Revised Forest Policy for Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique

Revised Forest Policy for Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique 11/11/18 1 Table of Contents Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................1 Preamble ....................................................................................................................................2 Goal ............................................................................................................................................3 Objectives ...................................................................................................................................3 Strategic directions .....................................................................................................................4 Objective 1: conserve species, ecosystems, and genetic diversity ..........................................4 Biodiversity conservation .....................................................................................................4 Protected areas management ..............................................................................................4 Wildlife management ...........................................................................................................4 Objective 2: Manage forest resources to build Grenada’s climate change resilience implementing appropriate climate change adaptation and mitigation actions ..........................4 Climate change ....................................................................................................................4 Sustainable livelihoods and local green enterprises .............................................................4 Objective 4: maintain, enhance and restore the ability of forests to provide goods and services on a sustainable basis, emphasising co-management approaches ...........................5 Tree establishment and management ..................................................................................5 Wetland management ..........................................................................................................5 a) promote sustainable management of dry forest ecosystems ........................................5 Recreation and eco-tourism .................................................................................................5 Watershed management .....................................................................................................5 Objective 5: Ensure a strong enabling environment for the implementation of the policy ........5 Information exchange, research and data management ......................................................5 Capacity building ..................................................................................................................5 Glossary......................................................................................................................................7 2 Preamble Forests and forest resources play an essential role in the economic, environmental social and cultural development of Grenada1. They provide essential goods and services and are an integral part of the islands’ national heritage. The conservation of the country’s forest resources is an economic, social and moral imperative, contributing to national development objectives, including the elimination of poverty. ‘Forests’ for the purpose of this document includes all forest ecosystems and non-agricultural trees, as well as the goods and services that they provide. Approximately 23% of the main island of Grenada is covered in forest2. The main forest types on the island are cloud forest, rainforest, lower mountain forest, evergreen and semi evergreen seasonal forest. There are also the drier forest types closer to the coastline namely deciduous and littoral forest. Given lower elevation and rainfall levels the natural vegetation of Carriacou and Petite Martinique is characterised by deciduous forest and dry thorn scrub3. Additional explanations of these and other technical terms are provided in the glossary at the end of this document. This revised Grenada 2018 National Forest Policy has been informed by a number of in-country consultations, supplemented by online surveys, a desk review of national, regional and international needs and gaps, as well as a rapid assessment of the implementation of the 1999 policy which this document replaces. These information sources have pointed to climate change as a key overarching national concern, emphasising the need for forest cover for climate mitigation, healthy forests for climate resilience and focused management of forests to facilitate their adaptation to climate change including adaptation to high intensity storms and hurricanes. Sustainable management of forests remains critical for food security and the protection of the quantity and quality of the country’s water supply especially under the drier climactic regime predicted for the Caribbean region4. Water supply concerns thus mean that watershed management remains a priority for the new policy. Sustainable management of mangrove ecosystems is also still a country priority for protection against climate change impacts such as storm surges and coastal erosion. Protection of dry forests within the coastal belt is also a strong need given the degraded nature of this resource. Protected area management, biodiversity, timber and non- timber forest product management remain important issues in the minds of stakeholders as does wildlife management and the management of forests on private lands. Apart from the technical issues above, the revised policy also addresses a number of cross cutting issues, recognising their importance in enabling and sustaining actions to address the technical concerns. At the forefront of these are capacity concerns (both staffing and training) within Government agencies involved in the management of forests. Coordination and harmonisation amongst these agencies is needed especially coordination of their respective activities under local policies and legislation as well as work under the various multilateral environmental agreements. Coordination with and engagement of all stakeholders including civil 1 In this document ‘Grenada’ means ‘Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique’ 2 Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States. 2013. Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique Land Issue paper. Castries: Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States. 3 Beard, J.S. 1949. The Natural Vegetation of the Windward and Leeward Islands. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 4 Cashman, A., Nurse, L. & John, C., 2010. Climate Change in the Caribbean: The Water Management Implications. The Journal of Environment & Development.19(1), pp.42–67. 3 society, private sector and academia is also needed for successful forest management in Grenada. Based on the above, this revised 2018 policy: a) retains many of the strategic directions of the 1999 policy, recognising that while there has been progress on these technical matters, they are still relevant ongoing needs that have to be continually emphasised; b) builds on the advances made in the implementation of the 1999 policy c) incorporates updates to the terminology, concepts and current thinking on forest resources management; d) addresses new threats and priority concerns for Grenada; e) includes strategic directions on cross cutting and institutional issues; f) supports other national frameworks addressing environmental, social and economic issues in particular climate change mitigation and adaptation actions e.g. under i. the National Climate Chance Policy and Action Plan ii. the draft National Adaptation Plan iii. Grenada’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions g) supports regional and international frameworks e.g. i. Grenada’s national obligation to protect 17% of its terrestrial area as part of the Aichi Target under the Convention on Biological diversity. h) further emphasises participatory approaches for decision making and policy implementation emphasising the role of all stakeholders, including civil society organisations and local community resource users. The policy particularly emphasises co-management of forest resources. Overall, the policy provides guidance for the participatory sustainable management of the nation’s forest resources by all stakeholders concerned with the wise use and sound management of the nation’s forest resources. It is a ten- year policy extending from 2018-2028. Goal To optimise the contribution of forests to Grenada’s environmentally-sound social and economic development and ensure the resilience and sustainability of the resource. Objectives 1. conserve species, ecosystems, and genetic diversity 2. manage forest resources to build Grenada’s climate change resilience implementing appropriate climate change adaptation and mitigation actions 3. optimise the sustainable contribution of forest resources to social and economic development, supporting food security, forest-based livelihoods and local green enterprises 4. maintain, enhance and restore the ability of forests to provide goods and services on a sustainable basis, emphasising co-management approaches 5. ensure a strong enabling environment for the implementation of the policy 4 Strategic directions A number of strategic directions have been identified to guide the implementation of the objectives Objective 1: conserve species, ecosystems, and genetic diversity Biodiversity conservation a) protect and where necessary restore vulnerable, threatened or degraded ecosystems b) protect species which are important because of their endemicity, rarity or value c) promote the sustainable use of biodiversity for social, spiritual and economic benefits d) ensure alignment of forest management activities with sectoral, national, regional and international biodiversity and environmental frameworks Protected areas management a) implement integrated, institutional arrangements for the sustainable management of existing protected areas b) sustainably manage the green spaces and forested areas within national parks and other protected areas Wildlife management a) conserve wildlife for socio-economic and ecological benefits Objective 2: Manage forest resources to build Grenada’s climate change resilience implementing appropriate climate change adaptation and mitigation actions Climate change a) recognise, utilise and facilitate the carbon sequestration function of forests for climate mitigation b) adapt to and manage the impacts of climate change on forests including drought, fires, invasive species and extreme weather events c) promote forest health and utilise best practices for climate change resilience Objective 3: Optimise the sustainable contribution of forest resources to social and economic development, supporting food security, forest-based livelihoods and local green enterprises Extraction and utilisation of forest resources a) Extract, process and utilise timber in a sustainable manner b) Extract process and utilise Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) in a sustainable manner Sustainable livelihoods and local green enterprises a) promote and support sustainable forest-based livelihoods and local green enterprises for food security, economic and social benefits 5 Objective 4: maintain, enhance and restore the ability of forests to provide goods and services on a sustainable basis, emphasising co-management approaches Tree establishment and management a) encourage tree planting to reduce soil erosion, improve soil fertility, beautify the environment, provide timber and NTFPs and maintain biodiversity in urban and rural areas Wetland management a) promote sustainable management of wetlands Dry forest management a) promote sustainable management of dry forest ecosystems Recreation and eco-tourism a) sustainably manage, enhance and diversify the recreational and touristic uses of forests Watershed management a) research and implement best practices to improve watershed management b) protect, manage and restore critical watersheds as needed c) ensure effective collaboration and partnerships for watershed management Objective 5: Ensure a strong enabling environment for the implementation of the policy Stakeholder engagement, partnerships and coordination a) facilitate the equitable participation of stakeholders in all aspects of implementation of the forest policy and strategy on the basis of a full and informed understanding of the rationale for and contents of the policy b) ensure harmonisation, institutional linkages and collaborative arrangements among national implementing partners c) foster national, regional and international partnerships to support forest resources management and ensure alignment with regional and international commitments Information exchange, research and data management a) create greater public awareness of the importance of forests and the requirements for its conservation a) monitor and manage research activities in forested areas or on forest resources b) develop and manage information systems relating forest resources management Capacity building a) ensure adequate staffing and training within the Department and Ministry responsible for forest resources management to support strategic actions b) increase available human resource capacity for forest resources management Resource mobilisation a) seek adequate national budgetary allocations for forest resources management b) pursue financial resources from non-governmental national funding sources as well as regional and international sources of funding c) develop and implement mechanisms for revenue generation 6 Forestry management in Carriacou and Petite Martinique a) ensure that the specificity of Carriacou and Petite Martinique is considered in the implementation of all aspects of the Forest Policy and Strategy b) develop effective systems to control the grazing and movement of livestock within forested areas c) ensure appropriate staffing and build the forest resources management capacity of relevant staff in Carriacou and Petite Martinique 7 Glossary Biodiversity the variability among living organisms; this includes diversity within species (genetic diversity), between species and of ecosystems5. Civil society organisations include all non-State, not-for-profit structures, non-partisan and non violent, through which people organise to pursue shared objectives and ideals, whether political, cultural, social or economic. Operating from the local to the national, regional and international levels, they comprise urban and rural, formal and informal organisations.6 Climate Change Climate change refers to a change in the state of the climate that can be identified (e.g., by using statistical tests) by changes in the mean and/or the variability of its properties, and that persists for an extended period, typically decades or longer. Climate change may be due to natural internal processes or external factors, or to persistent anthropogenic changes in the composition of the atmosphere or in land use5. Climate change Adaptation Adjustment in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects which moderates harm or exploits beneficial opportunities. Basically, these are Initiatives and measures to reduce the vulnerability of natural and human systems against actual or expected climate change effects5. Climate change mitigation The reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by limiting activities or mechanisms that release the gases and/or enhancing activities or mechanisms that remove them7. Climate resilience The ability of a system, community or society exposed to hazards to resist, absorb, accommodate to and recover from the effects of a hazard in a timely and efficient manner, including through the preservation and restoration of its essential basic structures and functions5. Co management Process of management by which government shares power with stakeholders, with each given specific rights and responsibilities4. The degree to which power and responsibilities are shared may vary widely. Concessions Something that is granted in response to demands, or a preferential allowance given by an organisation. It can include tax concessions for forest conservation activities or agreements for small or micro enterprises within protected areas. Conservation The management of human use of nature so that it may yield the greatest sustainable benefit to current generations while maintaining its potential to meet the needs and aspirations of future generations Deforestation The conversion of forest to other land use1 Dry forests Forest found in dry locales, with a relatively open canopy and high light levels. The trees in this type of forest tend to be short in stature and often shed their leaves during the dry season. Given the location near the 5 Secretariat to the Convention on Biodiversity 2018. Glossary of Terms. Available at https://www.cbd.int/cepa/toolkit/2008/doc/CBD-Toolkit-Glossaries.pdf Downloaded 22/09/18 6 https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/sectors/human-rights-and-governance/civil-society en 7 IPCC, 2014: Annex II: Glossary [Mach, K.J., S. Planton and C. von Stechow (eds.)]. In: Climate Change 2014: Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Core Writing Team, R.K. Pachauri and L.A. Meyer (eds.)]. IPCC, Geneva, Switzerland, pp. 117-130. https://www.cbd.int/cepa/toolkit/2008/doc/CBD-Toolkit-Glossaries.pdf https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/sectors/human-rights-and-governance/civil-society en 8 coastline, where many development activities occur, this forest type is often severely degraded 8,9 Forest Land spanning more than 0.5 hectares with trees higher than 5 meters and a canopy cover of more than 10 percent, or trees able to reach these thresholds in situ1. As it pertains to the Grenada National Forest Policy and Strategy, the geographic range spans coastal scrub and mangroves upland through to cloud forests. Ecosystem Ecosystems are self-regulating communities of plants and animals interacting with each other and with their non-living environment—forests, wetlands, mountains, lakes, rivers, deserts and agricultural landscapes. Enterprise An enterprise is an organisational unit producing goods or services which has a certain degree of autonomy in decision-making10 Invasive species Invasive species are those that are introduced—intentionally or unintentionally—to an ecosystem in which they do not naturally appear and which threaten habitats, ecosystems, or native species. These species become invasive due to their high reproduction rates and by competing with and displacing native species, that naturally appear in that ecosystem. Unintentional introduction can be the result of accidents (e.g. when species escape from a zoo), transport (e.g. in the ballast water of a ship); intentional introduction can be the result of e.g. importing animals or plants or the genetic modification of organisms. Livelihoods Livelihoods comprise the capabilities, assets and activities required for having a means of living. It is a person’s means of securing basic necessities. Livelihoods includes the concept of well-being and quality of life.11 Local community resource users Community-based organisations or individuals engaged in deriving a livelihood from the use of natural resources (e.g. fisherfolk, farmers, beekeepers). Local green enterprises Local green enterprises are a smaller niche within the wider grouping of micro and small enterprises. They seek to deliver economic, social and environmental benefits to the communities in which they are found. They are community-owned businesses that are socially conscious and strive to be socially inclusive and deliver benefits to the wider community12. Participatory process A process that facilitates wide and effective stakeholder participation. Participation in the context of natural resource management can be described as a process that:  facilitates dialogue among all actors;  mobilises and validates popular knowledge and skills;  encourages communities and their institutions to manage and control resources;  seeks to achieve sustainability, economic equity and social justice; and 8 Beard, J.S. 1944. The natural vegetation of the island of Tobago, British West Indies. Ecological Monographs 14: 138-161. 9 Beard, J.S. 1949. The Natural Vegetation of the Windward and Leeward Islands. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 10 European Union-Eurostat-Statistics explained. Available at https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics explained/index.php/Glossary:Enterprise Downloaded 22/9/18 11 Caribbean Natural Resources Institute. 2011.. Facilitating Participatory Natural Resources Management: A Toolkit for Caribbean Natural Resource Managers. Laventille: CANARI 12 Sandy, K. & A. Dardaine-Edwards. 2017. Building resilience and adding value to local green enterprises: Developing a ‘climate proofing’ methodology. Technical Report No. 403. Laventille: CANARI. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Glossary:Enterprise https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Glossary:Enterprise 9  maintains cultural integrity13. Various types of participation are distinguished, for example by considering the level of stakeholder involvement in decision-making as a measure of the depth of the participatory process14 or by classifying types in relation to power issues15. Policy Policy includes formal policy, laws and regulations and also includes informal policy which may be unwritten rules, guidelines or common practice. Reforestation Re-establishment of forest through planting and/or deliberate seeding on land classified as forest.1 Species A group of organisms capable of interbreeding freely with each other but not with members of other species3. Stakeholders Stakeholders in natural resource management are the individuals, groups and organisations that are involved in or may be affected by a change in the conditions governing the management and use of a resource, space or sector16. Sustainable livelihoods Livelihoods are sustainable when they:  Can cope with and recover from stresses and shocks  Do not depend on external support  Do not compromise the productivity of the natural resource base and  Do not undermine the livelihoods of others17 Watershed The land area that drains into a particular watercourse or body of water18. Wetland Areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water, the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six metres19. Wildlife Living, non-domesticated animals3 13 Renard, Y. & M. Valdés-Pizzini. 1994. Hacia la participación communitarian: lecciones y principios guías en el Caribe. Paper presented at the Workshop on Community Participation in Environmental Management and Co-management in the Dominican Republic. Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic 27 – 29 October, 1994. CANARI Communication no. 55:8 pp. 14 Borrini-Feyerabend, G. 1996. Collaborative management of protected areas: tailoring the approaches to the context, Issues in Social Policy. Gland: International Union for the Conservation of Nature. 15 Bass, S., B. Dalal-Clayton and J. Pretty. 1995. Participation in strategies for sustainable development. London: International Institute for Environment and Development. 16 Geoghegan, T.Y. Renard and N.A. Brown. 2004. Guidelines for Participatory Planning: A Manual for Caribbean Natural Resource Managers and Planners. Caribbean Natural Resources Institute Guidelines Series 4. Laventille: CANARI. 17 CANARI 2011. Facilitating Participatory Natural Resources Management: A toolkit for Caribbean Natural Resource Managers. Laventille: CANARI 18 Hassan R, Scholes R, Ash N. 2005.) Millenium Ecosystem Assessment: Ecosystems and Human Wellbeing, Volume 1, Current State and Trends. Washington: Island Press 19 Ramsar Convention Available at https://www.ramsar.org/ https://www.ramsar.org/