chalene roye and nichelle oxford - habit-change · national environment & planning agency...

National Environment and Planning Agency Management Practices Towards Increasing

Resilience of Coastal Ecosystems to the Impacts of Climate Change in selected Marine Protected Areas in Jamaica.

Chalene Roye and Nichelle Oxford

2426 September 2012 Dresden, Germany

Managing and protecting Jamaica’s land, wood, water and air

National Environment & Planning Agency

Managing and protecting Jamaica’s land, wood & water

Jamaica at a GlanceJamaica at a GlanceIt is the 3rd largest island in the Caribbean with a population of approximately 2.8 million in 2011

More than 60% of Jamaica’s population resides within 2 km of the coast

The coastal zone contains approximately 75% of industries and service sectors and is responsible for generating approximately 90 % of the island’s GDP.





Susceptibility to Natural Susceptibility to Natural DisastersDisasters

• Due to its geographic location (within the Atlantic Hurricane Belt), Jamaica is particularly susceptible to cyclonic activity and faces direct threats from climate change.

1864‐2004 Hurricane record

Hurricane Ivan, 2004

National Environment & Planning AgencyManaging and protecting Jamaica’s land, wood & water

The National Environmental and Planning Agencyis the premiere environmentaland planning Agency on the island with a

vision to ensure that Jamaica's natural resources are being used in a sustainable way and that there is broad understanding of environment, planning and development issues, with extensive participation amongst citizens and a high level of compliance to relevant legislation.

Environmental Management Environmental Management and Protectionand Protection



Coastal Ecosystems at RiskCoastal Ecosystems at Risk

Coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangrove forests play a pivotal role in providing natural coastal defence to the impacts of climate change such as hurricanes, flooding and storm surgeThe overall ecosystem function particularly that of defence capabilities, has been compromised largely due to anthropogenic degradation which increases susceptibility and retards resilience to natural disasters. This is further compounded by inadequate institutional capacity for implementation, monitoring and strategic interventions.



The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) is implementing a component of this project aimed at increasing the resilience of selected coastal areas against potential climate change impacts. This is to be achieved through adaptive management strategies, including restoration of mangrove forests, seagrass beds and coral reefs within marineprotected areas (MPAs).

Adapting to Climate ChangeAdapting to Climate Change

The Government of Jamaica (GOJ) received funds from the EuropeanUnion (EU) for the Implementation of the Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction Project. It is a 30 month project and will end in April 2013



Project TargetsProject Targets

•Improved database for monitoring changes in coastal ecosystems

•Restoration of Mangrove Forests and Seagrass Ecosystems

•Installation of artificial reefs to enhance existing coral reef ecosystems

•Improving management/organization by assisting with the development of MPA Management Plans

•Demarking Marine Protected Areas by Installing marker and mooring buoys within the MPAs

•Identification of and training in Alternative Livelihoods for resource users



Improved database for monitoring Improved database for monitoring changes in coastal ecosystemschanges in coastal ecosystems

The project has entered into a contractual agreement with University of the West Indies GIS Unit who is expected to design a decision making tool to assist the Agency in improving infrastructure setback requirements as well as a Pre Environment Impact Assessment screening tool that will be used to guide the planning and development activities



Improved database for monitoring Improved database for monitoring changes in coastal ecosystemschanges in coastal ecosystems

Data loggers have been installed in 4 MPAs to monitor temperature changes in sea water. This allows us to better understand the bleaching potential of coral reefs.

Jamaica bleaching threshold is 30.3 oC

Temperature data is available from November 2011 to August 2012The average recorded temperature for all sites is ~26.7oC to 28.3oC with Portland Bight (South Coast) and Ocho Rios (North Coast) recording the highest temperatures ~30oC


Restoring Mangrove ForestsRestoring Mangrove ForestsThe ecological mangrove restoration method has been used to restore approximately 5.04ha of wetland within the island’s largest protected area located on the south coast (Portland Bight Protected Area ‐ 520 km2 of land and 1,356 km2 of ocean ) This method focused on restoring and improving the hydrology of the site to facilitate tidal flushing and natural regeneration overtime.



Restoring Mangrove ForestsRestoring Mangrove ForestsTo date approximately 97% of the mangrove restoration activities are now complete

Tidal channels have been created and 4870 red and black mangrove seedlings planted



Community InvolvementCommunity InvolvementCommunity involvement forms a critical part of the project’s success. In order to ensure that the community was made well aware and given the opportunity to participate, formal and informal community meetings have been held to solicit participation and disseminate information. During the implementation phase at least 10 persons from the community at any one time assisted in the restoration activities for whichthey were given a stipend.



Restoring Seagrass BedsRestoring Seagrass Beds

Sections of the seagrass beds located in the Negril Marine Park on the island’s west coast that have been degraded by natural and anthropogenic impacts is being restored. The restoration process in underway using Modified Shovel Method and involves harvesting and transplanting plugs of the pioneer species (Halodule wrightti) into degraded sites that were once colonized by seagrass.



Restoring Seagrass BedsRestoring Seagrass Beds• Approximately 3000m2 of seagrass planting units have been harvested from donor beds and transplanted at recipient sites in blow outs areas where seagrass beds have deteriorated overtime with slow recovery rate



Biorock® Artificial Reefs will be installed just offshore a section of the beach in Negril located on the west coast–One of Jamaica’s top tourist destinations

Installation of artificial reefs to enhance existing coral reef ecosystems

Wave Attenuation Devices (WADs) will be installed in the Portland Bight Protected Area to protect the Old Harbour Bay Fishing beach that has been experiencing severe erosion.



Improving management/organization by assisting with the development of MPA Management Plans

• It is recognised that successful management of protected areas is enhanced by effective and realistic management plans which lend themselves to sustainability.

• The UN University has been engaged to complete 3 management plants for 3 Marine Protected – it is anticipated that this will enhance the efficacy of MPA management



Demarking Marine Protected Areas by Installing marker and mooring buoys within the MPAs

23 moorings buoys have been installed in 3 MPAs to protected the coral reefs and seagrass beds from anchor damage; the installation process in ongoing

The project has signed an Memorandum of Understanding with an NGO to install marker buoys which will be used to demarcate the boundaries of the Fish Sanctuaries located within the Portland Bight Protected Area


Identification of and training in Alternative Livelihoods for resource

users

• Grant fund of S188,000 USD has been established within 5 Protected areas to promote the development of alternative livelihood options for stakeholders within these areas.

• Particular focus is placed on fisherfolk who stand to be displaced due to designation of fish sanctuaries and no take zones

• Initiatives being examined currently include apiaries, eco and heritage tourism, sustainable crafts and value added organic products

Managing and protecting Jamaica’s land, wood & water National Environment & Planning AgencyManaging and protecting Jamaica’s land, wood & water



Lessons learnedLessons learned• Establishment of current base lines and refining site specific focus while being mindful of national objectives

• In managing protected areas the impending and existing threats from climate change have to be considered in modifying an approach to management

• Collaboration with NGOs and CBOs in the local context is imperative to achieving objectives

• Participatory approaches to management are pivotal especially with adaptation measures focusing on ecosystem resilience



Climate Induced ImpactsClimate Induced Impacts

Beach Erosion

Frequent Storms

Reduced agricultural productivity





Questions?Questions?

chalene roye and nichelle oxford - habit-change · national environment & planning agency...

Documents