry to coalesce with the desire of the community to replant its tree cover. Hence the distribution of five different types of seedlings including fruit trees to assist farmers in their reforestation programme supported the priority needs of farmers as well as provided the opportunity to introduce a major shift in rural agricultural practices. The replacement of pit toilets with flush toilets and washing facilities in five (5) rural schools, and the distribution of thirteen (13) garbage collection units throughout the Watershed, as well as the wine and liquor production by the Farming Group of Hector’s River (which is composed mostly of women) are examples of addressing community priorities, whilst keeping faith with broader project objectives. The connection of the two former projects to watershed management may seem more obvious than the latter. However, project managers explained that it was important to engage the women’s group and to use this method as an entry point to facilitate greater capacity building and training in IWCAM practices. “One should never underestimate the tremendous role that women play in changing behaviour” argues one community animator. Using community skills and talents over imported ones The technical skills required for projects of this nature are generally outside of the technical skill-set available in most rural communities. However, whenever the opportunity presented itself, local talents were used. This was demonstrated by the use of local fishermen to take samples of coastal water quality as part of the Water Quality Monitoring Programme; local welders to construct the garbage skips; use of local masons and carpenters to construct the new toilet facilities in the schools (both identified in the section on addressing community priorities above); as well as the use of community persons in surveys and data collection during the KAP survey. This strategy empowers local people to build confidence in their abilities, take pride in the community, and take responsibility for their actions and their consequences. Livelihood enhancements of local community Connecting project outputs with economic fortunes are addressed under the section on Economic Impacts. However, the general enhancement of the socio-economic conditions of the
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host community persons always presents an indication of projects meeting livelihood enhancement indicators. Granted that there was no baseline study to provide indicators for improved livelihoods, the introduction of new sustainable economic activities like the Wine and Liquor production; Broiler Chicks to support a fledgling broiler industry; Fruit Tree and Timber tree production (agro-forestry), and recycling of paper for crafts all contributed to enhancing the livelihoods of community persons. Increased access to physical assets by the community Increased access to public facilities was a major achievement of this project. The provision of toilets for schools thereby providing students with access to more sanitary conditions; community garbage bins for the more efficient disposal of garbage; the development of a nature trail in Nonsuch to provide for recreational/educational activities in the community; all represent examples of increased access to physical assets. However, the best example of making physical assets accessible to the community was the availability of equipment acquired for use for “Clean-up Days” and “Farming days” that have since been placed in a “pool” to be used by the community. Increased appreciation of local culture and traditions As communities become more sophisticated and increase access to modernization, there is always the fear that they lose an appreciation of local culture and traditions, which are often agents of social cohesion and community stability. The project used local artists to promote good environmental practices in the community, thereby upholding the use of local art-forms to disseminate environmental information and messages. To this end, a concert labelled “the Enviro-Concert” took place on July 31st 2009 at the Castle Community Centre. There was a deliberate use of the arts to present environmental issues to local stakeholders. Attendance was in the range of 200-300 persons. Ten local Artists participated, with the majority of Artists delivering more than one item. Some good environmental presentations were delivered, notably messages to farmers about proper farming techniques, to the general public about the disposal of baby diapers and the washing of “big fish in me dish”3. There were other items which were strictly for entertainment. State agencies also interjected between performances with presentations on the importance of the environment. The concert delivery was managed very well, as the Master of Ceremonies had the audience chanting environmental slogans, dancing, waving and singing. Although the concert did not begin on time, as patrons arrived late, the primary objectives of the activity were achieved. An important lesson derived from this
3 “Big fish in me dish” was a poem performed by a Fisher Folk at the Enviro-Concert. The phrase refers to the need not to overfish or engage in practices that endanger aquatic life, so as to ensure that communities have big fish as opposed to small ones in their dinner dishes.
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experience was for planners to be more sensitive to local community trends, behaviour and priorities, as a Friday afternoon at 4pm was largely unsuitable to begin such an activity in the Portland district. It was also felt that better coordination of transportation was needed to bring patrons to the event. This activity has been described as a very effective means of communicating environmental issues at the local level.
Environmental This section demonstrates how the project contributed to improving solid and liquid waste management; improved conservation practices and the use of RWH to increase access for rural schools. It also examines how local participation in collecting and monitoring environmental data aided the valuing of this information in decision making at the policy as well as local management levels.
Improved solid and liquid waste management Prior to the commencement of the project, the communities of Long Bay, Fair Prospect, Nonsuch, Reach, Sherwood Forest and Kensington did not enjoy regular garbage collection services. A combination of interventions facilitated this practice which now continues. First, garbage receptacles or skips were constructed and placed at different strategic locations. Next, the solid waste management agency was contacted and requested to include these stops on their garbage collection route. This was complemented with town meetings to inform the community of the response to their priority request and to encourage their use of the facility. Project Managers have reported that the community is making use of the garbage skips and the towns are visibly cleaner since the introduction of the programme. Innovative appropriate technologies The Project Managers were impressed with a wetland waste-water treatment system being implemented in another GEF-IWCAM Demonstration Project and wanted to explore this technology as well but the cost of the technology appeared to be prohibitive. However, other appropriate technologies were introduced based on the comparative advantage of the natural environment of the east Portland Communities, which records the highest rainfall in Jamaica. To this end, the practice of rain-water harvesting was introduced in the five (5) schools that benefitted from the flush toilet facilities. Each school was fitted with guttering and pipes along with 650 gallon water storage tanks to be used essentially for flushing. This facility is surprisingly relatively new in the Portland district and efforts are being made to ensure that the water harvesting components are utilized and also introduced to other schools on the island.
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Improving water conservation and quality practices The introduction of water harvesting technologies, as described above is an important and basic means of improving water conservation practices. However, specific measures aimed at water conservation and improving water quality, took the form of educational activities through town hall meetings. Of particular interest and concern to the Stakeholders Group, were the poor practices associated with unplanned communities. To address this concern, meetings were also held with the Parish Council and the Special Squatters Unit (SSU) to encourage the relocation of unplanned communities from sensitive areas. This can be a very challenging initiative, however the objectives of this intervention towards improving water quality is arguably long-term. Plans are in place for a central wastewater system in the town of Port Antonio which will service communities as far as Drapers. Households will be required to tie into the system. Official reports indicate that plans are also in place for the relocation of some of these informal settlements that impact the wetland system. Improving soil conservation and reduction in sedimentation Training and capacity building initiatives were employed to improve soil conservation practices and reduce sedimentation of the rivers. These included in excess of 20 Farmer Training Days, where farmers were both trained as well as provided with seedlings for cultivation. The training included land husbandry techniques, basic composting, and proper soil stabilization e.g. the construction of stone barriers, grass barriers, pineapple barriers, contouring, terracing, agro forestry, mulching, and inter-cropping. The technique involved the use of indigenous materials in the farmers’ environment such as bamboo, stones, grasses and pineapple setts. The use of pineapples setts has a twofold benefit: 1) the conservation of soil and 2) as an income generating activity for farmers. In addition, proper tree planting techniques were also demonstrated and the Pesticide Control Authority made a presentation on environmentally friendly pest control techniques and systems. Some of the attendees received fruit trees as an incentive for their participation in the Training Day, and Farmers were provided with approximately 2000 timber seedlings, cash crop seeds, fruit trees as well as ornamentals. Apart from the farmer education activities, there were projects that focused on soil conservation and sedimentation reduction. A section of the Martha Brae River was stabilized in order to contain river bank erosion. Four different types of vegetable seeds as well as corn seeds were provided to farmers in addition to organic fertilizers and pesticides. A number of fruit trees, ornamental and timber seedlings were also planted in order to ensure reduced levels of sedimentation. There was also a massive tree planting effort which included the distribution and planting of coconut seedlings and cassava sticks. The aim of this intervention was to introduce farmers to modern farming techniques that were more environmentally friendly, while simultaneously providing a sustainable method of earning an income.
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Environmental Management Systems A systematic structure for managing environmental impacts of the project including monitoring, auditing and continuous improvement of environmental efforts was applied. However, because these initiatives commenced during the latter part of the project, and in some cases equipment had not yet arrived (Bio-monitoring equipment) at the time of project closure, it was not possible to ascertain measureable improvements, although some visible positive changes were noted. These initiatives included construction of eight (8) stream flow stations to monitor water levels and three (3) weather stations to monitor changes in atmospheric pressure, wind direction and temperature. The parish of Portland had no such data collection devices prior to the project. The introduction of weather stations and river monitoring devices was applauded by the Meteorological Services Department and the WRA, respectively, as major pieces of hardware boosting their abilities to collect data and monitor conditions. As part of the environmental monitoring programme, water quality sampling was conducted at nine (9) marine sites and 20 fresh water sites which included Horses Savannah, Clear Spring, Monkey Island, Salt Creek, Manchioneal River, Christmas River, Drivers River (upstream), Drivers River (downstream), Dolphin Bay, Hectors River, Weybridge, Priestman’s River, Innes Bay, East Town River, Black River, Packi River, Winifreds, Turtle Crawl, Jacks River, Devil’s and Elbow. Water sampling conducted at 9 coastal marine sites included Dolphin Bay, Prospect, Clear Spring, Long Bay, Weybridge, Manchioneal, Boston, Hectors River and Horses Savannah. Six parameters were tested, inclusive of pH, nutrients (phosphate and nitrates), biological oxygen demand (BOD), total suspended solids (TSS), and faecal coliform. Faecal coliform counts presented the major area of concern as most sites exhibited above normal levels of faecal contamination. Sites of major concern were the Drivers River Upstream, Priestman’s River, and the Manchioneal River which exhibited at, or about, the countable threshold of1600 CFU per 100 ml of water tested. Mangrove monitoring was conducted at four locations which resulted in the study entitled “Portland Mangrove Ecology: Status and Anthropogenic Impact”. This was a collaborative effort with Portland Environment Protection Association (PEPA) and Environment Foundation of Jamaica (EFJ). Reef Checks were also conducted at 14 sites within the Watershed. Four surveys were conducted in the shallow waters of Alligator West, Dragon Bay, Drapers and Banana House; and
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in the open waters at Black River, Boston, Courtney’s Reef, Dragon Point, Fairy Hill, Horses Savannah, Manchioneal, Pillow Island, Policeman’s Harbour and See-Me-No-More. A biological diversity monitoring programme was still awaiting the arrival of equipment, at the time of project appraisal. However, these initiatives point to the recognition of the need to acquire environmental data as a basis for developing the management systems necessary to positively impact those resources. Information on the status of the environment aids decision making at the policy as well as at the local management levels. Prior to the project, there was a dearth of environmental data in the East Portland district. Education and awareness building activities to change behaviour A Public Education and Awareness Committee was another implementation institution set up by the project. Its mandate was to develop and implement strategies and activities to support public information and community awareness outreach. The objectives were to share information about the project activities as well as to encourage participation in all interventions designed to encourage environmental best practices. Household surveys were designed to monitor attitudes and behaviour towards the environment, and these were conducted in 15 communities, including Nonsuch, Hectors River, Manchioneal, Islington, Boston, Clear Spring, Reach, Anchovy, Fairy Hill, Prospect, Long Road, Black Rock, Windsor Forest, Kensington and Long Bay. Other activities included community outreach meetings; expositions with a sports component; distribution of environmental education flyers and brochures; debating, essay writing and poster competitions; hosting of Environmental International Days; a Summer Camp which included a visit to a Marine Laboratory; and an environmental education programme on the local Television Cable Network. The many activities organized were as follows: (1) Enviro-Concert, (2) Environmental Expo with sports component, (3) Town Meetings, (4) Advocacy Training, (5) Enforcement Workshops, (6) Commemoration of Environmental Days, (7) Presentation at Youths Track Meet, (8) Presentation at Children’s Forum, (9) Summer Camp, (10) Watershed Exchange, (11) Presentation of Youth Service Resident Camp, (12) Watershed signs (currently being worked on), (13) Debate Competition, (14) Poster and essay competitions, (15) Presentation on local cable network on Projects objectives and output, (16) Farmer Training Day, (17) Presentations at Jamaica Institute of Environmental Professionals Conference, and (18) the incorporation of training by farmers to school children in proximity to the Farming Group.
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Economic The capacity of a project to contribute to viable economic activity connected to conservation or protection activities including viable small businesses, evidence of entrepreneurship or employment creation is a clear indication of its ability to provide certain levels of economic sustainability. As indicated in the methodology, the ability of projects even with an environmental focus, to have economic impacts, always affords itself a better chance at success. The project revealed how a small grants programme was able to catalyze small business opportunities around environmental management initiatives. Potential for viable small businesses The goal for the Small Grant Programme was to provide funding to initiatives throughout the watershed that supported the principles of integrated watershed management. The project therefore permitted community members to design and implement their own projects, which they perceived contributed to the overall project goal. Twelve projects were approved from among seventeen applications. The project facilitated the emergence of several small businesses that were related to the concept of integrated watershed management. Although all of these may not be viable business initiatives and it is only through the application of strict business feasibility assessment can this be determined, exploration of the potential for good business initiatives was facilitated and this should be recognised. The recycling of bottles and other items by Senior Citizens reduced solid waste, facilitated a cleaner environment, and also simultaneously created a business opportunity. The introduction of organic farming of vegetables (cucumber, sweet pepper, pak choi4, corn and tomatoes) encouraged the non-use of chemical fertilizers, thereby improving land and water quality and simultaneously providing opportunities for a vegetable farming business. Alternatively, the rearing of broiler chicks by schoolchildren and women was intended as an opportunity to engage more vulnerable groups and to bring them into the discussion on watershed management in a more indirect way. According to Cleo Benet of the Social Development Commission, “… in order to get communities to look at environmental issues, it is necessary …to address social and economic issues which are sometimes not directly related to the environmental problem.” Employment opportunities Sometimes in the execution of a project, employment opportunities become available. This was certainly the case in this project as the construction of garbage skips and the upgrading of
4 A Chinese vegetable also known as bok choy or Peking cabbage. It is commonly used in stir fry and spring rolls.
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school sanitary facilities, for example, required carpenters, plumbers, electricians and masons. In addition, local persons were employed in the construction of stream flow monitors and weather stations. However these are employment opportunities related to the project implementation and are not generally sustained beyond the life of the project. The attainment of sustainable employment opportunities is determined by the ability of the project to create employment out of deliberate conservation and environmental protection initiatives. In this regard, the cutting of a Nature Trail for Eco-Tourism activities in Nonsuch and the planting of fruit trees to produce juice, wine and liquor are all employment opportunities which are directly related to environmental conservation. In the case of the nature trail constructed in Nonsuch, the environment is protected by the non-consumptive practice of wildlife and nature viewing which simultaneously brings employment opportunities through the use of tour guides. The planting of select fruit trees to stabilise river banks and support water conservation through soil stabilization, will also produce fruits to be used for beverage production thereby creating employment opportunities. Opportunities for entrepreneurial activity There is a difference between setting up a business, creating employment, and being an entrepreneur. An entrepreneur is more than just a businessperson. An entrepreneur ventures into new areas, is innovative, takes risks and explores areas of business that others generally avoid. The Project Managers did not record many instances where community persons engaged in new innovative businesses, except perhaps for the Handicraft Paper Production project. This project may be described as the single business initiative which was truly entrepreneurial. It was an attempt to venture into a new, untried area, by producing paper products from recycled paper and a breadfruit paste. The initiative linked the environmental practice of recycling with a business concept to produce a commercial product. This marrying of environmental and business/financial objectives is precisely the type of initiative that fosters and aids support for watershed protection at the rural community level. When conservation activities can coalesce to provide opportunities for employment, it further contributes to the premise that environmental protection must provide an equal economic activity that justifies the alternative or sustainable uses of scarce resources. This new business employs five (5) persons. The wine and liqueur production, described in the previous section could be a relatively risky endeavour within the context of the Portland business community. However, the Project Managers confirmed that Juice companies have indicated their willingness to purchase juice puree from the farmers who planted fruit trees, and that this is a quickly growing industry in Jamaica.
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Access to finance for spin-off business initiatives The success of business initiatives to warrant attention by financial institutions to support their further expansion was not apparent. It is reasonable to conclude that there was insufficient time to determine this. However, the nature trail, as well as the wine and beverage production initiative, demonstrates reasonable potential to attract additional finance for business expansion.
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Demonstrated Best Practices Community participation The project pursued a participatory approach to achieving its objectives using community- based initiatives. These approaches had been piloted by the CWIP and ENACT projects and their re-application in this project demonstrated and confirmed the value of this strategy. Clarity of communication with stakeholders from the onset The GEF-IWCAM Demonstration Project Managers attempted to clarify the objectives of the project from the onset through several meetings. The purpose of these consultations was multi-fold and included identifying key stakeholders among relevant national agencies and community organisations; identifying capacity gaps; and developing a workplan that reflected realistic project expectations (Caribbean Waterways Vol.1, No.3, pp.2-3). This action not only incorporated the views of stakeholders from project inception, but facilitated ownership of the process and responsibility for outputs. Consequently, the receptivity of host communities was extremely high, as evidenced by the large numbers of persons who participated in events. Response from and collaboration with key contributors to the problem The construction and placement of garbage receptacles or skips at different strategic locations received a very positive response as traditional culprits of indiscriminate disposal of household waste made regular use of the receptacles. GEF-IWCAM Demonstration Project Managers noted the significant difference in the cleanliness of the communities once the disposal bins had been installed and put into use. Secondly, the response of the NSWMA to include these stops on their garbage collection route represented yet another example of collaboration between public sector agencies and communities. This is notwithstanding the fact that the NSWMA is responsible, by virtue of the National Solid Waste Management Act 2001, for providing receptacles for litter. That fact aside, it is evident that the assumption that rural community persons knowingly dispose of garbage indiscriminately is unfounded, and that once public awareness is increased and they are provided with the support mechanisms such as receptacles for disposing of garbage and scheduled collection, they respond positively. Community identification of problems/Community priorities The replacement of pit toilets with flush toilets and washing facilities in rural schools, and the distribution of garbage collection units in several communities, as well as the wine and liquor production by the Farmers Group of Hector’s River are examples of addressing community priorities, whilst keeping faith with broader project objectives. Having established what the community priorities were, the project was able to communicate its message of integrated watershed management, by integrating strategic responses into the message. Therefore,
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community persons learned that proper toilet facilities contributed to making run-off water, which eventually reaches the coast, safer. Proper disposal of garbage not only improves the aesthetics of the community, but reduces contamination of waterways. These are important lessons which communities learn when they are able to participate in indentifying the problem and work with project co-ordinators in resolving it.
Technical local capacity and Institutional arrangements The availability of local technical support to the project, as well as the supporting institutions all contributed to the successes of the project. Strong Leadership/ Management/Co-ordination Capacity The authority vested in NEPA by law, and the role of this agency in implementing the GEF- IWCAM Demonstration Project in East Portland, cannot be understated as a critical factor of project success. First of all, the NEPA has institutional links to the Parish Council as well as the PEPA. It is the premier environmental organisation and tends to get positive participation whenever it attempts to bring agencies together to discuss environmental issues. NEPA has a primary structure which includes a special division responsible for projects. Within this division, a special Project Management Unit (PMU) is established at the commencement of each project. The PMU reports directly to the Director. There is also a Project Planning and Monitoring branch, which is responsible for the planning and monitoring of all projects from project conceptualisation to completion. This branch also helps with the start-up of the project, recruitment of staff and establishment of the PMU. During implementation, this unit was responsible for monitoring all activities, including the management of funds. Technical capacity available to project All technical personnel within NEPA are made available to projects being implemented. Projects have the benefit of the resources of the major environmental management agency in the state. This includes all documentation and the history/reports of previous projects. This capacity was extremely useful in allowing the GEF-IWCAM Demonstration Project to identify the processes and lessons learnt from the earlier projects like the CWIP and the R2RW projects. In addition, the Ecosystem Management branch of NEPA provided direct technical support to the GEF-IWCAM Demonstration Project. The Public Education Branch was also involved and assisted the PMU in conceptualizing and fashioning the public education agenda. All project financial management was channelled through NEPA’s financial branch and procurement was managed by the Facilities Branch. This branch ensured that all purchases of goods and services were guided by the Government of Jamaica procurement procedures, as well as consistent with the requirements of the funding agency.
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Workable linkages to supporting institutions NEPA’s local standing and authority allowed it to act as a conduit for easy access to many other national agencies. Further, all primary stakeholders were invited to be part of the Project Steering Committee, which facilitated involvement, buy-in and institutional support for all sub components of the GEF-IWCAM Demonstration Project. These stakeholder and beneficiary organisations were all brought into the project from inception thus making them part of the entire process of management and implementation. These included the WRA, RADA, PEPA, Portland Parish Council (PPC), Portland Parish Development Committee (PPDC), Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), the Jamaica Conservation & Development Trust (JCDT) and the Social Development Commission (SDC) to name a few. Adequate financing/co-financing Access to additional financing for sub-components of the project was made available through a mechanism within the financial management systems of the Government of Jamaica, which is a special line item in the national budget for co-financing of projects. All institutions of government are required to submit project ideas through the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ). This arm of government is involved in planning all projects. It has the overall responsibility for economic planning and is responsible for the development of and signing off on all project documents. With respect to the GEF-IWCAM Demonstration Project, NEPA, as project implementer, would consider the commitment made in the project document for in- kind or actual cash injection as counter-part funding, and prepare an application to the Ministry of Finance for this support. In this way, the GEF-IWCAM Demonstration Project was very successful in getting counterpart funding from the Government of Jamaica for many aspects of this project.
Enabling policy and legislative environment The tremendous value of a legislative framework that supports watershed and coastal areas management can never be overstated. The combination of pieces of legislation supporting water resources management, and national and regional agencies empowered to act, is a further tribute to the legislative and policy environment of Jamaica that supports the IWCAM approach. Review of and harmonisation of supporting legislation, policy, and regulations Although it was recognised that there are significant areas of functional overlap among various agencies, for example with the WRA, NEPA and the Forestry Department, the GEF-IWCAM Demonstration Project fostered an atmosphere and forum that encouraged all three agencies to cooperate, thus laying the foundation for future productive and sustained interaction which will further be enhanced by the usage of the IWCAM Watershed Model.
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The merger of the functions of the NRCA with the Town Planning Department and the Land Development and Utilization Commission (LDUC) brought physical and environmental planning together under one authority to establish NEPA. This represented a major policy shift by the Government as it recognised the critical symbiotic relationship between the planning authorities. This “one-stop-shop” for addressing physical development and environmental issues proved extremely valuable for project implementation as it avoided the usual bottlenecks associated with disparate bodies and interconnected responsibilities, which exist in many other Caribbean states. The aim of the merger was to integrate environmental, planning and sustainable development policies and programmes and to improve customer service. This expedites the approval processes for building projects that require planning permission. Enabling policy framework - Incentives and disincentives The institutional and legislative environment, although lacking significant regulations in many cases, also supported the project objectives and made implementation easier and less caustic. In countries where the institutions for water management are not as well developed as in Jamaica, making potable water available to rural communities at a non-prohibitive cost is challenging, as it often appears that water provision is determined largely by economic factors and therefore priority is, for instance, often given to the tourism belt which is the fastest expanding sector of the economy. The articulated policy of the Government of Jamaica has expressed concerns about managing the cost of water to poor, rural areas like East Portland. However, it is fair to conclude that the development of water allocation priorities is generally determined by national development objectives. For this reason, the GEF-IWCAM Demonstration Project had particular relevance within this rural district. The GEF-IWCAM Demonstration Project did not examine the extent to which payment to local rural communities for watershed management services may be explored by the leading economic sector of tourism. East Portland’s tourism potential is well documented and can benefit from better quality coastal waters as well as potable water. For this reason, the activities of the various communities to improve on the conditions that facilitate better water quality could be explored as a payable incentive.
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Conclusion The Drivers River GEF-IWCAM Demonstration Project in East Portland can undoubtedly be described as a success. The strategic involvement of the host communities from inception, through to the final formal closing ceremony of the project was one of community participation in deciding priorities and finding solutions. At this ceremony, all beneficiaries of the project were in attendance as well as the various agencies that contributed or supported it. This reflected the multidisciplinary, multi-stakeholder approach which was used throughout the project, and captured in this study. In summary, the ability of the project implementers to address priorities of community stakeholders represented a significant incentive to capitalise on the already demonstrated interest and knowledge captured in the KAP survey. The small grants initiative provided the financial resources for even greater community involvement and, combined with the expertise of NEPA, created the environment to implement corrective action. What has emerged in the case of East Portland is the potential for small scale water providers at the domestic level, including schools, to become more self reliant in the provision of potable water. Although Portland records the highest rainfall in the country, this does not negate the challenges of distribution of water throughout the district. However, a challenge remains in ensuring that the water harvested from roof tops is suitable for consumption, and the project could have addressed this added dimension a little more thoroughly, even though the aim was only to augment water for flushing of toilets. There remains a role for the WRA in terms of regulating water quality, not to mention extraction, which may be a component for future water management projects. The GEF-IWCAM Demonstration Project focused on the immediate actions that communities within a given watershed could engage in to improve water quality and availability to residents. This included direct clean-up activities, riverbank stabilization, and water-quality monitoring so as to measure the impact of interventions. The implementation of the project initiatives have been captured in the IWCAM Watershed Model which aims to provide watershed practitioners, government agencies, NGOs, funding agencies and the ordinary citizens, a simple, practical and flexible method of achieving sustainable watershed management using lessons learned from previous projects as well as other watershed initiatives, locally and regionally. The project also engaged in useful strategies to encourage greater buy-in and capacity building at the community level, thereby facilitating economic opportunities that supported project goals. These present comprehensive strategies that addressed economic, environmental and social considerations, upon which further actions for exploring incentives for watershed management at a community level, as well as water collection and distribution, may be built upon.
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Appendix I Environmental Monitoring Committee Established 18 months of Water quality Data Collected & Analyzed Community members trained to conduct sampling Reef checks conducted at 14 sites Household Surveys conducted A Set of indicators adapted Water Quantity data collected Constructions of 8 Stream flow monitoring stations ( 3 automated & 5 manual) The Construction of 3 Weather Stations Mangrove survey & resuscitation Bio-monitoring Bio-monitoring Training Community Clean-ups
Public Education Summer camp Conducted Expos with sports component Enviro-Concert Town Meeting Debate Competition Poster Competition Commemoration of environmental days Production of Programme on local Cable Network Street Gala (collaboration) Participated in Green Expo & JIEP Conference (stakeholders)
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Watershed Model
Governance and Enforcement KAP Survey Stakeholder Analysis Stakeholders Workshop Advocacy Training Watershed Exchange Compliance & Enforcement Workshops Agency & Community partnership
Agriculture and Sustainable Livelihoods Farmers Training Days ( best practices) 20 5 types of seeds Organic fertilizers Broiler Chicks Fruit Tree Production Wines & Lacquers production Environmental friendly pest control Timber tree production (agro-forestry)
Small Grants Programme Entrepreneurial Training & Certification Paper making/handicraft Improvement to School sanitation systems Solid waste management Vulnerability Assessment Mangrove Resuscitation
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Nature Trail Orchard Establishment An Enviro-Centre Proposal Writing Workshop
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References Burke, L. and Maidens, J. (2004) Reefs at Risk in the Caribbean, World Resources Institute, Washington D.C., USA. Donegan, M., Edwards, T. and Thompson, K-A. (2009) How to Assess Natural Disaster Risk: A Handbook, IWCAM, PEPA, Port Antonio, Portland, Jamaica. Edwards, Tracey (2009) Portland Mangrove Ecology: Status and Anthropogenic Impact, EFJ, PEPA, Portland, Jamaica. Environmental Advisors Inc. (2008) Review of Policy, Laws and Institutional Structures, GEF- IWCAM, Castries, Saint Lucia. Environmental Advisors Inc. (2008) Toolkit for Institutional, Policy and Legislative Improvements, GEF-IWCAM, Castries, Saint Lucia. Kirkland, L. and Timothy, S. (2009) Community approach in addressing point and non-point sources of marine pollution: Experiences in Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica. Paper presented at the 18th Annual CWWA Conference, St. Thomas, USVI. NEPA (2005) Demonstration Project Paper – An integrated Approach to Managing the Marine, Coastal and Watershed Resources of East-Central Portland, Kingston, Jamaica. PMU-GEF-IWCAM (2007) Guidance Document for IWCAM Demonstration Projects, CEHI, Morne Fortune, Castries, Saint Lucia. PMU -GEF-IWCAM (2007) Caribbean Waterways, Vol. 1, Issue 3, Sept 2007 PMU -GEF-IWCAM (2009) Caribbean Waterways, Vol.3, Issue 2/3, June/Sept 2009 PMU -GEF-IWCAM (2009) Caribbean Waterways, Vol. 3, Issue 1, March 2009. Scribal Consultancy Services (2009) Lessons and Good Practice Guidance Document, GEF- IWCAM, Castries, Saint Lucia. Statistical Institute of Jamaica (2006) Environment Statistics 2005 and Water, STATIN, Kingston, Jamaica. Statistical Institute of Jamaica and the Planning Institute of Jamaica (2006) Jamaica Survey of Living Conditions 2005, STATIN/PIOJ, Kingston, Jamaica.
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List of Interviewees/Contributors Cleo Benet – Social Development Commission Danny Simpson – Forestry Department Donna Spencer – PCU, GEF-IWCAM Project Lisa Kirkland – Project Manager, GEF-IWCAM Demonstration Project Michelle Watt – Water Resources Authority Osbert Stitchel – Fisheries Division Winsome Townsend – Director, NEPA
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