B7-6201/97-11/VIII/FOR "Restoration and Maintenance of park lands in the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park" by Jamaica Conservation and Development Trust (JCDT)

Objectives

The Forest areas of Jamaica are in desperate need of reforestation. The country has one of the world's highest rates of deforestation (5.3%, Economist). This has resulted in siltation, flooding, reduction in the flow of some rivers, the occurrence of seasonality in formerly perennially-flowing streams and a shortage of water for urban and agricultural use. This situation has been aggravated by improper hillside farming practices which includes the slash and burn approach for land clearing. The broad objective of this project is to rehabilitate and maintain degraded lands in the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park by:

• Restoring forests in and around the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park by planting trees.
• Protecting watersheds from inappropriate land use by promoting sustainable agricultural practices and preventing further encroachment by farmers into watersheds.
• Preventing illegal and wanton forest clearance within the environs of the Park.
• Promoting good fire management practices within the Park and Buffer Zone areas
• Public Education of citizens in and around the Park.
• To replant 100 hectares of denuded forest areas within the Park and Buffer Zone.
• To use existing public and private nurseries in addition to establishing two community nurseries to produce suitable seedlings for distribution to farmers and residents for forest reforestation, agro-forestry and fuelwood.
• To demonstrate and implement agro-forestry techniques among small and large hillside farmers within the Park and buffer zones.
• Prevent further destruction of vegetation through increased ranger presence both in terms of numbers and frequency.
• Provide training in fire prevention and management techniques for 110 persons including Park staff and members of Buffer Zone communities
• To establish a long-term fire management programme
• Secure and maintain up to date fire fighting tools and equipment
• To conduct a public education programme within the Park and surrounding communities dealing with fire prediction, prevention and management along with more sustainable land clearing methods.
• To produce a video as a tool for public education.

Beneficiaries : Small farmers affected by land tenure; unemployed men, women and youth.

Results : Tree nurseries will be operating in two of the three administrative districts of the Park, one in Minto in St. Thomas, and the other in Holywell-Clydesdale in St. Andrew, thereby restoring forests in and around the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park.

• Increased management and enforcement capability
• Decrease in illegal logging.
• 100 hectares of deforested areas within the Park and Buffer Zones replanted in Hardwood, softwood, fruit trees and other short term crops.
• Tree nurseries operating in two of the three administrative districts of the Park - Minto (St. Thomas), and Holywell/Clydesdale (St. Andrew) - producing an average of 100,000 seedlings/year (mixed fruit trees, hardwood and softwoods).
• Communities within the three administrative districts using proper land management, soil conservation and agro-forestry techniques.
• 110 individuals trained in fire prevention and management techniques.
• An operational fire management programme for the Park and its Buffer Zones consisting of:
• A map highlighting fire prone areas within the Park and Buffer Zones.
• Fire fighting tools and equipment.
• A minimum of 5 fire response teams established
• A emergency communication network for fire fighting
• A 30 minute video production on land management and bush/forest fire prevention and control.
• Increased public awareness on sustainable agriculture, land clearing methods and fire prevention and management.