The Trinidad & Tobago IWCAM Project is one of nine demonstration projects for Integrated Watershed and Coastal Area Management in eight Caribbean Sea countries, funded by the Global Environment Fund (GEF). It is the only IWCAM Project being executed by an NGO. The project is a partnership between the Buccoo Reef Trust, the Tobago House of Assembly, The Global Environment Fund, the University of the West Indies and other international agencies.

Challenge

“A narrow sectorial approach to natural resource management in Tobago has been compounded by a lack of data, as well as limited human and technical resources. This has resulted in poorly-informed decision-making and inadequate management of natural resources leading to environmental degradation and resource use conflicts.” – Mr. Kamau Akili, Council for Sustainable Development, Tobago House of Assembly.

Project Title

Land-Use Planning and Watershed Restoration as part of a Focused IWCAM Demonstration in the Courland Watershed and Buccoo Reef Area.

Linkages

The project has the following GEF-IWCAM Priority Demonstrations:

Coastal area Management and Biodiversity Conservation; i.e.:

• Integrating zoning and planning policies into an overall IWCAM strategy

Land and Marine based sources of pollution; i.e.:

• Development of cost-effective and appropriate reception, storage and treatment strategies for domestic wastewater.
• Development of treatment and discharge requirements and practices for industrial wastes.
• Integrated watershed/basin management approches targeting improved land-use practices.

The project is linked with national priorities, as listed in the “Protecting Our Environment” Action Plan for 2002-2007 produced by the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. It is also compatible with International and Regional Multilateral Agreements to which Trinidad and Tobago is a signatory, including the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, the Cartagena Convention and its protocols and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). The project is fully endorsed and supported by the Tobago House of Assembly and the Government of Trinidad and Tobago (the Honourable Orville London, Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly).

The GEF-IWCAM Project is executed by UNEP-CAR/RCU and CEHI, and the overall objective is to strengthen the commitment and capacity of the participating countries to implement an integrated approach to the management of watersheds and coastal areas.

There are 13 participating countries: Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, and Trinidad & Tobago. There are nine Demonstration Projects in eight of the participating countries.