Introduction

This document comprises two parts:

Executive Summary
Project Profiles

The Executive Summary is based on that which was included in the main report of the Country Mission Team (CMT). It has been revised to include more factual background information so that this document can suffice as a working document for the Roundtable III meeting. Where necessary, reference should be made to the main report for further detail on specific points.

There are seventeen Project Profiles and an additional twelve projects listed which were originally proposed in the special regional study on forest research conducted as part of the TFAP process. One of the project profiles is essentially a phase II to the forestry development project currently being carried out in collaboration between the government of St Vincent and the Grenadines and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

CIDA is assisting the government and in particular the Forestry Division, in the development of the forestry sector. This assistance is facilitated through a five year CIDA Forestry Development Project which started 1 April 1989 and is due for completion 31 March 1994. The project goal and a summary of the activities are given in Appendix I. However, it will be necessary to build on the achievements of the CIDA project through the TFAP Country Capacity Project (CCP), designated here as proposed project 5.01 'Forestry Development: Phase II'. This will be necessary to ensure that the country has sufficient capability to manage the forest resources in an effective manner and allow the reaping of long-term research data, follow-up management, modifications to management plans and institutional strengthening.

While the Forestry Division is now in a good position to perform its role as guardian and manager of the forest resources reasonably well, it lacks experience. The staff could not be trained before the commencement of the SVG/CIDA project and some of the training will be completed after the project has ended. Thus, only some of the staff were able to fully absorb the technology which was being transferred from the foreign experts. Technical support will therefore be required for some time (five years) in several specialist areas, including forest administration and planning, wildlife research and management, national parks planning, management and interpretation. External grant funding combined with some local counterpart funding will be needed to provide such support.

Consequently, 'Forestry Development: Phase II' is presented as one of the 17 TFAP priority projects but it is suggested that emphasis is placed on this and two other projects in the short-term planning process.

Reference is made to related documents:

Regional Overview of the CARICOM Tropical Forests Action Programme in the East Caribbean. CARICOM/FAO/BDDC-ODA. July 1993

Forestry development initiatives at the regional/subregional level - regional project proposals 01-05.

The Status of Mangrove Conservation in the CARICOM Islands of the Eastern Caribbean. Report to the Commission of the European Communities as part of the TFAP for the Caribbean Region. P.Bacon, 1991.

Report on Forest Research - special study as part of the TFAP process. C. Buford Briscoe, 1991.

Map 1. General map showing the location of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Source: Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. St. Vincent and the Grenadines development plan 1986 -1988.