1. IWCAM DEMONSTRATION PROJECT – DRIVERS RIVER WATERSHED, JAMAICA
Report to the Third Steering Committee Meeting
October 6, 2008
Montego Bay, Jamaica
Winsome Townsend
National Environment and Planning Agency

2. AN INTEGRATED APPROACH TO MANAGING THE MARINE, COASTAL AND WATERSHED RESOURCES OF EAST-CENTRAL PORTLAND (Drivers River Watershed Management Unit)
Objectives
To capture existing best practices and lessons learned through other coastal, watershed and community management initiatives within the country to create an effective Watershed Management Mechanism for Eastern Portland
To develop transfer methodologies to allow for the replication of these lessons to other Watershed Management Units (WMU), and to other Caribbean SIDS

3. AN INTEGRATED APPROACH TO MANAGING THE MARINE, COASTAL AND WATERSHED RESOURCES OF EAST-CENTRAL PORTLAND (Drivers River Watershed Management Unit)
Strategies
Improving the Institutional and Human Resource Capacity of the Sustainable Watershed and Environmental Management Agencies within the Project Area
Monitoring of Environmental and other Indicators (volume of solid waste, siltation, water quality, governance etc) to assess project impact and to guide policy reform and legislation
Encouraging the Development and Implementation of Participatory Approaches to Environmental Stewardship and Awareness, Information Dissemination and Enforcement of Existing Regulations and Policies among Communities in the Project Area
Promoting the Development of Economic Activities (agriculture, tourism, fishing and their related sub-sectors) as Alternate Practices with Reduced Impact to the WMU, through Conservation and Environmental Management Programmes within the Project Area
Identifying solutions to on-going detrimental activities which consistently threaten and impact watershed and coastal environmental integrity and human welfare (e.g. wastewater and chemical pollution, solid waste management, flooding/drainage, Improper land management)

4. Governance & Enforcement Committee
Meets on a monthly basis
Resource personnel invited to speak on environmental enforcement issues
Enforcement Workshop
Governance Workshop
Presentation to the (July 11, 2008)
Slot on PDC Meeting Agenda for IWCAM Project updates

5. Public Education Committee
Brochures and Posters
Partnership with key Agencies (e.g. WRA, NWA, UDC)
Town Meetings
Usage of Local cable to promote the Project
Debate Completion for High School Students & Poster Competition for younger students
Two Days Summer Camp for students between 9-16 yrs.
Commemoration of National Wood & Water Day (October 4)

6. Environmental Monitoring Committee
Community reps trained in chemical and bio-monitoring of Water Quality
Town Meetings
Usage of Local cable to promote the Project
Debate Completion for High School Students & Poster Competition for younger students
Two Days Summer Camp for students between 9-16 yrs.
Commemoration of National Wood & Water Day (October 4)

7. Characterization of Drivers River WMU
KAP SURVEY
3 Stakeholders Meeting ( May 20, June 24, July 22, August 26,2008) Survey instruments developed for KAP
67 Community members Trained in the administration of Surveys
Survey conducted between July 14 – August 4, 2008 for 10% of the watershed
Approximately 705 households interviewed.
Surveys analyzed

8. GRANT PROGRAMME
Grant Selection Committee (GSC) established May 15, 2008
17 Grant Applications received in July and processed
16 Grants Approved
Grant Workshop conducted
Some Projects have been initiated

9. MONITORING SITES

10. EFFECT OF GUSTAV ON THE WATERSHED
A Tour was conducted September 3, 2008 to determine the impact from Gustav.
The coastal area from Long Bay to Hectors River was the worst affected section of the Watershed, with approximately 80% of householders having some sort of roof damage. Utility poles in the area were also seen down along the road way.
Ninety percent (90%) of banana and plantain trees were flattened. Other agricultural produce such as poultry and coconut were also affected.
Coastal impact included piling up of debris along beaches, coastal erosion and wind damage to trees and houses which were windward facing.
The Watershed was however intact as vegetation cover, and all streams and tributaries examined showed negligible damage, sedimentation or siltation.

11. Stress Indicators: Jamaica Demonstration Project
Reduction in solid waste in and around the schools and communities with 12 garbage disposal facilities and increased frequency of garbage collection along with 4 communities clean up days.
Reduction in nutrients and disease – carrying organisms in wastewater in communities
Five demonstration toilet and wastewater facilities installed in selected schools and subsequent 10% replication by community
Increase in use of contour farming
Increase in the use of vegetative barrier
Reduction in use of inorganic chemicals
Increase in the area of land resuscitated by 10 hectares
Reduction in sedimentation
Improved water quality as a result of reduction in run off