The Global Environment Facility-funded Integrating Watershed and Coastal Areas Management (GEF-IWCAM) Project
Capture and Demonstration of Good Practice and Lessons Learned
Case Study of the GEF-IWCAM Cuba Demonstration Project:
“A model for Integrated Watershed and Coastal Area Management - the Case of Cienfuegos Bay, Cuba”
FINAL
July 2011
Prepared by Sylvester Clauzel Managing Consultant Scribal Consultancy Services PO Box CP 6151, Castries, Saint Lucia
ABBREVIATIONS CAI Agro-Industrial Centre (Sp: Centro Agro-Industrial) CBO Community Based Organisation CEAC Centre for Environmental Studies of Cienfuegos CEHI Caribbean Environmental Health Institute CICA Centre for Inspection and Environmental Control CIDA Canadian International Development Agency CITMA Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment CNAP National Centre for Protected Areas (Sp: Centro Nacional de Áreas Protegidas) COMARNA National Commission for Environmental Protection and the Rationale Use of the Natural Resources CRIC Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention on Desertification DMA Environment Directorate (Sp: Dirección de Medio Ambiente) EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EU European Union FAO Food and Agriculture Organisation (UN) GEF Global Environment Facility GIS Geographic Information System ICZM Integrated Coastal Zone Management IOC Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission IPF Physical Planning Institute (Sp: Instituto de Planificación Fisica) IWCAM Integrated Watershed and Coastal Area Management MinTur Ministry of Tourism NGO Non Governmental Organisation PNCMS National Programme for Management and Conservation of Soils SIDS Small Island Developing States SIGIA Integrated Management System for Environmental Information (Sp: Sistema Integral de Gestión de Información Ambiental TBL Triple Bottom Line UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation
GEF-IWCAM Case Study | A Model for IWCAM: The Case of Cienfuegos Bay, Cuba 2
Table of Contents
ABBREVIATIONS ...... 2
Table of Contents ...... 3
Introduction ...... 5
Background ...... 7
Methodology ...... 8
Baseline Information on demonstration site ...... 9
The Community ...... 9
Institutional Arrangements ...... 9
CITMA ...... 9
Land-use planning ...... 10
Tourism development planning ...... 10
Coastal Zone Management ...... 11
The Legislative and Policy framework ...... 11
Law No. 81: Law of the Environment ...... 11
Pollution control and Public Health ...... 12
Marine resources and Maritime waters ...... 12
Land use and Planning ...... 12
Watershed management ...... 12
Environment and Conservation ...... 13
Key Lessons Learned: Assessment of Success Factors ...... 14
Water resources and supply management ...... 14
Soil management and conservation ...... 14
Education, awareness and development of cross-sectoral stakeholder capacity ...... 14
GEF-IWCAM Case Study | A Model for IWCAM: The Case of Cienfuegos Bay, Cuba 3
SOCIAL ...... 14
Community involvement in planning ...... 15
Addressing community priorities ...... 16
Using community skills/talents above imported ones...... 17
Livelihood enhancements of local community ...... 18
ENVIRONMENTAL...... 19
Improved solid and liquid waste management practices ...... 19
Innovative and appropriate technologies ...... 21
Improving water conservation or quality practices ...... 22
Improving soil conservation and reduction in sedimentation or erosion ...... 22
Environmental management systems planning ...... 24
Education and awareness building activities ...... 25
ECONOMIC ...... 27
Potential for viable small businesses and opportunities for entrepreneurial activity ...... 27
Employment opportunities ...... 27
Access to finance for spin-off business initiatives ...... 28
Demonstrated Good Practice ...... 29
Community participation ...... 29
Technical local capacity and Institutional arrangements ...... 30
Enabling policy and legislative environment ...... 32
Conclusion: ...... 34
References: ...... 35
List of Interviewees and Contributors ...... 36
Appendices: ...... 37
Annex 1- Broad Project Interventions ...... 37 GEF-IWCAM Case Study | A Model for IWCAM: The Case of Cienfuegos Bay, Cuba 4
Introduction Cuba, the largest island in the Caribbean chain, was chosen to demonstrate a model application of an integrated watershed and coastal area management (IWCAM) project. The area of study is the community of the Cienfuegos Bay, located in South Central Cuba. The area extends to approximately 2,210 km2 and is the home of the one of the largest hydrological systems in the country. The population of the area amounts to 270,000 inhabitants (2.45% of the total population of Cuba) of which 60% inhabit urban areas and the remaining 40% dwell in the rural areas. The bay forms a complex estuary from the flow of several rivers. Four of these main rivers are the Damuji, Salado, Arimao and Caunao. Other perhaps less significant river basins include Ingles, Las Calabazas and Maracas creeks. While the main rivers are primarily affected by land-based sources of pollution, the less extensive rivers are also viewed as contributors to the pollution of the main rivers and by extension, the Cienfuegos Bay. Examples of the land- based sources of pollution include agricultural, domestic and chemical sources which create excessive nutrients.
The project intended to focus on seven interventions which included institutional collaboration for the national coordination of IWCAM; water quality monitoring; agro-forestry; soil conservation; the reuse of wastewater in sugar cane irrigation and other process wastes; domestic waste-water management; and an education and community awareness programme. The study to mitigate the negative impact of sugarcane wastewater on watershed and coastal areas was not realised due to unforeseen complications.
The details of the sub-projects and expected outcomes are as follows: 1. Establishment of a local Basin/ Bay Authority for IWCAM that would allow for economic activities while protecting natural resources and augmenting the quality of life to the population. Additionally, establishment of sustainable funding for the Authority and its responsibilities while developing a mechanism to transfer best lessons and practices to other areas, communities and institutions. 2. Establishment of a Water Quality Monitoring Program covering the Cienfuegos Bay area and related watershed(s). The Authority will assure that data is collected and analyzed to provide a better knowledge and understanding of the environmental situation to better inform the decision making process. 3. Establishment of demonstration pilot area(s) for implementing best forest practices including reforestation in mountains and river fringes for a better understanding of sustainable development (reforestation training centres).
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4. Establishment of demonstration pilot area(s) for implementing best agricultural practices for increasing soil conservation and improving soil management, better management of wastes from agricultural practices (e.g. as compost production), while reducing the impacts of agricultural chemicals within the Bay (agricultural training centres). 5. Establishment of a demonstration pilot area (targeting a sugar mill) for implementing a programme to diminish water consumption, with the reuse of wastewater in sugar cane irrigation and other process wastes (e.g. harvest residues and organic waste)1. 6. Development and strengthening of domestic wastewater management in the watershed and coastal areas (IWCAM); with special focus on the inventory of land-based sources of pollution, the evaluation of wastewater loads, the identification of appropriate technologies, and best treatment options and costs. 7. Establishment of a public awareness and capacity building Program within IWCAM concepts. These key project areas were expected to serve as an encapsulation of the requirements for improved resource management and use within the Cienfuegos Bay and its basins. The integration of these seven projects was expected to represent a model for sustainable implementation of the IWCAM approach. It should be noted however, that Cuba has been managed over the past fifty years under a socialist development plan and government controlled economy. This political and economic organisation has provided the framework for some unique approaches to IWCAM.
1 This component on sugarcane wastewater was not realised due to unforeseen circumstances.
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Background Cienfuegos houses one of the most important ports in Cuba and its activities represent one of the principal uses of the Bay. Some related activities include the movement of general cargo, export of sugar, involving movements of tankers and coastal traffic, in addition to a well developed fishing industry. Concurrently, as a hub for tourism activity, it has also become the national centre for water sports in the country and also supports other related activities such as swimming and sport-fishing. The Bay is also associated with activities such as manufacturing, agriculture and urban development while some segments of the Bay are recognised as protected areas with high values in marine biodiversity.
In recent years, industrialisation, the rise of urban centres and the expansion and introduction of various other activities have presented environmental problems in the Bay. Increased port activities, the use of inappropriate environmental technologies, stagnated development of the wastewater treatment for the expanding urban areas and the growth of poorly controlled agricultural development have been cited as major contributors to increased pollution, soil erosion and decreased soil fertility. In addition to these issues, deforestation in river fringes and coastal areas; increased levels of salinity and sedimentation in drinking and irrigation waters; and general threats to human health have become apparent. This has been compounded by a paucity of environmentally informed decision making in policy making which is driven primarily by economic interests.
Cuba has however engaged in several activities to diminish the negative impacts dating as far back as the 1970s. Some of these initiatives have focused on those surrounding the Cienfuegos Bay inclusive of issues such as marine contamination and planning and environmental management. While there are notable outcomes such as a management plan for the Bay; the approval of legal-technical regulations for the use of the bay; and more recently, the plan for the integrated management of the Bay; the aforementioned problems persist.
In an attempt to address these challenges, the government and relevant institutions have attempted to develop policies for mitigation. As a result of this initiative, the Cienfuegos Bay has been designated a national coastal area for protection of highest priority. Furthermore, the most pressing areas on the agenda include soil integrity and preservation, water quality, sewage contamination and health risks. The abatement of these problems becomes of even greater importance as the development of the tourism industry hinges on their successful reduction. Stemming from this, the Cienfuegos Bay has been embraced as the ideal demonstration area for the adoption of an integrated watershed management development approach as it provides a platform that encapsulates several high priority areas. GEF-IWCAM Case Study | A Model for IWCAM: The Case of Cienfuegos Bay, Cuba 7
Methodology Although the Cienfuegos Bay project was largely an environmental management one, 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 watershed communities of the Cienfuegos Bay 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 so as 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 IWCAM 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 Community (Baseline information was not available at time of writing).
Institutional Arrangements In 1994, as part of a broader reorganisation of the Government, Cuba abolished the thirteen year old National Commission for Environmental Protection and the Rationale Use of the Natural Resources (COMARNA) and replaced it with what many observers describe as “the more focused and powerful” Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment (CITMA). This marked the first time in the history of Cuba that a cabinet-level agency was established exclusively for the environment. The first task of CITMA was to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the status of Cuba’s environment and to develop a vision and strategy for future environmental protection. In 1997, the first National Environmental Strategy was finalised. This was followed by intensive negotiations over an ambitious environmental framework law, which was finally ratified as Law No. 81 (described under The Legislative and Policy Framework below). Whilst the Law No. 81 focused on a wide range of laws, it provided the CITMA with the mandate to ensure that all coastal developments, particularly tourism development, was carried out in an environmentally sustainable manner.
A series of legal instruments provide the basis for carrying out the objectives of Law No. 81. These include The National Environmental Strategy described above, Environmental land-use planning; Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA); Environmental Information System; State Environmental Inspection System; Environmental education; Scientific research and technological innovation; Economic regulation; National Environmental Fund; and Regimes of administrative, civil, and criminal liability. These instruments provide the legal infrastructure, to develop a comprehensive system of environmental planning, review, management, enforcement and education.
CITMA CITMA is the governmental agency of the Central Administration of the State in charge of proposing environmental policy and guiding its execution through the coordination and control of the nation’s environmental management towards the achievement of sustainable development. It has the further mandate, through its Environment Directorate (DMA, Sp: Dirección de Medio Ambiente), for reviewing and providing comments on proposed national land use plans. It utilises its scientific, technical and legal expertise to ensure that projects are
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environmentally sound. The Centre for Inspection and Environmental Control (CICA) within CITMA is vested with the charge of determining whether a proposed project or activity requires an EIA. To this end, CITMA is responsible for the granting of licences which can deny outright or approve subject to conditions aimed at avoiding or mitigating adverse impacts.
Additionally, CITMA is the lead ministry for protected areas and is in charge of administration and management of the National System of Protected Areas through the National Centre for Protected Areas (CNAP, Sp: Centro Nacional de Áreas Protegidas). CNAP develops regular five year master plans for the protected areas system, which facilitates the development of management plans and establishes rules and regulations for use of the areas. With respect to foreign investment, CITMA adopts an environmental stance in its review of the investment suitability, ensuring that the proposed project is constructed and will operate in compliance with all environmental standards. In this evaluation, it also ascertains the need for EIAs and the granting of environmental licences.
Land-use planning The Ministry of Planning, through the Physical Planning Institute (IPF, Sp: Instituto de Planificación Fisica), is the principal body for administering land use planning at the national, provincial and municipal levels. It is responsible for establishing the general priorities, guidelines, and policies for land use and development which must reflect the economic plans for the areas. These plans are both macro and micro in their application. Plans at the provincial and municipal levels are applied so planners may adopt territorial and urban land use plans. These are regulations that set forth legally binding requirements for the allocation and use of lands within specific geographic areas. Underlying these plans, detailed feasibility studies are conducted. The land use planning process at the local level culminates with a meeting of planning officials and representatives for a range of other Ministries, including the Ministry of Tourism (MinTur), CITMA, foreign investment, basic industries, transportation and others.
Tourism development planning The tourism planning process is initiated by an inventory of tourism resources across the country and an evaluation of the potential for tourism development in specific regions of the country. Planners collaborate with tourism officials to develop national policies and regulations that guide tourism planning at the provincial and municipal levels. The IPF then becomes involved as it establishes the best potential for tourism development and the most appropriate location for the highest levels of investment for tourism infrastructure and facilities. CITMA, through its authority to conduct EIAs and grant licences, is also critical in this process as it ensures that hotels and transportation infrastructure are not located in ecologically fragile areas. As stipulated by national policies, planning officials at the provincial and municipal levels GEF-IWCAM Case Study | A Model for IWCAM: The Case of Cienfuegos Bay, Cuba 10
develop more specific plans that provide detailed guidance for the location of tourist facilities. When the zones span more than one province, provincial officials collaborate to produce joint plans. For most proposed projects, local planning officials have the final say with the exception of special investments such as tourist facilities which must be approved at the national level, the IPF.
Coastal Zone Management The Ministry of Planning has the authority over zoning and project siting approvals. CITMA is typically involved in the development of local land use plans and the micro-localisation process in the coastal areas. The DMA within CITMA has established the Coastal Zone Management Group which is a multiagency group that includes officials from CITMA, the Ministries of Planning, Tourism and others. This group has been mandated to establish a system towards the integrated management of the coastal zones.
The Legislative and Policy framework The legislative framework for Cuba appears to be comprehensive and feasible for preliminary treatment of the challenges that the Cienfuegos Bay has encountered. The existing legislation and policies provide for areas of priority such as pollution, public health, coastal area management, land use, watershed and environmental conservation.
Law No. 81: Law of the Environment The National Environmental Strategy provides the vision for environmental protection in Cuba with Law No. 81, Law of the Environment, as the tool to enable the outcome. It sets forth environmental objectives, establishes the administrative framework for the CITMA among others, and creates a set of legal instruments for the execution of the various mandates. The primary objectives focus on directing the adoption of laws and regulations to ensure environmentally sound development; promotion of participatory decision making; provide for assessment and monitoring of environmental compliance and fostering protection of health and the environment. The six express objectives of Law No. 81 are to. (1) direct the adoption of laws and regulations that ensure that development is environmentally sound; (2) provide the basis for establishing environmental standards and criteria for projects and activities that pollute and otherwise adversely impact the environment; (3) provide opportunities for public notice and participation in environmental decision making; (4) promote public awareness of environmental problems; (5) provide for environmental assessment of proposed activities, monitoring of environmental compliance, and enforcement of environmental requirements;
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and (6) foster protection of health, and the improvement of the quality of life and environment in general2.
Pollution control and Public Health In relation to pollution control and public health, there are several degrees stipulating actions regarding the treatment of hazardous waste including issues of export, import, disposal, storage and transportation. Law No. 81, Article 93 specifically deals with the protection of water from pollution. It considers and undertakes the necessary treatment for the discharge into water courses, bays, coastal, lagoon, dammed and underground waters which may alter the balance of the ecosystem.
Marine resources and Maritime waters Law No. 81, Section 3 of chapter 4 of the sixth title deals specifically with the protection of maritime waters and marine resources. This is cemented by the fact that it is a signatory of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Along with the Ministry of the Fishery Industry, CITMA oversees the sustainable management and use of marine resources. Its scope includes control over sailing, port and the transportation of passengers to minimise damage to the marine and coastal environment. Article 104 also regulates the disposal of waste in the marine environment. Decree Law 212 was adopted, to complement Law 81, to strengthen the existing legislation. To ensure the protection and sustainable use of the coastal zone while encapsulating the principles of integrated coastal zone management, the decree delineates the extent of the coastal zone and regulates activities. It establishes territorial and urban land use plans and tourism development plans and prohibits certain activities.
Decree-Law No. 230 of 28 August 2002 establishes the authority of the Port Administration as an entity that is responsible for guaranteeing the compliance with the environmental legislation as part of its management purview.
Land use and Planning Law No. 81 also addresses +land use and planning. The law has prioritised the sustainable development of Cuba through the integration of environmental aspects, economics, and demographic and social factors.
Watershed management Legislation relating to watersheds encourages their integrated management to ensure economic and social activities are married with environmental conservation. Article 110 of Law
2 Ley del Medio Ambiente, LEY No. 81 Environment Law, LAW No. 81], tit.1. ch. III, Art. 9 (1997) (Cuba), translated in Cuban Environmental Law.
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No. 81 specifically addresses this approach while Article 111 allows the National Watershed Council and other relevant bodies to engage in activities that permit the integration and harmonisation of the objectives of the law with the activities of stakeholders. Chapter III of Decree 280 dated March 19, 2007, further establishes the functions of the Council as the key organisation for the classification and management of the watersheds and outlines its responsibilities. Law No. 85 of July 1998 outlines principles to regulate the protection and sustainable development of forests as well as the conservation of biological diversity associated with forest ecosystems. It protects the forests from activities such as clear cutting, irrational pruning, forest fires, plagues etc. Decree 179 deals with the protection, use and conservation of the soils and its breaches. It further aims to improve and rehabilitate the soil while protecting the fertility and productivity of soils by controlling negative factors such as erosion, salinity and acidity. It also protects the agriculture and forest soils from effects of activities such as mining, geologic exploitations among others. Decree Law 138 “Of the terrestrial waters” of July 1st, 1993 establishes the basic principles for the use, conservation, sanitation, rational use, protection of the sources of water supply, natural water courses, hydraulic works and facilities, protection of economic and social activities from the harmful effects that can cause runoff of terrestrial waters.
Environment and Conservation As support for Law No. 81, the Decree-Law 201, of the National System of Protected Areas, 23rd day of December 1999 establishes the legal regime for the National System of Protected Areas which explores areas of rules, regulations for governance, control and administration as well as the categories for protected areas, their proposal and declaration. It also addresses the granting of authorisation to carry out activities in these areas. The Law of Mines (Law 76 of December 21, 1994) is relatively new legislation which promotes State control where deemed necessary, increased geological knowledge of the country and the optimised use of its mineral resources while marrying the precepts of environmental conservation. It also considers human settlements and the existence of protected areas. Resolution No. 330 of 99. Ministry of Agriculture, dated September 7, 1999, enforces the Regulation of the Forestry Law that structures the State Forestry Service in the provinces and municipalities. It establishes the boundaries of forest strips and dictates the activities allowed.
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Key Lessons Learned: Assessment of Success Factors The conceptualisation of several demonstration projects, implemented under three broad categories described below, was expected to represent a model for sustainable implementation of the IWCAM approach. In order to appreciate the lessons learned from the perspective of the TBL approach, it is necessary to first of all, describe briefly the various project interventions. There were three broad categories under which several components, listed in the introduction, were implemented. The key lessons learned from this multi-demonstration project initiative provided the framework for understanding the requirements for improved IWCAM within the Cienfuegos Bay and its basins. The three broad categories are as follows:
Water resources and supply management Under this project intervention, the GEF-IWCAM demonstration project hoped to model aspects of water resource management such as improved drinking water quality, an integrated sanitation programme with solutions for wastewater treatment; addressing land-based sources of pollution control procedures; identification of fragile ecosystems; and a basin-wide approach to sustainable use of natural resources.
Soil management and conservation The objectives under this intervention were to reduce sedimentation as well as animal and agricultural waste entering the Cienfuegos Bay; and to manage the conservation of soils. An improved livelihood for farmers was a by-product of this initiative.
Education, awareness and development of cross-sectoral stakeholder capacity Under this component, the project collaborated with CEAC in the ongoing development and execution of a Master of Science (2 yr programme with thesis) programme and Diploma (1 yr with project) programme. The public awareness activities were conducted primarily in El Castillo de Jagua, a coastal fishing community in Cienfuegos Province.
SOCIAL This section attempts to demonstrate how the project activities contributed to social development by responding to questions of community development in planning and implementation of the project; the ability to address community priorities by focusing on the critical needs of the communities within the Cienfuegos Bay with respect to coastal water quality; facilitating stakeholder participation by using local knowledge and addressing community priorities; and most importantly building the local capacity in IWCAM approaches.
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Community involvement in planning The rationale behind involving communities in project planning as well as execution is to facilitate the harnessing of local knowledge as much as possible and to avoid gaps emanating exclusively from strict scientific data gathering practices. Each of the components of the project developed practical activities (seminars, workshops, student interest circles) which facilitated public participation directly in the objectives of the project.
In the development of the project concept, the following were involved:
Leaders of the Cienfuegos community Researchers in the scientific and production centres (CEAC, Cienfuegos University, Centre for Information, Management and Environmental Education, Agro-Industrial Centre Sugar Factory 14th of July, Provincial Water Resources Delegation) Students of primary and secondary schools Farmers Workers in the cultural sector (Provincial Directorate of Culture, Castillo de Jagua Fortaleza) Workers in the health sector (Provincial Centre of Hygiene and Epidemiology) Workers in the tourism and public recreation (Provincial Delegation of Tourism, Recreation Centres – Coastal Beaches Sector)
Of particular interest was the work of the CRIC, comprising specialists from the University of Cienfuegos. The CRIC, a product of the IWCAM project, and the Provincial Directorate of Heritage organized a community workshop in the Castle-Perché community to develop an educational project, thereby involving the beneficiary community in the project design from inception.
The CRIC had also conducted a preliminary study of social networks within the community, which was presented to local leaders and officials, as well as the other relevant institutions in the community. This presentation was held at the Museo La Fortaleza (Museum of Fortaleza). The Fortaleza is an important institution of great cultural significance to this community as well as an ideal central location for social gatherings. It represented an excellent venue for this activity and the response was excellent. The objective was to introduce the various groups to techniques in “Action Research Methodology and Participation” and covered the following areas:
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1. Participant observation of the environmental problems of the community. 2. Diagnosis of environmental perception through drawings, surveys and interviews. 3. Workshops catalyzing dialogue between scientific and everyday knowledge related to the IWCAM approach.
All these techniques allowed the knowledge and awareness of environmental problems of the area to be achieved and for participants to develop their own community education plan based on their respective interests. Using this approach, the project was able to achieve greater community participation in decision making, by allowing the host community to actively participate in finding solutions to their problems.
Community awareness and participation Fortaleza or El Castillo de Jagua, a historic military fort on the coast of the Cienfuegos Bay, is 265 years old and a key institution for community cohesion, as alluded to above. Young men play football just outside the fort and its large courtyard represents a regular venue for social gathering. There is a small ferry terminal where villagers travel across the Cienfuegos Bay on a daily basis for work either at the large Hotel Pasacaballos or the other manufacturing industries. The community also has a strong fishing tradition with its base around the Fortaleza. Just beyond this is a large expanse of mangrove trees that protect the Bay and provide a nursery in support of the large fishery.
The Demonstration Project team had concluded that given the connection of healthy mangroves to the fishing industry, they could use the mangrove threats as an easy avenue to make the link between watershed protection and environmental responsible behaviour. The mangrove threats were obvious to the community. To this end, the community awareness sub- project proposed to include scientific assessments of the area; conduct an environmental evaluation of the public areas; and facilitate social networking and educational activities.
The public education activities included visits to places of environmental interests like the Dolphinarium and coral reefs, as well as working sessions at CEAC.
Addressing community priorities The advancement of community priorities over exclusive scientifically assessed conclusions, often lead to host community hostility at best and no relevance to community priority needs, at worst. Given this threat to project success, it is imperative that community priorities, related to the project objectives, are given priority. Castillo de Jagua is a fishing community where the coast tends to be littered with the waste of fish preparation, including shark remains and nets. The Demonstration Project sought to
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improve the aesthetic and environmental conditions through proper waste management in the coastal zone. To do this in a way that empowered the local community led to the establishment of a community meeting space for discussion and dialogue. The Fortaleza de Jagua, a treasured and respected common space in the community, was identified as the place to commence this discussion. The discussion with the community began by identifying the fishery; discussing alternative uses of the remains of shark for example the making of shark oil; and cleaner practices in the production of fishing nets.
The primary challenge was to find ways to reverse the bad practices of fishers on the coast, but it also included changing the practices of farmers in the hinterland. To this end, consultations with farmers were also initiated. Surprisingly, while farmers are generally attached to traditional ways of doing things and often reluctant to accept the contributions of science, they demonstrated a positive response to the recommendations of the agricultural experts, and were willing to align their priorities with that of the project. Additional incentives, such as the promise of increased agricultural production and provision of farming tools and housing, also encouraged participation.
Using community skills/talents above imported ones The technical skills required for projects of this nature are often outside of the capacity available in most rural communities. Nonetheless, the local knowledge of the attributes of the watershed was described as phenomenal by project managers. It was precisely this knowledge and commitment that the Demonstration Project endeavoured to integrate in its work. One example, of many, would come from the Sarduy Farm. This agricultural cooperative has been operated by the Sarduy family and a few additional workers for some time. Soil conservation scientists collaborated with the farm workers to develop and implement techniques that not only improved soil quality, reduced erosion, but also increased the production yield on the farm. This partnership ensured a commitment to an IWCAM approach, while finding the synergy between good agricultural practices and traditional knowledge. The end result was a cadre of highly empowered agricultural workers firmly committed to continuation and replication of soil conservation methods and a group of soil conservation scientists attesting to the successful real-world application of their theories. Another example was catalysed by one young and outstanding student who provided guidance to the public education and awareness specialists who were developing a network of environmental inspectors. The student provided useful ideas on environmental sustainability and how to encourage individual responsibility in the protection of watersheds and coastal areas.
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Livelihood enhancements of local community Connecting project outputs with economic livelihoods are addressed under the section on Economic Impacts. However, the general enhancement of the socio-economic conditions of host communities provides an idea of the Demonstration Project’s ability to meet critical sustainable livelihood enhancement indicators. Impressive gains were made in agricultural production. Using two farms as examples (Sarduy and San Juan), from the 2006 baseline, the farms experienced the following increases: - 800% in meat - 67% in milk - 130% in fruits and vegetables In all four demonstration farm sites, there was an average 15% increase in income, as well as an additional incentive of 11,000 pesos from the national government. This one-time incentive was part of a Cuban Government policy to increase national production of meat and milk. The farms also received Certification from the National Programme for Management and Conservation of Soils (PNCMS). The demonstration project activities related to soil conservation and agro-forestry had a direct positive impact on 19 farm workers. Farmers opting to participate in the project were incentivised with basic furnished homes, electrification, and farm infrastructure including 100% of their required tools. Monthly income was increased from 368 pesos to 580 pesos.
The Cuban government provides incentives to farmers for sustainable agro-forestry. Consequently, participating in this project increased the incentives received from the Government and enhanced sustainability within the context of a socialist (central administrative control) state.
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ENVIRONMENTAL This section demonstrates how the Demonstration Project contributed to improving the quality through solid and liquid waste management, better forest management practices and use of innovative appropriate technologies. It also examines how the various initiatives resulted in improved environmental management practices and behavioural changes among institutions and individuals.
Improved solid and liquid waste management practices Under the water resources and supply management component, the Demonstration Project aimed to model integrated water resource management approaches to improving drinking water quality, an integrated sanitation programme with solutions for wastewater treatment; addressing land-based sources of pollution control procedures, identification of fragile ecosystems and a basin-wide approach to sustainable use of natural resources.
Capacity building The project undertook one primary intervention under this programme area, which was a comprehensive water quality monitoring project with objectives to strengthen the analytical capacity of relevant institutions and laboratories in the Cienfuegos Bay community; design and implement a monitoring programme for the main Cienfuegos River and Bay, and to work towards accreditation of Quality Assurance (ISO17025) for the Chemistry and Microbiology Laboratories.
Beach (water quality) monitoring This water quality monitoring programme included the sanitary inspection of eight (8) beaches, located in a deep zone and a medium zone. The inspections checked for four (4) types of bacteria, as well as temperature, Ph, oxygen levels, salinity and alkalinity. Indicators for beach monitoring included microbiology, physical contaminants, geomorphology of the beach, liquid and solid waste, comfort levels, safety levels (access to first aid/availability of life guards), and infrastructure. This initiative also had a capacity building component where persons were trained in how to extract samples from the beach.
The water quality monitoring programme in the Cienfuegos Bay provided the information that identified three major point sources of pollution. These came from three communities namely, O’Bourke, Barrio de Minas and the Reina or Queen submarine outfall. The project then developed a methodology for appropriate technologies and best options for treatment of waste water; for a sub-marine outfall structure, and a report on alternative waste water treatment solutions for the main points of contamination including re-use, cost analysis, and a master plan for handling sewage from the city of Cienfuegos.
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O’Bourke treatment system To address the dumping of raw liquid waste from the neighbourhood directly to O'Bourke Cienfuegos Bay, waste will be diverted for treatment in an Imhoff tank and a subsurface flow constructed wetland for final dumping in the Cienfuegos Bay. This waste water will be required to meet the NC 27 / 1999 specifications on "Dumping of wastewater to the ground and sewage water”. The Imhoff tanks will conduct the primary treatment which is designed for sedimentation and digestion of solids with partial degradation of organic matter. The secondary wetland treatment will remove the pollutant load through a series of physical, chemical and biological agents along with the natural processes of sedimentation, precipitation, absorption, nitrification and de-nitrification, uptake by plant nutrients, microbial action, et cetera. The plant will treat approximately 1207,8 M3/year of waste water from the landfills to the bay and will create a habitat for new species in urban zones, those which will served as biodiversity runners.
Barrio de Minas To address similar problems of the disposal of waste generated by the 1,600 population of Las Minas, a sewerage network will be developed which will include the laying of pipelines, pumping well, pumping station, Imhoff tank and an artificial wetland. The pipes for the disposal of waste will be placed underground so as not to have negative visual impacts on the area.
Reina submarine outfall The Reina sub-marine outfall was constructed in 2004 and was designed to extract 70% of the liquid waste produced by the city of Cienfuegos. The outfall consists of a pipe 400 mm in diameter with exposed length of 200 m above ground and a section submerged in the bay of approximately 800 m. However, due to construction weakness and bad weather conditions, the pipe assembly-anchorages have been loosened causing the pipes to surface at the middle section and discharge its waste into the bay. The project facilitated the design of a new anchorage system which included a cover slab of concrete manufactured with steel and prefabricated concrete base with steel pipe for support which together provided the required weight of 1150 kg. The strength of concrete is 350 kg / cm 2. Four stainless steel bolts were placed in order to achieve the restraint between the slab and pipe cap by compression of the same to get a clearance of 16 mm between them, thus avoiding a possible slide in the steepest places. Adjustments were made to the length between the pipes and the anchor so as to prevent slippage. Air vents were placed at the top of the outfall to ensure the evacuation of gases and air generated inside the pipe, which could be drawn out so as to avoid bringing an imbalance in the forces at work that keep the emissary designed stable.
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The design and dimensions of the anchor ensures the stability of the pipeline on the seabed. The placement of air vents at the top of the outfall facilitates the evacuation of gases and air generated inside the pipe, so as to ensure stability.
Innovative and appropriate technologies Several innovative and appropriate technologies emerged during the project. In the agricultural sector, they focused on innovative approaches and technologies, such as wetland filtration systems, water recollection technology, efficient irrigation practices, and vermiculture3. One example was the construction of a master irrigation channel through Sifon, which contributed both to improved water use efficiency and improved soil quality. Specifically addressing the issue of waste management, one farm established a practice of using microorganisms to accelerate the decomposition of organic material and many of the farms constructed and used biogas digesters. Traditionally, these animal farms release waste directly into the rivers, which immediately contaminated the water courses and finally ended up in the Cienfuegos Bay. At the San Juan Farm, the system introduced consisted of biogas digesters, waste water treatment systems included a drainage system, a two-chamber septic tank, soak-away, separator and composting shed. Managing the system required regular sampling and testing. This technology was intended to demonstrate the use of biogas digesters as an alternative best practice to manage animal waste and ultimately improve the quality of water in the Cienfuegos Bay. The wetland treatment system designed for O’Bourke, and described in the previous section, introduces the design of natural treatment plants which can be used in urban zones, creating green spaces, gardens, and parks on lands that were once unpopulated and polluted.
The smooth functioning of the reconstructed sub-marine waste pipe at Reina, will improve health and hygiene conditions in the immediate neighbourhood, the coastline of the Cienfuegos Bay and the bay itself as an ecosystem, creating positive social and environmental impacts.
3Vermiculture is the artificial rearing or cultivation of worms (Earthworms). Vermicompost is the excreta of the earthworm, which is rich in humus. Earthworms eat cow dung or farm yard manure along with other farm wastes and pass it through their respective bodies. In the process the waste is converted into vermicompost. The municipal wastes; non-toxic solid and liquid waste of industries and household garbage can also be converted into vermicompost in the same manner. Earthworms not only convert garbage into valuable manure but keep the environment healthy. Conversion of garbage by earthworms into compost and the multiplication of earthworms are simple processes that can be easily handled by farmers.
(adapted from http://agri.and.nic.in/vermi_culture.htm on 08.01.11)
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Improving water conservation or quality practices Diminishing the pollutant load to the tributaries and adjacent canals to the farms, through processing the agricultural waste, is one of the main ways of improving water quality. Alongside this, the use of conservation technologies proposed in each farm, contributed directly to soil conservation, resulting in improved water quality in the community. In addition, the public awareness activities conducted, also contributed positively to changing behaviour with respect to this problem.
Improving soil conservation and reduction in sedimentation or erosion The objectives under the soil management and conservation component were to reduce sedimentation as well as animal and agricultural waste entering the Cienfeugos Bay; and to manage the conservation of soils through agro-forestry and forest management practices.
Agro-Forestry and forest management The Integrated Forest Cooperation manages 42,164.4 hectares nation-wide, of which 94 percent is covered with forests, distributed in the following ecological zones: the mountainous zone of Escambray; the coastal zone of the Cienfuegos Bay and the flat zones of Sabana. These areas are dominated by protected forests. In consideration of the general objective of the GEF-IWCAM Demonstration Project to strengthen the commitment and capacity of participants, the project choose to demonstrate good forest practices in several areas within the province of Cienfuegos. These demonstration areas included the Sabanita Forest plantation, Yaguarama Forest plantation, El Abra Forest plantation and the Sierrita Forest plantation. The Demonstration Project also sought to demonstrate good practices for the IWCAM approach, and therefore attempted to integrate forest management, agro-forestry and associated improved livelihoods of farmers working in the forest. To this end, the project reforested fourteen (14) hectares; treated sixty-eight (68) hectares; rehabilitated one (1) hectare and conserved four (4) hectares under the forest management component. Under the agro-forestry initiative, the project produced 139 m3 of wood; increased the dedicated area for animal protection from 10 to 35 hectares; conducted pathology inventories on four (4) farms and was able to ensure that no farm was affected by plague during the one (1) year of the project.
Soil management and conservation Two demonstration farms, Guanaroca in the central region and the San Juan family farm in Cienfuegos, were selected for this project component. The initiative attempted to process
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organic waste as well as waste from harvesting and composting. It also piloted lombriculture4 technologies, whereby bacteria and other organisms were used to catalyse composting using artisanal techniques. Biogas digesters were designed and built on each farm to make domestic use of the processed waste. The measures directed at soil conservation resulting in the reduction of sedimentation or erosion, are as follows: minimum tillage, live and dead barrier planting, contour farming, composting, planting of cover crops, incorporating crop residues, construction of channels and terraces, assembly of an area of earthworm growth and composting, crop rotation and the use of artificial collectors for the water runoff. Besides the utilisation of organic fertilisers such as Rhizobium in legumes, which is bacteria that fixes atmospheric nitrogen in symbiosis with the plant; Azotofos, which is an organic fertiliser that causes the union of Aztobacter (atmospheric nitrogen fixative in soil), guaranteeing a natural nutrition for the crops where their respective production increases.
Minimum tillage: Minimum work possible for the preparation of the soil, considering if it will be mechanical or animal traction, the previous crop, the rate of weed infestation, time of year among others.
Contour farming: In terrain with slopes less than 5-6%, to plant in contours with an incline of drainage from 0.7- 1%. Planting perpendicular to the slope In terrains with slopes less that 5-6%, plant perpendicular to the biggest slope of the terrain.
Dead Barriers Plotting with topographic or rustic bridge and subsequent placement of obstacles collected in the same place (rocks, logs, branches, etc).
Live barriers Drawing with topographic or rustic bridge and the subsequent planting of three rolls of Vetiver plants or other desired and can be purchased by the producer.
Incorporating the crop residues In the ploughing of the land, to incorporate and then let the remains of the recently cultivated harvest decompose.
4 Vermicomposting of vegetable wastes with cowdung using three Earthworm Species: Eisenia foetida, Eudrilus eugeniae and Perionyx excavates.
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Terrace channels In fields with a slope more than 5-6%, with a level of topography with a fall of 0.7-1% drop and construction of the same with a disk plough or mould board from animal traction.
Application of earthworm mould board Apply a dose of 4 t/ha localised in the grooves of the farm where an earthworm cultivation (waste from worms) area can be assembled.
Elaboration and application of compost Apart from the fermentation of the remains of the harvest, pruning of nearby mixes with cattle manure and apply in doses of 8-10 t/ha localised in the groove at the time of sowing.
Harvesting of green manure (decomposition of plants as fertiliser) Planting of forage sorghum, grain sorghum, canavalia, velvet beans, to incorporate into the soil and leave for a period to allow for decomposition and ultimately to improve the soil. The planting of native legumes was also use in this regard.
Application of Rhyzobium Rhyzobium was applied to the cultivation of the beans. The dosage used was one bag of 750 g for 48 kg of seeds, inoculating them before planting. For this one application, add the uncontaminated water product in the early hours of the morning and at the shade of the evening. A puree is prepared to which the seed is added, mixing it in a blanket for post planting.
Introduction of new species of pasture Introducing new species of grass and legumes proposed in the study of regionalisation of species for the territory.
Acuartonamiento (Quartering the areas) To create smaller pastoral areas for easier management of the pasture, trying to establish standing times from about 45-55 days for the rainy season and 18-30 days for the dry season and to establish a control of the animal load, equal or less than 2 UGM/ha (avoiding soil compression and optimum management of the pasture).
Invasive species The Demonstration Project also tackled the perennial problem of invasive species of flora which can quickly envelop lands lying idle. The project eliminated invasive species in 13.42 hectares of land and applied conservation in 12.9 hectares through the application of 18 tons of organic material. This contributed to increased biodiversity of the areas by 150%. As a result of these initiatives, contamination flow into the Bay was decreased by 235 tons per year.
Environmental management systems planning The GEF-IWCAM Demonstration Project is part of the environmental structure implemented by the Cuban government that considers the monitoring, auditing and continuous improvement of
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environmental efforts. In particular it strengthened the role of the Provincial Watershed Council to establish a Technical Group (Local Authority) which coordinates and promotes the efforts of the government in making decisions on a more scientific basis.
In this regard, the Demonstration Project was able to show how environmental monitoring could be linked to decision making by collecting and analyzing data, and making this available to the specially created Local Authority and other relevant stakeholders through a functional Geographic Information System (GIS). This GIS database, the “Sistema Integral de Gestión de Información Ambiental” Integrated Management System for Environmental Information (SIGIA) was launched and introduced to stakeholders at the first provincial Environmental Monitoring Programme meeting. This system allows all relevant institutions to have a complete and updated inventory of point sources of pollution in the area along with an evaluation of contaminant loads. Perhaps this represents the best example of environmental management planning using GIS for land use management.
Education and awareness building activities There was an increased understanding and appreciation of watersheds and the management skills needed to improve water quality, from the community to decision makers in each of the levels and participating in the Demonstration Project. The Demonstration Project managers observed that many residents of the community were unaware of how their activities contributed to the contamination of the water ways by, for example, the indiscriminate use of fertilizers, poor soil management, and the failure to recycle the agricultural by-products. The educational and awareness activities, many of which included specific Training Workshops, were designed to change these practices and behaviour.
The approaches used in conducting the workshops are instructive. First of all the training took place on those farms that had been involved in the demonstration project; and secondly, the facilitators included beneficiary farmers who explained the results of the experiments conducted on their farms to the workshop participants.
Training Workshops conducted included the following: 1. Monitoring watersheds and coastal areas. 2. Integrated management of watersheds and coastal areas. 3. Use and soil conservation, recycling of organic waste and other related issues. 4. Master and Diploma programme in Integrated Management of Watersheds and Coastal Areas (described below). 5. Posters for community awareness on issues related to protection of watersheds and coastal areas.
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6. Television programs, radio and publications in national and local press about the importance of protecting watersheds and soil as a natural resource.
Educational Programme Although the tertiary educational programme was initially funded through counter-part funding from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the Demonstration Project was able to enrich the curriculum with an IWCAM focus, rather than the previous coastal zone focus. The rationale employed by the Demonstration Project managers was that by preparing qualified persons in IWCAM approaches, the achievement of project goals, even for post project activities, could ensure greater chances of sustainability.
To this end, the project collaborated with the CEAC in the development and execution of a Post Graduate Masters of Science (2 yr programme with thesis) and Diploma (1 yr with project) programme. The programme ran for four consecutive two-year terms from 2004 to 2008 and at the time of project closure, there was a firm request for a fifth term from the community of Villa Clara. The MSc programme graduated 45 students in the first 3 programmes and there were 18 students in the fourth programme. The Diploma programme commenced in 2009 and there are 15 graduates to date, with expectations to repeat in 2010.
The multidisciplinary character of the programme, designed to build a multi-sectoral stakeholder capacity, is demonstrated by the diverse composition of the student body of the fourth group of 18 MSc students. Six (6) are from the Agro-Petroleum refinery; four (4) from the Port Authority including the Director of the Port; one (1) each from the National Museum and the Institution of Meteorology; and two fishermen from Forteleza – El Castillo de Juagua, Cienfuegos. Other students are from the general student body of the CEAC. The expertise of people participating in the programme include law (a lawyer and a magistrate); Biology; Physics; Chemistry; Sociology; Journalism; and Engineering.
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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. But this issue must be interpreted differently within the context of a centrally controlled economy which does not generally encourage private business development, except where it addresses the priority needs of the country as determined by the central government through the provincial councils.
Potential for viable small businesses and opportunities for entrepreneurial activity The implementation of the GEF-IWCAM Demonstration Project allowed the increased exploitation of the areas both in quantity and in crop rotation, thereby increasing production yields, which resulted in an increase in total income of farms and producers. In farm forestry, there was a wage increase of more than 200 Cuban pesos per month; and agro-ecological production farms increased animal mass exceeded the 17 tons and more than 6,000 litres of milk with reference to the year 2006. The benefits of these increases go directly to the farmer and his family and unlock the opportunity to create other activities such as production centres for composting waste from the production process, acquisition of innovative technologies and appropriation of theoretical and practical knowledge to ensure sustainable business.
The Demonstration Project activities have opened up opportunities for entrepreneurial activities on the farms, such as marketing their products or waste. However, within the Cuban context, the formation of new business at the individual level is a process of that is still in the incubation stages as the political economy evolves and changes.
Employment opportunities The Demonstration Project was not designed specifically to create employment opportunities, either directly or indirectly. Rather, all activities were conducted with staff who currently work on farms to increase worker productivity, thus allowing a salary increase and the corresponding reduction in production costs. The one exception to this is the Sabanita farm, where an individual left his teaching job for farming. However, some projects have the potential to create employment during execution. For example, the O’Bourke waste treatment plant will provide employment for more than 20 persons.
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Access to finance for spin-off business initiatives No doubt the project participants involved in productive activities could result with attracting greater access to finance for new business initiatives. However as explained earlier, this is not applicable within the Cuban context at this time.
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Demonstrated Good Practice The GEF-IWCAM project was able to demonstrate good practices, particularly in the area of public policy and the legislative environment in support of the IWCAM approach. It also demonstrated how communities and individual farmers could be facilitated to accept scientific information and to use this to change behaviour and farming practices in support of bettering the natural environment. Moreover, the attempt to address the capacity of multi-stakeholder groups, by providing them with graduate level education thus creating a cadre of professionals trained in IWCAM and ready to impact this knowledge in their various fields of work, must account for significant impact in changing behaviour and practice at the highest levels.
Community participation Component 7 "Education and Public Awareness" was designed with two foci: graduate education and education of ordinary citizens through community work.
The initial planning of the component involved the graduate teacher training for the Academic Committee of the First Edition of a Masters programme in Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM), coordinated by the University of Cienfuegos in the period 2002-2004. This program was a result of a project executed by Universities in Canada and Cuba, which became a co-financing component of the Demonstration Project. The members of the Academic Committee had acquired expertise in the areas of ICZM because they had previously completed a Masters in Marine Management at the University of Dalhousie, Canada. These professionals were working in a variety of disciplines and represented diverse faculties including the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Faculty of Economics and School of Informatics, University of Cienfuegos, the CEAC and the Provincial Office of Collective Law. Building on this foundation, the CEAC initiated the MSc programme in IWCAM in 2004. With the support of the Demonstration Project, a Diploma in IWCAM was also introduced to the members of the Academic Committee of the Master's programme in 2008. This academic programme was intended to strengthen cross-sectoral approaches related to IWCAM.
More importantly, the participation of managers of government agencies of the territory in the MSc programme was significant. These included students from the Institute of Hydraulic Resources who completed their Master’s thesis on the four watersheds that feed the Cienfuegos Bay. Their research was described as a tremendous contribution to the data sources on environmental issues affecting the watersheds; and particularly, to providing possible solutions using the IWCAM approach.
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With regard to education of ordinary citizens through community work, reference is made to the community meetings organized by the CRIC and the Provincial Directorate of Heritage, referred to under “Community involvement in planning” on pp 15-16. The presentation of findings from the preliminary study of social networks within the community, which was used as the basis to assist community persons develop an educational plan, allowed the sharing of knowledge and awareness of environmental problems of the area to be achieved. By this means, the chance of community support for remedial or proactive action is even greater, given the arguments presented by the TBL approach on the value of community involvement in planning.
Technical local capacity and Institutional arrangements The Cienfuegos Bay State Working Group, established by the Demonstration Project, is a legally constituted body within the Provincial Advisory Council for Watershed Management. Under Component One, the project proposed to influence key decision makers and the local community; acquire the mechanisms and tools to implement the project; and to develop an internet portal to facilitate management of the watershed resources for the Cienfuegos Bay.
Whilst this is a laudable achievement of the project particularly in the area of policy application and project sustainability, the collaboration which existed between the CEAC and the State Working Group to implement the project is exemplary. However of particular noteworthiness was the collaboration between the CEAC and the University of Cienfuegos in implementing the IWCAM Masters and Diploma programmes, designed to increase knowledge and improve performance of technical persons at senior levels of government and other agencies. The diverse number of participants in the programme, ranging from Port Authority workers, the legal fraternity, natural science, engineering to journalism, demonstrates the wide cross sectoral approach to IWCAM that this is expected to foster.
The GEF-IWCAM Demonstration Project also strengthened the role of the Provincial Watershed Council to establish a local technical body, the Cienfuegos Bay State Working Group (Grupo Estatal de Trabajo de la Bahía de Cienfuegos) which coordinates and promotes the efforts of the government in making decisions on a more scientific basis. The project showed how environmental monitoring could aid decision making by collecting and analyzing data, and then sharing this with other relevant stakeholders through a functional Geographic Information System (GIS). This database allows all relevant institutions to have a complete and updated inventory of point sources of pollution that includes an evaluation of contaminant loads.
Significant to the discussion on technical local capacity was the fact that the project was implemented fully by personnel from Cuba, who provided all the administrative, technical and
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professional input. This too is unprecedented, particularly at the technical level, and is reflective of the tremendous capacity which exists in the state of Cuba. Whilst this is not typical for most SIDS, it points to the value of local capacity building and the ability of Cuba to be able to provide a model IWCAM approach for this regional project among Caribbean SIDS.
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Enabling policy and legislative environment The process for legislative and institutional development in Cuba is very consultative, focused and goal oriented. Once the Government had decided that it was going to address its environmental management issues in a serious way, it immediately set up CITMA in 1994, whose primary task was to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the status of Cuba’s environment and to develop a vision and strategy for future environmental protection. By 1997, the first National Environmental Strategy was finalised. The process of negotiating the environmental framework law, better known as Law No. 81 was an intense process, but it was focused and moved steadily towards final ratification by July 1997. Whilst the Law No. 81 focused on a wide range of laws, it provided the CITMA with the mandate to ensure that all coastal developments, particularly tourism development, was carried out in an environmentally sustainable manner.
The Demonstration Project found a very hospitable and supportive legislative and policy framework within which to implement and sustain it projects and initiatives. Land-use planning is administered almost singlehandedly by the IPF in the Ministry of Planning which sets forth the land-use policies for the area, coordinates sectoral policies with investment programmes, defines the nature and intensity of land uses, and provides direction for the development of residential areas.
With respect to tourism, the planning process commences with an inventory of tourism resources, an evaluation of the potential for tourism development in specific regions and various other diagnostic studies. The MinTur works with the IPF to identify the area with the best potential for investment in tourist infrastructure. But further, the planning decision must also comply with environmental laws such as Degree Law 212 which prohibits new construction in certain coastal zones, and requires consistency with national, provincial and local land-use plans. The environmental monitoring work conducted by the project, and the establishment of the Provincial Advisory Council for Watershed Management, creates the institutional support and framework to ensure that coastal management issues are considered before any developmental infrastructure is approved.
The Cuban foreign investment and development policy has indicated clear preference for tourism. The ability of Cuba to sustain its commitment to sound environmental planning, as demonstrated in several recorded examples of actions taken by CITMA, may be tested as foreign investment interest in Cuba continues to expand and the US embargo is lifted.
“...if the United States eases or lifts its embargo in the near future, interest in investing in Cuba will skyrocket, particularly in the travel and tourism sectors. It remains to be seen whether U.S. GEF-IWCAM Case Study | A Model for IWCAM: The Case of Cienfuegos Bay, Cuba 32
travellers’ pent-up demand to experience Cuba, and the promise of lucrative economic benefits that would flow from free trade between the two countries, will prompt the Cuban government to revise its foreign investment policies in order to expedite the construction of new marinas, airports, hotels and other facilities to accommodate U.S. tourists’ demands...”5
Whether those environmental safeguards will sustain themselves or be compromised, will certainly be the test of Cuba’s apparent resolve for economic growth that is measured and sustainable.
5 Whittle, D. J. et al (2003) “Internationalism tourism and protection of Cuba’s Coastal and Marine Environments” Tulane Environmental Law Journal, 16 (Special Issue):534-586
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Conclusion: The Cienfuegos Bay IWCAM project was able to demonstrate that a focused and central coordination of objectives could provide valuable lessons for integrating watershed and coastal area initiatives in pursuit of an effective management regime. This management regime includes the Cienfuegos Bay State Working Group (Grupo Estatal de Trabajo de la Bahía de Cienfuegos) which was officially created through the project, and is supported by the Government of Cienfuegos through the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Environment (CITMA). This structure guarantees the continued sustainable management of Cienfuegos Bay and its watersheds. In addition, scientific input to decision makers is provided by a technical group, through a water quality monitoring programme which provides regular status of the industrial, agricultural and urban liquid wastes released into the Cienfuegos Bay and watersheds.
Technical capacity is continuously built through the Masters and Diploma programme on IWCAM coordinated by the University of Cienfuegos and the CEAC, and a public awareness programme targeting students in Fortaleza and the wider community in Castillo de Jauga, Cienfuegos Bay. The capacity building in ICZM, considering the concepts of IWCAM, has positively influenced the environmental management in Cienfuegos by increasing the number of specialists, researchers, functionaries and decision makers that could apply and spread this new form of integrated management. The development of this conception of integration between river basins and coastal areas allow for the expansion of a model, as a didactic tool, for the teaching of the IWCAM process in the postgraduate courses about these themes, offered by the University of Cienfuegos and CEAC.
At the local community level, an approach to more effective watershed management was developed by examining best practices in forest management to include reforestation and agro- forestry, training of farmers and improving livelihoods. A soil conservation programme to reduce sedimentation as well as animal and agricultural wastes entering the Bay was also developed.
A model of IWCAM involving management at the local level with clear and approved links to a national management agency, represented by CITMA with is institutional and policy framework; forest and soil conservation measures; technologies for managing both industrial and agricultural waste; a public education and awareness strategy with institutional support systems; presents a fully integrated model for IWCAM approaches in SIDS.
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References: 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.
PMU -GEF-IWCAM (2009) Caribbean Waterways, Vol.2, Issue 1, March 2008
PMU -GEF-IWCAM (2009) Caribbean Waterways, Vol.3, Issue 1, March 2009
PMU -GEF-IWCAM (2009) Caribbean Waterways, Vol.4, Issue 1, March 2010
Republic of Cuba (1997) Cuban Environmental Law, [Environmental Law No. 81] art. 23.
Scribal Consultancy Services (2009) Lessons and Good Practice Guidance Document, GEF- IWCAM, Castries, Saint Lucia.
Whittle, D. J. et al (2003) “Internationalism tourism and protection of Cuba’s Coastal and Marine Environments” Tulane Environmental Law Journal, 16 (Special Issue):533-589
Heileman, S. & Walling, L. (2008) IWCAM Project - IWCAM Indicators Mechanism and Capacity Assessment. (Unpublished)
UNESCO & IOC. (2006) A Handbook for Measuring the progress and outcomes of Integrated Coastal and Ocean Management. Manuals and Guides 46, ICAM Dossier, 2. 2006.
National Accreditation Board (2005) System Assessment and Accreditation of Master, SEA-M. Republic of Cuba.
CEAC (2005) Application of integrated watershed and coastal area management concepts in a demonstrative area at Cienfuegos Province, Cuba. CITMA, Republic of Cuba.
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List of Interviewees and Contributors
Alain Munoz Caravaca, Project Manager,GEF-IWCAM, Cuba.
Clara Elisa Miranda Vera (Dr.)
Jesús Fonseca (Dr)
Jorge L. V. Arios
Lisett F. Gonzalez
María Elena Rodríguez Fuentes (Dra)
Pedro Miguel Diaz Rebollido
Sasha Beth Gottlieb, Technical Co-ordinator, PCU.
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Appendices: Annex 1- Broad Project Interventions a) Water resource and supply management Improvement in drinking water quality and supply with an integrated sanitary programme for protection of water resources. Development and maintaining control procedures for activities that impact water quality in the bay. Development of solutions for wastewater treatment and a replication programme through the Bay/Basin system. Development of a supervision mechanism of the main land-based point sources of pollutants. Identification of the threatened fragile ecosystems. Development of basin wide approaches to the sustainable use of natural resources.
b) Soil management and conservation Development and promotion of sustainable agriculture employing wide stakeholder participation. Stimulation of the development of best agricultural practices in the bay basins focusing on soil conservation and fertility, with consideration given to the relation of soil conditions and crop choice. Implementation of measures for soil erosion reduction with special emphasis on mountainous areas such as those north of “Cumanayagua”, “Cruces”, “Palmira”, “Cienfuegos” and “Rodas” Municipalities. Promotion of wastewater and solids waste reuse in the agricultural sector. Encouraging sustainable forest production and reforestation of fragile ecosystems (mangrove and coastal vegetation).
c) Education, awareness and development of cross-sectoral stakeholder capacity. Implementation of capacity building programmes and training activities. Increase awareness of professionals, technicians and other workers involved in IWCAM. Promotion of the surveillance of natural resources Promotion of reformation and implementation of new legislation relevant to IWCAM. Stimulation of a viable programme of environmental education with residents of forest areas and fragile ecosystems.
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Encouraging the design of community projects that increase environmental knowledge and community participation. Creating linkages among elementary schools and community participation.
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