GEF-IWCAM) Project
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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