management of the blue and john crow mountains national park by jcdt/green jamaica
TRANSCRIPT
Management of the Blue and John Crow
Mountains National Park
by JCDT/Green Jamaica
John Crow Mountains
Port Royal Mountains
Blue Mountains
The Blue & John Crow Mountains National Park (BJCMNP)
Established February, 1993 (under NRCA Act)
Forest Reserve (1940s) boundary
Planimetric Area: 495.2 km2 (about 46,000 ha) – 4.5% island’s surface area
Topographic Area: about 78,000 ha (193,000 acres) – 9% island’s surface area
Largest contiguous area of closed broadleaf forest in Jamaica - about 1/3 of all the closed broadleaf forest left on the island
Has limestone & igneous/metamorphic rocks
Blue & John Crow Mountains National Park
– Highly Significant For:
Watershed Management- protecting 10 upper watershed
management units
water supply
soil conservation
- providing drinking water for over 40% of the
population of Jamaica
Blue & John Crow Mountains National Park
– Highly Significant For:
Carbon Sequestration Forests sequester or store carbon dioxide, helping mitigateagainst global warming
Blue & John Crow Mountains National Park
– Highly Significant For:
Biodiversity Wide variety of unique forest types due to high elevation & volcanic rocks Habitat for endemic,threatened & native species Internationally recognised
Blue & John Crow Mountains National Park
– Highly Significant For:
Cultural Heritage Maroon communities & culture- Moore Town, Charles Town Traditional Jamaican villages
language, music, dance etc. Military History e.g. Newcastle Blue Mountain Coffee
Blue & John Crow Mountains National Park
– Highly Significant For:
Economic potential Recreational and tourismopportunities Pharmaceuticals Non-traditional agricultural& horticultural produce & added value products
Blue & John Crow Mountains National Park
– A Potential UNESCO World Heritage Site ?
World Heritage Sites Are very special Receive international recognition
Jamaica has none yet Caribbean has few Jamaica has nominated theBJCMNP as a UNESCO WHSJCDT was responsible for theresearch/documentation
Background to the BJCMNP Management Plan
Management Plan for the BJCMNP is supposed to be prepared every 5 years.
Last Management Plan was prepared in 2004/5 with funding from EFJ = BJCMNP Management Plan 2005 - 2010
Plan was developed using: best conservation science knowledge (building on
Site Conservation Plan) experience (incl. review of 1992 and other Plans) a participatory process involving about 200
stakeholders: Steering Committee, community meetings, thematic workshops, experts workshops
Currently, the implementation of this Plan is being evaluated and consultations starting for New Plan
Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park Management Plan 2005 - 2010
Threats to the BJCMNP and their SourcesThreats:- – Deforestation, Forest Degradation and Wildlife Destruction
Sources:- Conversion of forest to agriculture Alien invasive species Logging Non-timber products harvesting Hunting Informal settlements Water-course modification
From Site Conservation Planning 2000, 2001, 2004
Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park Management Plan 2005 - 2010
Insufficient Environmental Education Limited Environmentally Sustainable Income-Generating
Activities Insufficient Enforcement Insufficient “Conservation-on-the-Ground” Conflicting Policies between Government Agencies and
Insufficient Support of Conservation Initiatives Unclear Boundaries Limited Resources and Inadequate Management Climate Change
Root Causes
Zonation
Buffer zoneRecover ZonePreservation Zone: 500 m buffer around natural forestPreservation Zone: natural forestPark Boundary (FD)
Zonation
Conservation Programme Goal: To maintain and enhance the remaining area of closed broadleaf forest and component species of plants and animals that exist in the BJCMNP.
Objectives:-1. Protect threatened
biodiversity especially conservation targets:- forest on limestone & shale, freshwater ecosystems, forest birds, Jamaican coney, yellow snake, giant swallowtail butterfly, epiphytes
2. Rehabilitate at least 200 acres (80ha)
3. Create & maintain forest buffers along headwater streams
4. Promote research that benefits Park management
Achievements – 5 Years later (2005 – 2009)
A total of 45.04 Hectares (112.6 acres) was rehabilitated by JCDT:
13.77 Hectares (34.43 acres) controlled of invasive species.
31.8 Hectares (79.5 acres) reforested with native, non-lumber species .
Thus through direct intervention from JCDT over 50% of the objective has been achieved.
The amount reforested by the Forestry Department working with the Lions Club of Mona is about 35 Ha.
Achievements – 5 Years later (2005 – 2009)
Nurseries at Holywell and Hagley Gap - over 18,000 native seedlings have been propagated – used mainly for forest rehabilitation projects.
Species now regularly produced are:- Dovewood (Alchornea latifolia) Milkwood (Sapium harrisii) Soapwood (Clethra occidentalis) Blue Mountain Yacca (Podocarpus urbanii) Blue Mahoe (Hibiscus elatus) West Indian Cedar (Cedrela odorata). Other species including threatened endemics
are now being experimented with.
Monitoring and Evaluation Programme Goal: To track and record both the threats and changes to ecosystem health, to assess achievement of the Park’s over-arching goal
Objectives:- Threats monitoring
Photo-monitoring Observations on patrol
Outcomes monitoring Forest area Freshwater biological
monitoring Bird monitoring populations of key,
threatened species – the giant swallowtail butterfly, the Jamaican coney and the yellow boa.
STREAM QUALITY MONITORING
Achievements – 5 Years later (2005 – 2009)
Two new Threats monitoring programmes developed and being implemented: - Under the Ranger-based monitoring: data is collected on each
patrol and entered in the Park’s GIS. Under the Permanent location photo-monitoring: 12 monitoring
points were established around the Park and monitored annually Bird Monitoring Programme continues and completed 5yr
cycle Freshwater Monitoring Programme continues and completed
5yr cycle Some Forest Area Monitoring conducted
Enforcement & Compliance Programme
Goal: To stop encroachment of the park boundary and destruction of the forest and wildlife within
Objectives:-
1. Increase level of presence of enforcement officers
2. Increase level of detection & resolution of breaches
3. Resolve resource use conflicts on a case by case basis
4. Address boundary issues5. Address fire
management issues6. Disaster/Emergency
Management
Enforcement & Compliance Programme
Goal: To stop encroachment of the park boundary and destruction of the forest and wildlife within
Achievements:-
1. Ranger Corps: 3 at beginning of 2004 to current 7 (incl. Chief of Corps)
2. Patrols: 3/mth in 2004 to 14.6/mth in 2008
3. Introduced Ranger-based threats & impacts monitoring using GIS and digital photography
4. Resolution of breaches through increased:- Communication with community members Verbal & written warnings Liaison & reporting to NEPA & FD Mapping farms to monitor for encroachment Special, specific, detailed reports to agencies
Education & Public Involvement Programme Goal: To raise support and improve natural resource management, particularly in buffer zone communities, leading to ecosystem conservation and poverty alleviation
Objectives:-1. Facilitate capacity building (including education
and training) of buffer zone communities vis a vis sustainable livelihoods and resource management
2. Increase public awareness, knowledge and understanding about the Park, to increase Park support – Communications & Interpretation
3. Increase public awareness, knowledge and understanding about the Park in students
Education & Public Involvement Programme Goal: To raise support and improve natural resource management, particularly in buffer zone communities, leading to ecosystem conservation and poverty alleviation
Achievements:- Working with 4 targeted buffer zone
communities to plan & implement projects e.g. reforestation, community tourism, sustainable agriculture.
Education & Public Involvement Programme Goal: To raise support and improve natural resource management, particularly in buffer zone communities, leading to ecosystem conservation and poverty alleviation
Achievements:- Youth PATH - Skills training and team building
for youth (about 60 over the 4 yrs) from 3 targeted buffer zone communities:- flora & fauna, tourism certification, First Aid/CPR, Life Skills, Small Business Development etc.
Education & Public Involvement Programme Goal: To raise support and improve natural resource management, particularly in buffer zone communities, leading to ecosystem conservation and poverty alleviation
Achievements:- Visited 37 local schools with A/V
presentation on BJCMNP (2009)
Recreation and Tourism Programme Goal: To provide recreational opportunities for local and international visitors using ecotourism principles to generate income and support for the park
Objectives:-1. Provide recreational and
educational opportunities
2. Generate income for park management by increasing revenue from park’s recreation areas
3. Facilitate benefits to local communities
4. Ensure these activities don’t threaten park
Recreation and Tourism Programme Goal: To provide recreational opportunities for local and international visitors using ecotourism principles to generate income and support for the park
Achievements:-1. Holywell Ecotourism Development &
Management Plan2. Increased income from park’s recreation
areas 3. Working with local communities through skills
training and technical assistance to develop and implement sustainable community tourism products
4. Blue Mountains Sustainable Tourism Plan5. Annual Misty Bliss celebrations
Governance & Administration Programme
Goal: To ensure efficient and effective implementation of the Park’s programmes
Objectives:-1. Involve stakeholders e.g.
Co-management Committee, Liaising with CBOs
2. Coordinate and effectively manage operations
3. Ensure adaptive management
4. Raise funds – need ideally US$450,000/yr for recurrent expenditure and US$350,000 for capital and project expenditure