p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }
Turks & Caicos National Trust executive director, Ms. Ethlyn Gibbs-Williams and president of the Providenciales Rotaract Club, Ms. Nicquell Garland recently returned to the islands after spending five days, December 6-10, in Bonaire on a Study Tour organized by CANARI (Caribbean Natural Resources Institute).
The National Trust and the Rotarac Club have teamed up to further advance biodiversity conservation in the Turks and Caicos Islands through a project implemented by CANARI and funded by the Darwin Initiative. The purpose of the project is to enhance the organizational capacity of at least 10 civil society organizations, including the 5 National Trust organizations in the UK Overseas Caribbean Territories to function as strong, effective and sustainable organizations that can play a significant role directly in biodiversity conservation in their territories and the Caribbean region, as well as indirectly by catalyzing and coordinating wider civil society participation.
To launch the project, workshops were held in each of the 5 UK Caribbean Overseas Territories and facilitated by CANARI personnel, during the latter part of 2009. This was followed up by an Action Learning Group workshop in Nevis in February of 2010.
The Study Tour is just one of the activities earmarked for the 3-year project ‘Building Civil Society Capacity for Conservation in the Caribbean UK Overseas Territories’.
The case studies chosen for the study tour were two organizations which play significant roles in the conservation institution of Bonaire. DCNA (Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance) which is the umbrella organization established to assist parks and protected areas to safeguard biodiversity and promote sustainable management in the six Dutch Caribbean islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Maarten) and STINAPA- (Stitching Nationale Parken) National Parks Foundation Bonaire.
Both organizations play vital but separate roles in biodiversity conservation in Bonaire. Interestingly, the government does not manage parks and protected areas in Bonaire but has delegated this responsibility to STINAPA.
Participants on the study tour were able to get a close-up look at both organizations approach to biodiversity conservation, learn about their relationship with stakeholders and analyse the institutional and organizational structure, funding and strategic focus.
The group visited areas managed by STINAPA including the visitor centre, the Washington Slaagbai National Park and the Bonaire Marine Protected Area.
Objectives of the study tour were:
(a) to identify key lessons on what has helped or hindered civil society participation focusing on institutional arrangements, policy environment, organizational capacity, strategic direction and approach, funding environment and financial stability, stakeholders and leaders.
and
(b) to identify what lessons can be applied in the UKOTs and UKOT organizations.
The experience was highly beneficial and best practices observed will be adopted to improve management structure of both partner organizations in TCI.
