Management of the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park by JCDT/Green Jamaica.

Management of the Blue and John Crow

Mountains National Park

by JCDT/Green Jamaica

John Crow Mountains

Port Royal Mountains

Blue Mountains

The Blue & John Crow Mountains National Park (BJCMNP)

Established February, 1993 (under NRCA Act)

Forest Reserve (1940s) boundary

Planimetric Area: 495.2 km2 (about 46,000 ha) – 4.5% island’s surface area

Topographic Area: about 78,000 ha (193,000 acres) – 9% island’s surface area

Largest contiguous area of closed broadleaf forest in Jamaica - about 1/3 of all the closed broadleaf forest left on the island

Has limestone & igneous/metamorphic rocks

Blue & John Crow Mountains National Park

– Highly Significant For:

Watershed Management- protecting 10 upper watershed

management units

water supply

soil conservation

- providing drinking water for over 40% of the

population of Jamaica

Blue & John Crow Mountains National Park

– Highly Significant For:

Carbon Sequestration Forests sequester or store carbon dioxide, helping mitigateagainst global warming

Blue & John Crow Mountains National Park

– Highly Significant For:

Biodiversity Wide variety of unique forest types due to high elevation & volcanic rocks Habitat for endemic,threatened & native species Internationally recognised

Blue & John Crow Mountains National Park

– Highly Significant For:

Cultural Heritage Maroon communities & culture- Moore Town, Charles Town Traditional Jamaican villages

language, music, dance etc. Military History e.g. Newcastle Blue Mountain Coffee

Blue & John Crow Mountains National Park

– Highly Significant For:

Economic potential Recreational and tourismopportunities Pharmaceuticals Non-traditional agricultural& horticultural produce & added value products

Blue & John Crow Mountains National Park

– A Potential UNESCO World Heritage Site ?

World Heritage Sites Are very special Receive international recognition

Jamaica has none yet Caribbean has few Jamaica has nominated theBJCMNP as a UNESCO WHSJCDT was responsible for theresearch/documentation

Background to the BJCMNP Management Plan

Management Plan for the BJCMNP is supposed to be prepared every 5 years.

Last Management Plan was prepared in 2004/5 with funding from EFJ = BJCMNP Management Plan 2005 - 2010

Plan was developed using: best conservation science knowledge (building on

Site Conservation Plan) experience (incl. review of 1992 and other Plans) a participatory process involving about 200

stakeholders: Steering Committee, community meetings, thematic workshops, experts workshops

Currently, the implementation of this Plan is being evaluated and consultations starting for New Plan

Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park Management Plan 2005 - 2010

Threats to the BJCMNP and their SourcesThreats:- – Deforestation, Forest Degradation and Wildlife Destruction

Sources:- Conversion of forest to agriculture Alien invasive species Logging Non-timber products harvesting Hunting Informal settlements Water-course modification

From Site Conservation Planning 2000, 2001, 2004

Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park Management Plan 2005 - 2010

Insufficient Environmental Education Limited Environmentally Sustainable Income-Generating

Activities Insufficient Enforcement Insufficient “Conservation-on-the-Ground” Conflicting Policies between Government Agencies and

Insufficient Support of Conservation Initiatives Unclear Boundaries Limited Resources and Inadequate Management Climate Change

Root Causes

Zonation

Buffer zoneRecover ZonePreservation Zone: 500 m buffer around natural forestPreservation Zone: natural forestPark Boundary (FD)

Zonation

Conservation Programme Goal: To maintain and enhance the remaining area of closed broadleaf forest and component species of plants and animals that exist in the BJCMNP.

Objectives:-1. Protect threatened

biodiversity especially conservation targets:- forest on limestone & shale, freshwater ecosystems, forest birds, Jamaican coney, yellow snake, giant swallowtail butterfly, epiphytes

2. Rehabilitate at least 200 acres (80ha)

3. Create & maintain forest buffers along headwater streams

4. Promote research that benefits Park management

Achievements – 5 Years later (2005 – 2009)

A total of 45.04 Hectares (112.6 acres) was rehabilitated by JCDT:

13.77 Hectares (34.43 acres) controlled of invasive species.

31.8 Hectares (79.5 acres) reforested with native, non-lumber species .

Thus through direct intervention from JCDT over 50% of the objective has been achieved.

The amount reforested by the Forestry Department working with the Lions Club of Mona is about 35 Ha.

Achievements – 5 Years later (2005 – 2009)

Nurseries at Holywell and Hagley Gap - over 18,000 native seedlings have been propagated – used mainly for forest rehabilitation projects.

Species now regularly produced are:- Dovewood (Alchornea latifolia) Milkwood (Sapium harrisii) Soapwood (Clethra occidentalis) Blue Mountain Yacca (Podocarpus urbanii) Blue Mahoe (Hibiscus elatus) West Indian Cedar (Cedrela odorata). Other species including threatened endemics

are now being experimented with.

Monitoring and Evaluation Programme Goal: To track and record both the threats and changes to ecosystem health, to assess achievement of the Park’s over-arching goal

Objectives:- Threats monitoring

Photo-monitoring Observations on patrol

Outcomes monitoring Forest area Freshwater biological

monitoring Bird monitoring populations of key,

threatened species – the giant swallowtail butterfly, the Jamaican coney and the yellow boa.

STREAM QUALITY MONITORING

Achievements – 5 Years later (2005 – 2009)

Two new Threats monitoring programmes developed and being implemented: - Under the Ranger-based monitoring: data is collected on each

patrol and entered in the Park’s GIS. Under the Permanent location photo-monitoring: 12 monitoring

points were established around the Park and monitored annually Bird Monitoring Programme continues and completed 5yr

cycle Freshwater Monitoring Programme continues and completed

5yr cycle Some Forest Area Monitoring conducted

Enforcement & Compliance Programme

Goal: To stop encroachment of the park boundary and destruction of the forest and wildlife within

Objectives:-

1. Increase level of presence of enforcement officers

2. Increase level of detection & resolution of breaches

3. Resolve resource use conflicts on a case by case basis

4. Address boundary issues5. Address fire

management issues6. Disaster/Emergency

Management

Enforcement & Compliance Programme

Goal: To stop encroachment of the park boundary and destruction of the forest and wildlife within

Achievements:-

1. Ranger Corps: 3 at beginning of 2004 to current 7 (incl. Chief of Corps)

2. Patrols: 3/mth in 2004 to 14.6/mth in 2008

3. Introduced Ranger-based threats & impacts monitoring using GIS and digital photography

4. Resolution of breaches through increased:- Communication with community members Verbal & written warnings Liaison & reporting to NEPA & FD Mapping farms to monitor for encroachment Special, specific, detailed reports to agencies

Education & Public Involvement Programme Goal: To raise support and improve natural resource management, particularly in buffer zone communities, leading to ecosystem conservation and poverty alleviation

Objectives:-1. Facilitate capacity building (including education

and training) of buffer zone communities vis a vis sustainable livelihoods and resource management

2. Increase public awareness, knowledge and understanding about the Park, to increase Park support – Communications & Interpretation

3. Increase public awareness, knowledge and understanding about the Park in students

Education & Public Involvement Programme Goal: To raise support and improve natural resource management, particularly in buffer zone communities, leading to ecosystem conservation and poverty alleviation

Achievements:- Working with 4 targeted buffer zone

communities to plan & implement projects e.g. reforestation, community tourism, sustainable agriculture.

Education & Public Involvement Programme Goal: To raise support and improve natural resource management, particularly in buffer zone communities, leading to ecosystem conservation and poverty alleviation

Achievements:- Youth PATH - Skills training and team building

for youth (about 60 over the 4 yrs) from 3 targeted buffer zone communities:- flora & fauna, tourism certification, First Aid/CPR, Life Skills, Small Business Development etc.

Education & Public Involvement Programme Goal: To raise support and improve natural resource management, particularly in buffer zone communities, leading to ecosystem conservation and poverty alleviation

Achievements:- Visited 37 local schools with A/V

presentation on BJCMNP (2009)

Recreation and Tourism Programme Goal: To provide recreational opportunities for local and international visitors using ecotourism principles to generate income and support for the park

Objectives:-1. Provide recreational and

educational opportunities

2. Generate income for park management by increasing revenue from park’s recreation areas

3. Facilitate benefits to local communities

4. Ensure these activities don’t threaten park

Recreation and Tourism Programme Goal: To provide recreational opportunities for local and international visitors using ecotourism principles to generate income and support for the park

Achievements:-1. Holywell Ecotourism Development &

Management Plan2. Increased income from park’s recreation

areas 3. Working with local communities through skills

training and technical assistance to develop and implement sustainable community tourism products

4. Blue Mountains Sustainable Tourism Plan5. Annual Misty Bliss celebrations

Governance & Administration Programme

Goal: To ensure efficient and effective implementation of the Park’s programmes

Objectives:-1. Involve stakeholders e.g.

Co-management Committee, Liaising with CBOs

2. Coordinate and effectively manage operations

3. Ensure adaptive management

4. Raise funds – need ideally US$450,000/yr for recurrent expenditure and US$350,000 for capital and project expenditure