The design and planning phase is almost complete on the following projects:

Biodiversity

The Jamaican Biodiversity component will seek to develop a range of interventions including information gathering, conservation, training and the establishment of a virtual herbarium all geared at the conservation of the country’s biological diversity with a focus on endemic species.

It is anticipated that a grant contribution from the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica over a period of three years, with allocation for each of the three components, will establish a sufficiently strong base to serve a number of purposes, viz:

  • o begin to affect some positive, quantifiable changes in response to the National Forest Management and Development Plan.
  • To demonstrate to the general public a tangible improved difference in the state of the environment through the visual impact of re-forested areas, established and available databases etc.
  • To act as leverage for attracting additional financial and technical support locally as well as overseas.

Main project components include:

  1. Forest Conservation
  2. Reforestation: The project will target 3 500 hectares or 5% of the 69 000 hectares in Jamaica to be reforested during the project requiring the production and planting of 2.5 million seedlings.
  3. Expansion of the Forestry Database
  4. Training
  5. National Forest Management and Conservation Fund Support: The EFJ will provide project personnel who will execute activities, develop proposals for and seek to finance the Forest Fund.