OECS Protected Areas and Associated Livelihoods Project

closed

The project development/global objective is to contribute to the conservation of biodiversity of global importance in the participating countries of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) by removing barriers to the effective management of protected areas (PAS), and increasing the involvement of civil society and the private sector in the planning, management and sustainable use of these areas. The project has the following four components: Component 1) the component's objective is to achieve policy, legislative and institutional arrangement reforms (collectively termed PA institutional framework) in Participating Member States (PMS) leading to the evolution of a harmonized approach to protected areas creation and management in the OECS region. Component 2) will promote biodiversity management and conservation through the establishment of new and strengthening of existing protected areas, complemented by support for alternative and/or new livelihoods in areas in proximity to the aforementioned PAS. This component has three sub-components: (i) the creation of new and strengthening of existing protected areas; (ii) supporting alternative and/or new sustainable livelihood opportunities in and around PAS; and (iii) Small Project Facility (SPF) capacity building and support. Component 3) aims to enhance national capacities and increase public support for biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of PAS through education, training and awareness. The component would include two sub-components: (i) training in support of establishment and management of PAS and sustainable alternative livelihoods; and (ii) increasing public awareness on the ecological, social and economic significance of PAS. Component 4) includes three sub-components: (i) project management, (ii) monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of overall project implementation, and (iii) design and implementation of an information dissemination strategy.