Rich stakeholder sharing at "Lessons Learned Workshop"

On February 16^th 2017, stakeholders involved on five Subcommittees of the “Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago” project assembled at the PETROTRIN Staff Club in Pointe a Pierre to participate in a Lessons Learned Workshop, a few months shy of the project’s mid-term.  This all-day exercise served to facilitate the exchange of experiences and viewpoints among stakeholders in the process of project implementation and progress made towards the development of recommendations for the management of six pilot protected areas of focus in this project.

Over forty persons attended the Workshop and contributed to discussions that reviewed: the composition of the Subcommittees; the governance of Subcommittees; how priority and emerging issues were managed; decision-making on boundaries and levels of protection; and drafting of conservation objectives for protected areas.

In a post-workshop evaluation exercise, Subcommittee members shared that the exercise was useful in understanding that there were some common challenges facing each team and the potential existed for “cross pollination” among teams to assist in the way forward in the project. 

The complete report from the Lessons Learned Workshop is provided at this link.

Coastal zone field trip provides insight to Subcommittee

The Subcommittee for the Matura Forest and Coastal Zone Pilot Protected Area recently undertook its first field trip to examine current issues pertaining to management of the area. 

A key aspect for consideration was the feasibility of a physical linkage between the Matura Forest and this satellite coastal zone. 

The field trip took place on August 12th 2016 with stops at Fishing Pond Village, Vega de Oropouche and Matura Village.

Click here to read more about this activity.

 

Forging Forward: IFPAM Sub-Committees start work in pilot PAs

To date, the Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago”, (IFPAM) pilot protected area (PPA) sub-committees have formulated work plans for the 6 pilot sites under the IFPAM Project and have commenced implementation of their plans.  Three of the subcommittees have executed site visits to verify literature reviews on the ground and to improve their contextual understanding of management issues in their PPA so that they can formulate recommendations on the boundaries and level of protection required for their PPA.

These site visits occurred on: 

• March 4th, 2016: The Nariva PPA sub-committee gathered information on land use, hydrology, ecology, and threats on their site visit 

• March 11th, 2016: The Trinity Hills and eastern extension PPA sub-committee analysed issues concerning habitat fragmentation and edge effects; location of existing eastern boundary, and proposals for a new eastern boundary; challenges with coordinating monitoring efforts among multiple entities with responsibility for management; and improving the approach to the management of hunting of wildlife on their site visit
• March 18th, 2016: The Caroni Swamp PPA sub-committee explored issues on supporting sustainable  livelihoods at the pilot site.

The remaining PPA sub-committees have chosen other activities to start work on in their PPA.  The Matura PPA sub-committee is currently engaged in drafting a communication plan for the PPA.  This initiative, lead by the  Environmental Management Authority, includes a Knowledge, Attitude and Perception Survey of the 15 communities surrounding the PPA and the participatory development of a three-dimensional model of the PPA with the residents of the 15 communities.  The PPA sub-committee which manages the two PPAs in Tobago have focused their attention on coordinating research in the PPAs.

Site Visit by Subcommittee for Trinity Hills PPA on March 11th, 2016

Site Visit by Subcommittee for Caroni Swamp PPA on March 18th, 2016

Site Visit by Subcommittee for Nariva Swamp  on March 11th, 2016.

 Other outputs to be produced in the 1st year of the IFPAM Project are:

• National PA system plan
• Training of PA managers on interpretation and trail design
• A roadmap towards the preparation of Protected Areas Management Plans for the 6 pilot protected areas
• Work plan for the preparation of protected areas management plans for the 6 PPAs
• Plans for establishing the National Biodiversity Information System (NBIS)
• Baseline inventory, training and protocols for an ecological research and monitoring programme 
• A visibility strategy for the Project including a public education and awareness programme 

 

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 Tobago

On Thursday 3^rd December 2015, the Ministry of Planning and Development and the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO/UN) hosted the second Inception Workshop for the Global Environment Facility funded project entitled "Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago" at the Works Lecture Room in Shaw Park, Tobago.

Assemblyman Godwin Adams, the Secretary of Agriculture, Marine Affairs, Marketing and the Environment delivered the feature address on behalf of the Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA).  In his remarks he described how the project compliments the THA’s actions in forest and protected area management and revealed plans for a large scale reforestation project on the island.  Participants at the workshop included representatives from Divisions of the THA and other key stakeholders in forest and protected area management on the island.

Ms. Nevlin Renwick,

Administrator, Agriculture,Marine Affairs, Marketing and the Environment delivering opening remarks.

Seated at centre is Assemblyman Godwin Adams, Secretary, Agriculture,Marine Affairs, Marketing and the Environment.  To his left is Mr. William Trim and Mr. Selwyn Davis from the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, THA

As with the first Inception workshop in Trinidad, this workshop afforded participants the opportunity to review the draft work plans for each pilot protected area and to input into proposed actions and mechanisms to achieving the project's objectives.  Work plans for all the six pilot protected areas were presented with a more detailed focus on the pilot sites in Tobago, namely the Main Ridge Forest Reserve and the proposed North East Tobago marine protected area.