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

2. The Blue & John Crow Mountains National Park (BJCMNP) Established February, 1993 (under NRCA Act) Forest Reserve (1940s) boundary Planimetric Area: 495.2 km 2 (about 46,000 ha) – 4.5% islands surface area Topographic Area: about 78,000 ha (193,000 acres) – 9% islands 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

3. 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

4. Blue & John Crow Mountains National Park – Highly Significant For: Carbon Sequestration Forests sequester or store carbon dioxide, helping mitigate against global warming

5. 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

6. 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

7. Blue & John Crow Mountains National Park – Highly Significant For: Economic potential Recreational and tourism opportunities Pharmaceuticals Non-traditional agricultural & horticultural produce & added value products

8. 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 the BJCMNP as a UNESCO WHS JCDT was responsible for the research/documentation

9. 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

10. Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park Management Plan 2005 - 2010 Threats to the BJCMNP and their Sources Threats:- – 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

11. 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

12. Zonation

14. 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

15. 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.

16. 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.

17. Monitoring and Evaluation Programme Goal: To track and record both the threats and changes to ecosystem health, to assess achievement of the Parks 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.

18. STREAM QUALITY MONITORING

21. 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 Parks 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

22. 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 issues 5. Address fire management issues 6. Disaster/Emergency Management

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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.

26. 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.

27. 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)

28. 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 parks recreation areas 3. Facilitate benefits to local communities 4. Ensure these activities dont threaten park

29. 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 Plan 2. Increased income from parks 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 Plan 5. Annual Misty Bliss celebrations

30. Governance & Administration Programme Goal: To ensure efficient and effective implementation of the Parks 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