International Mountain Day

December 11 was International Mountain Day. The observation is an initiative of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization to highlight the importance of the world’s highlands. Half the world’s biodiversity hotspots and one third of the world’s plant species occur in mountains, including the Blue Mountains and the John Crow Mountains. The theme for International Mountain Day 2020 is MOUNTAIN BIODIVERSITY. Hence, JCDT launched a 3 year Management Effectiveness Project on 11/12/20 to recognize a group of major projects aimed at improving conservation of the Blue & John Crow Mtns

MANAGEMENT EFFECTIVENESS – It is important that protected areas like the Blue & John Crow Mountains National Park and World Heritage Site are managed effectively. This is to ensure that management activities are achieving the site’s goals and objectives and that the values e.g. biodiversity and cultural heritage are maintained for all time. Internationally, many protected areas assess their management effectiveness using the METT Scorecard.

Monitoring is an important tool in assessing management effectiveness. As the JCDT seeks to improve management of the BJCMNP & WHS we will be measuring several indicators over time. Our National Park Rangers and Volunteer Corps will play a key role in monitoring & evaluation.

BIOPAMA INITIATIVE: JCDT has been awarded a 3-year grant from the Biodiversity and Protected Area Management (BIOPAMA) Project funded by the European Union and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (ACP) and supported by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission. The project aims to improve management effectiveness of the National Park through:-

  • Enforcement & Compliance: more strategic patrols with greater presence in key areas, boundary marking, improved transportation & work conditions and increased use of technology
  • Conservation: on-going forest restoration
  • Education & Sustainable Livelihoods: improve approaches to result in behaviour

FRANKLINIA FOUNDATION: The JCDT has been awarded a 3-year grant from the Franklinia Foundation, Switzerland. The aim of the project is to improve conservation of threatened species most of which are endemic. This project will address a major challenge to management effectiveness – inadequate supply of tree seedlings. This is because no-one knows how to germinate or propagate most of our endemic and native tree species.

The project will conduct research to better understand the growth of endemic and native trees in their natural habitat and trying to germinate seeds and propagate seedlings. In addition there will be enhanced efforts at forest restoration. This work will include local community members and volunteers.

JAMAICA CONSERVATION PARTNERS: The JCDT has been awarded another three (3) year grant to complete the 9.4 km boundary marking including firebreak along the most encroached and degraded boundary of the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park. This is from Cinchona to Abbey Green on the southern slopes of the Blue Mountains. This will address one of the challenges that reduces management effectiveness – lack of an easy to define boundary.

The project will also facilitate community outreach and establishment of a trail along the boundary line. Again, work will be enhanced through involvement of both local community members and volunteers. Finally, this project supports BIOPAMA through assistance with purchase of a much needed 4WD pick-up

 

The Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park is managed by the Jamaica Conservation and Development Trust (JCDT). The JCDT is a registered charity which receives part-funding from the Government of Jamaica. The remaining 70% of the park management budget is financed by grants and donations.

The Friends of the Blue Mountains programme is an opportunity for individuals and companies to support conservation efforts in the national park. All contributions are tax deductible. Friends of the Blue Mountains support the management of the national park through annual contributions in the following tiers:

INDIVIDUAL:- J$ 4,000 (with a Friends T-shirt)
CORPORATE AGATE: – J$ 25,000
CORPORATE MALACHITE – J$ 50,000
CORPORATE JADE- J$ 75,000
CORPORATE EMERALD- J$ 100,000

Complimentary JCDT membership is extended to Individual-Friends of the Blue Mountains. JCDT members participate in the decision-making activities that guide the work of the Trust.

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