Stakeholders meet to review National Protected Areas plans and policies

A number of stakeholders in conservation met on Wednesday, March 8, for the start of a two-day workshop at the conference room of the fisheries division to review the National Parks Protected Areas systems plan and protected area policy for St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The current goal of the National Parks Protected Areas Policy is to establish and manage a national protected areas system that will provide for the sustainability of biodiversity and other ecosystem services, which support socio economic growth and sustainable development.

At the opening ceremony, Director of Forestry, Fitzgerald Providence said protected areas such as the Kings Hill Forest Reserve play a critical role in the sustainable development of St Vincent and the Grenadines. Providence stressed that protected areas are key towards supporting this country’s water supply, as well as the unique flora and fauna, which in turn provide an important resource for Vincentians.

The forestry head said it is hoped that with full stakeholder participation, it will create “a paper and working document which will encourage better management of protected areas”.

Workshop facilitator, Dr. Anna Spenceley said stakeholder participation and feedback remains vital in ensuring that the plan and policy are realistic and grounded in local capacity issues.

Presentations were also made by the forestry services division which allowed for useful discussions related to the issues facing protected areas in St Vincent and the

Grenadines as well as possible solutions to these problems. (API)

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