0530-C3
Jamaica, land of wood and water, is an island that historically had thick forest cover and flowing streams. The island's topographical features include interior mountain masses, coastal cliffs, hills and plains sloping towards the sea. Jamaica's topographical features have changed over time with clearing of lands for agricultural and other purposes. The Environmental Foundation of Jamaica (EFJ) in conjunction with the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) and the Forestry Department has developed the Spinal Forest Project. The Project will support the National Forest Management and Conservation Plan and will address Critical areas of emphasis requiring National focus that were identified within the Plan. The primary components of the Project are Conservation, Reforestation, Expansion of the Forestry Database, Training and Research, Public and Political Awareness Campaign, and obtaining National Forest Fund Support. The Project is taking a participatory approach to Forest Management and Development, an integral process for sustainable forest management through collaboration with Government Agencies, the International Community, NGO's and local communities. The Project is to be developed and executed in a five-year period beginning September 2002. No data is therefore presented in this paper but an extensive look at the approach to be taken towards further developing and managing Jamaica's Forestry. Data is presented on an on-going Pilot Reforestation Project. The Spinal Forest Project is expected to produce new areas for Conservation, improved forests, current scientific data, new research results to improve forestry, political and public awareness and public `buy-in' that will be beneficial not only to Jamaica but to the planet.
Jamaica, the land of wood and water, a name derived from its Taino inhabitants is an island situated between latitude 17 0 30' and 18 0 30' north and longitude 76 0 to 78.30 0 west (Hooper, 1886). The very name of the island speaks to its rich natural history of forest cover and flowing streams. The island is 231km long (144 miles) with a maximum width of 79km (49 miles). The island's topographical features include interior mountain masses at the nucleus of the island including the Blue Mountains (over 7000 feet high) the Cockpit Country, coastal cliffs, hills and plains sloping towards the sea.
There have been many assessments on Forest cover in Jamaica. The most recent Forest cover and Land Use Classification System described below is based on LANDSAT satellite imagery acquired in 1996 and 1998 combined with aerial and ground reconnaissance. Land use/Forest cover is divided into three broad areas each with further subdivisions as detailed below (Forestry Department, 1999).
Forest - (Closed Broadleaf, Disturbed Broadleaf, Bamboo, Tall Open Dry, Short Open Dry, Swamp, Mangrove)
Mixed - (Fields or Disturbed Broadleaf Forest and Pine Plantation, Disturbed Broadleaf Forest and Fields, Bamboo and Disturbed Broadleaf Forest, Bamboo and Fields, Fields and Disturbed Broadleaf Forest, Bauxite Extraction and Disturbed Broadleaf Forest)
Non-Forest - (Plantations, Fields, Herbaceous Wetland, Water Bodies, Small Islands, Bare Rock, Bauxite Extraction, Buildings and Other Infrastructure)
The Classification described indicates that significant changes have occurred in Jamaica's Forest Cover from the time of our first inhabitants until now. Many of these changes have been as a result of increased population growth, agricultural expansion, shifting cultivation and mining, land clearing for housing and the consumption of wood for energy. Jamaica's deforestation rate is ranked among the highest in the world with rates ranging from between 0.1% to 11.3% per annum. These differences in rates are linked to differences in classification of forests, the type of study being conducted, information sources used, precision of the estimates and other factors. The Forestry Department's Trees for Tomorrow Project (1999) provides an annual deforestation rate of 0.1%. In spite of these differences in reporting an accurate deforestation rate, it is clearly understood that Jamaica's deforestation rate is high and poses a significant threat to the Jamaican Forest and the processes it impacts.
These impacts have been widespread but have had greater implications in Jamaica's watershed areas with increased threat to water quantity and quality, increased soil erosion, siltation of rivers with impacts as far-reaching as the coasts. Impacts at the coast have implications for Jamaica's Tourism Industry (1,912,158,000 GDP) a major income earner for the island, livelihood of Jamaican fisher folk, and impacts on other activities on which many Jamaicans are economically dependent.
Agencies responsible for the management of the Jamaican Forest must resolve the demands for forest use and the need for forest conservation through implementation of appropriate sustainable policies and plans. A significant achievement in Jamaica has been the development of the National Forest Management and Conservation (NFMC) Plan by the Forestry Department. This effort now places a clearly defined plan that all national stakeholders can use as a guide and set targets for implementation. The NFMC Plan (Forestry Department, March 2001) outlines the primary constraints to effective management which includes, Public Awareness, Co-operation and Compliance, Commitment to Enforcement, Human Resources and Enforcement Capability. Inadequate financial resources also impact upon the ability of Government agencies to effectively manage forests. The commitment of major stakeholders to limiting the constraints is essential for effective sustainable management of Jamaica's forest. The Spinal Forest Project will support the NFMC plan and will address Critical areas of emphasis requiring National focus that were identified within the Plan.
As its contribution to the forestry component of Jamaica's environment the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica (EFJ) conceived the Spinal Forest Project. The Spinal Forest Project will develop the framework plan for, and begin implementation of, a continuous Spinal Forest along the main mountain ridges that extend along the center of the island. The ridge rises up from the Great Morass in Negril and spans east from Dolphin Head in Hanover to the John Crow Mountains in Portland and includes important areas such as the Cockpit Country, Bull Head Mountain, the Dry Harbour Mountains and the Blue Mountains. Many of the areas within the Spinal Forest are ecologically significant particularly those rich in biodiversity (both plant and animal species), areas with significant water resource protection functions, eco-tourism potential and other benefits. Figure 1 outlines the Proposed Spinal Forest Boundary. The restoration of forest on the island's spine is expected to have significant benefits at local and international levels.
The EFJ is a grant making institution established to provide financial assistance to civic organizations involved in the conservation, management and sustainable use of our natural resources and issues of child survival and child development. The Foundation through collaboration with local Non Governmental Organisations (NGO's) and various Government Agencies such as the Forestry Department and the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) has developed the Project that is in the preliminary stages of Implementation. The Project will not only involve Government Agencies with jurisdiction in Forestry, but will engage with Public and Private sector entities, the Public in general, and the international community. The multi-stakeholder approach is essential to Projects with impacts at the National level, not simply for funding support, but for advocacy and other activities. The EFJ finances will not establish the Spinal Forest but will lay the foundation for the implementation of the project. The long-term implementation or creation of the Spinal Forest will occur through the resources of several other entities, private landowners and investors over a projected period of up to 20 years. 25% of the area is targeted to be reforested at a cost of $US340 million using traditional methods of producing seedlings and hiring labour to effect planting and care. The direct investment from the EFJ will be US$1.0 - 1.5 million over 5 years. A major component therefore, of the Spinal Forest Project is to garner funds to facilitate Project components. Funds will be solicited from local and international communities (Jamaican and Non-Jamaican), bi and multilateral funding opportunities and other appropriate mechanisms.
Figure 1 Proposed Spinal Forest Boundary
The major Project Components and strategies to be employed for its implementation are summarised below. We will also discuss methods currently being employed on a smaller Reforestation Pilot Project being conducted in the watershed area of the popular tourist destination of Dunn's River in Ocho Rios, St. Ann.
The Spinal Forest Project will have six major Project Components. They are:
Critically important areas and an established forest reserve block will be identified and management and conservation strategies designed to maintain these areas. Some of the steps to be employed include, identifying and mapping landowners, social intervention with land owners and surrounding communities, land surveying, conducting biophysical surveys to determine the species richness (biodiversity) in the areas, marking of areas to be conserved, deployment of wardens and engagement of the community in supporting the forest conservation and sustaining their own livelihoods. Development of forest enterprises is a key element of the Project that will impact upon maintaining sustainable livelihoods, as it sets out to identify and develop ventures that will ensure the conservation of the forest by users. A major Public and Political awareness component will accompany these efforts to ensure support from the Public Sector and the Political Directorate.
Areas to be reforested will be identified and reforestation plans developed. Areas will include bauxite-mined lands, Private lands, agricultural lands through agro forestry interventions, scrublands, and plots in key areas to serve as Demonstration Plots. Reforestation plans will be drafted for the areas identified and will include surveying and cadastral mapping of the areas, interventions with landowners and communities, land preparation and replanting. An important precursor to reforestation activities is ensuring a consistent seedling supply through a Nursery that will be developed with the capabilities to produce 1 million seedlings required for planting 2000 hectares per year. Planting and nurturing a seedling to a point of sustainability costs $J180.00 ($US3.60) per seedling, a factor which makes the reforestation component of the Spinal Forest Project, the most costly. To that end, obtaining funding support is a major element of the Reforestation process. A `Buy-A-Tree' programme will be implemented to obtain local and international funding support. Funds will go directly to the National Forest Fund and will be used for continued Reforestation activities.
The Spinal Forest project will involve extensive research on biological, physical and socio-ecological parameters. The Forestry Department has conducted similar assessments, but requires more research on several other areas island wide. All data collected during the project will be incorporated in a comprehensive Forestry Database. Data collected will form part of the larger Geographic Information System (GIS) on the Spinal Forest. The expected increase in forest cover, changes in species abundance and distribution are but a few of the changes that will be tracked and added to the GIS.
Research will be conducted as an essential component of the Spinal Forest Project. The research will enhance various components of the Spinal Forest Project (Reforestation - Seedling Production and Survival, etc.). The research is aimed at ensuring that there will be a corps of trained Forestry managers, scientists and wardens who will form a strong human resource for continued forest development. The research will also produce a body of information to guide future reforestation and conservation efforts, including the propagation of native and endemic tree species.
The success of forest conservation and reforestation depends on a high level of Public and Political support. Land issues are very often contentious and the solution to the competition for the forestry lands is multidimensional. A specific campaign to develop awareness and then active support will be developed and implemented in conjunction with the reforestation and conservation activities.
The National Forest Management and Conservation Plan proposes the creation of a National Forest Fund. The Spinal Forest project cannot contribute directly to the fund, but it will nonetheless support the establishment of the fund by:
The EFJ agreed to provide a grant of JA$21,620,000.00 (~ US$432,400) to the `Friends of the Sea' (FOTS), an environmental Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), for the execution of the Dunn's River Watershed Management Project (DRWM) in a two-year period which commenced in November 2001. The objectives were the following: 1) To assist with the reforestation of the watershed by replanting an area of 230 hectares on the Dunn's River watershed 2) To remove solid waste that was deposited on the watershed 3) To educate the surrounding communities in proper environmental management. The Project is being managed and executed by FOTS in collaboration with the Forestry Department and the stakeholders living in communities within the Project area. One year of the Project has been completed and some of the lessons learnt will be outlined in the Results.
As the Spinal Forest Project is only in the preliminary stages of implementation, with few components actually started, we can only provide the results we anticipate from particular Project Components. We will also present some of the findings of the Dunn's River Watershed Management Project.
The Spinal Forest Project expects the following outcomes in each of the Project areas.
a) Biophysical Inventories of proposed Conservation Areas with the provision of new baseline scientific data of the areas
b) Cadastral maps identifying land owners on the Spine of the island
c) Production of a Dendrology manual of Jamaican Plant species
d) New and expanded forest reserves including private lands
e) Local Forest Management Committees
f) Local Forest Management Plans
a) Demonstration Forestry Plots in visible areas as an information tool and for provision of increased and improved Green spaces in urban and other locations
b) 200 hectares of direct Reforestation by the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica
c) Production of 2 million Seedlings as part of the Private Planting venture
d) Increased Private Forestry
e) Improved Nursery Operations for supply of over 500,000 seedlings annually
f) Liaison with Bauxite Companies for the reforestation of Bauxite mined out lands
a) Spinal Forest Baseline Data (Botanical, Zoological, Entomological)
b) GIS Map of Spinal Forest (Including proposed Conservation areas and newly reforested areas with continuous tracking to input changes in Forest cover)
a) Research and information on reliable Reforestation techniques
b) Research on improved Nursery propagation techniques
c) Biodiversity Profiles for different Forest Types
d) Research on Forest Pests and Pathogens
e) Study on the impacts of Watershed Degradation
f) Optimal Seedling Production
g) Native and Endemic Tree Nursery
a) National and International Awareness of the Spinal Forest Project
b) Political awareness and advocacy
a) An established National Forest Fund
b) Developed `Buy-A-Tree' Programme as a fundraising mechanism
c) Incentives Plan and Forest Enterprises
The results of the Project after one year are as follows: 61 Hectares completely reforested, including weeding twice. Figure 2 represents actual levels of reforestation with projected reforestation rates; 114m 3 (149 yd 3 ) of solid waste has been removed from a portion of the watershed; a minimum level of community awareness, primarily in schools has taken place.
Figure 2 Reforestation Rates (Actual and Projected)
The Spinal Forest Project will provide tangible results after the Project has been more fully implemented and more appropriately after the complete five year period. Tangible outcomes, primary of which is increased forest cover, are expected through this multi-stakeholder approach to Forest Management and Development. The Project has been described as a legacy Project and as such broader far-reaching impacts from the results discussed, such as the following are expected.
Reductions in levels of erosion, flooding and other negative impacts are amongst primary desired Project outcomes. Plates 1 and 2 are indicative of some of the deleterious effects of reforestation that a Project of this nature seeks to counter. Increased biodiversity for endemic and other endangered plant and animal species such as the Jamaican Iguana, Cyclura collei (Plate 3) and the Giant Swallowtail butterfly, Papilio homerus (Plate 4) are also primary goals.
Plate 1 Soil Erosion - St. Andrew, Cinchona
Plate 2 Effects of Flood Damage from Tropical Storm Lily (Sep 30 - Oct 1 2002)
Plate 3 Jamaican Iguana |
Giant Swallowtail |
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The participatory approach to Forest Management and Development is not new to Jamaica but has been proven to be an integral process for sustainable forest management. Collaboration with Government Agencies, the International Community, NGO's and local communities is fundamental to the process. Community members benefit not only from the natural resource of a restored or conserved forest but also obtain income as stakeholders hired for assisting in implementation and management. Developing stands of Forest for obtaining funds from Carbon Sequestration grants speaks to the larger International cooperation integral to the development process. New areas for Conservation, improved forests, current scientific data, new research results to improve forestry, political and public awareness and public `buy-in' will be beneficial not only to Jamaica but to the planet.
The primary objective of the programme is the reforestation of the 230 hectares. Much of the reforestation occurred during two predominant planting seasons (April - May and September - November). Various factors including administrative issues, seedling mortality, cattle consumption of seedlings, mitigated against all the desired planting occurring in year 1. Some of the intended reforestation for year one will occur early in year 2 along with target year two activities by increasing the rate of planting through increased labour with the planting of a larger area within the intended time-period. The education programme has targeted mainly schools but needs to be tailored to the wider community who depend on and live in the watershed. Information to the community on the need to keep the watershed clean of solid waste is an intended goal of the Education programme. The Project discovered that illegal dumping of garbage by contractors was the primary source of the solid waste cleared. A community aware of the negative impacts of dumping on the watershed will be instrumental in minimizing continued dumping. This Project has therefore provided some exposure to the myriad of issues one may face on the larger Spinal Forest Project.
Partnerships locally and internationally are essential for proper development and management of resources that are utilized by a multiplicity of stakeholders. Participatory development and management are essential components to National sustainable forest development and management.
Evelyn, O.B. 1997. Deforestation in Jamaica: An analysis of the Data. Forestry Department, Kingston Jamaica.
National Forest Management and Conservation Plan, Forestry Department. March 2001.
Hooper, E.D.M. 1886. Reports Upon the Forests of Jamaica. Indian Forest Department.
1 Environmental Foundation of Jamaica,
1B Norwood Avenue, Kingston 5
[email protected]
(876)-960-6744 / 960-3224
2 Environmental Foundation of Jamaica,
1B Norwood Avenue, Kingston 5
[email protected]
