National Website for Forest and Protected Areas

Trinidad and Tobago now has a national website for forest and protected areas: www.protectedareastt.org.tt.  

The website was formally launched at a brief ceremony on August 4^th 2017, at the Conference Room of the Environmental Management Authority in St. Clair.  Senator the Hon. Clarence Rambharat, Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries delivered brief remarks at the launch. 

Read more about the new website at this link

Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago Project Newsletter

The Project Coordination Unit for the project entitled "Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago"  (GCP/TRI/003/GFF IFPAMTT) welcomes you back to Protected - the second issue of the project newsletter - ProtectEd​.

This second issue shares the perspective of a few of the stakeholders that are involved in various Pilot Protected Area Subcommittees and other project updates. We encourage you to read, share with others in your network and share with us your feedback.

We also take this opportunity to wish you the very best for the Christmas Season and the New Year 2017.

Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago Project - Inception Workshop Report now available!

The Inception workshops held in Trinidad on November 24, 2015 and in Tobago on December 3, 2015 provided a forum to validate proposed actions and mechanisms and provided useful additional mechanisms to contribute to achieving the project results. 

Stakeholders  identified a few gaps in the work plan which could be addressed under project activities or via complimentary projects. Additionally, stakeholders demonstrated and shared a sense of ownership for the project.  The project activities and results were promoted on several local media. 

While there is significant progress with regard to the establishment of the Pilot Protected Areas (PAs) Sub Committees and towards the development of work plans for these six Pilot Protected Areas other key areas of the project require an in-depth project revision.  These are:

• Project Component 1, Output 1.1.1 which addresses the drafting of a national legislation for forest, wildlife and PAs management; and
• Capacity building and training of staff of the proposed Forest and Protected Areas Management Authority. 

 
The Inception Workshop Report provides further details on the Workshops.

Inception Workshop for the IFPAM Project in Trinidad

On November 24th 2015, the Ministry of Planning and Development in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO/UN) hosted an Inception Workshop for the Global Environmental Facility Project entitled "Improving Forest and and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago" at the Petrotrin Point-a-Pierre staff Club.

Dr. David Persaud, Environmental Manager, Environmental Policy and Planning Division delivering remarks on behalf of the Minister of Planning and Development.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO/UN), is implementing a USD 30 million, four-year project on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago to conserve globally important biodiversity and ecosystems in Trinidad and Tobago. This project supports the Government’s policy reforms for biodiversity conservation for sustainable management of forestry and protected areas.

The project will establish six pilot protected areas (PA) to model participatory approaches to sustainable natural resource management. Therefore, a key strategy in this project, is guiding the implementation of the project through the constitution and support of Pilot Protected Area Subcommittees comprising of key stakeholders for each of the pilot sites. To date over 30 different governmental institutions and civil society organizations have accepted to serve on these Sub-committees. Over the last four months, these Subcommittees have drafted work plans for their respective pilot sites.

The Inception Workshop served as an opportunity for representatives of the Pilot Protect Area Subcommittees to present on the draft work plans for each pilot protected areas and to solicit feedback and validation from stakeholders present on the proposed actions and mechanisms to achieving the project's objectives.

Participants present at the Inception Workshop for the Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago Project,  November 24, 2015.

Presentations from Inception Workshop including the presentations from the Pilot Protected Areas Subcommittees can be found below:

• Improving Forest and Protected Area Management - Project Coordinating Unit
• Caroni Swamp
• Nariva Swamp and coastal zone
• Matura Forest and coastal zone
• Trinity Hills and eastern extension
• The Main Ridge Forest Reserve, Tobago
• The proposed North-East Marine Protected Area, Tobago   

Improving Forest and Protected Area Management Project - Vacancy announcements!

The Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago Project  (GCP/TRI/003/GFF)  is seeking to recruit a Technical Officer and a Project Officer.  Please see the details below:

• FAO-GEF Project Officer: 

                  -   Deadline for applications is Friday 27th November, 2015

•  FAO-GEF Technical Officer: 

                 -    Deadline for applications is Friday 4th December, 2015