Trinidad and Tobago-Protected Areas and Wildlife Management Project

Transcription

1 Project Name Region Sector Project ID Report No. PID2517 Trinidad and Tobago-Protected Areas and Wildlife Management Project Latin America and the Caribbean Caribbean Country Management Unit Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Development TTPE40269 Borrower/Executing Agency GEF Implementing Agency Government of Trinidad and Tobago World Bank Date This PID Prepared October 16, 1999 Appraisal Date February 2000 Projected Board Date July Background. Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) is the most industrialized of the CARICOM countries. Despite attempts at diversification, the economy is still heavily dependent on the oil and gas industry. The twin island state retains a rich and diverse renewable natural resource base, which is increasingly threatened by industrialization and population growth. Future prosperity is predicated on sustainable economic growth resulting from further diversification of the economic base. T&T's terrestrial ecosystems include seven types of forest, which provide a wide range of habitats supporting 426 species of birds, over 100 species of mammals, 70 species of reptiles and over 600 species of butterflies. A number of these species are endemic. The coastal and marine areas of the two islands contain a rich biological diversity of ecosystems that are of significant regional and global importance, in particular, mangroves, coastal swamps and coral reefs. They also contain many plants, small invertebrate and vertebrate species, including endangered ones such as the leather back turtle. A number of these sites have been identified for global and regional priority, are considered among the "Global 200" ecoregions and have been designated as Ramsar sites. 2. In the absence of appropriate regulations, technical guidelines and monitoring, there are a number of threats to T&T's renewable natural resource base. The increased pace of industrialization has led to pollution from the petrochemical and agro-processing industries, particularly through disposal of untreated or poorly treated industrial wastes into waterways. Agricultural, industrial and urban development, together with uncontrolled exploitation are threatening these ecosystems and some species of plants and animals are on the verge of extinction. Tourism development, for example, without adequate environmental safeguards and monitoring, has caused severe damage to coral reefs off the coast of Tobago. 3. The wetlands and marine ecosystems are under threat from a range of problems mostly caused by anthropic factors. In addition to the generic examples given above, these areas are being impacted by the following activities: (i) drainage or conversion of swamps for agricultural purposes; (ii) pollution from misuse of agricultural chemicals, discharge of industrial effluent, sedimentation from quarrying and untreated domestic sewage; (iii)

2 damage from uncontrolled recreational activities including collection of rare species for souvenirs; (iv) illegal hunting and extraction of timber resources; and (v) uncontrolled fires. Although it has not been possible to assign priority to each of these threats their overall impact has caused considerable concern. Three marine and coastal ecosystems have been identified for priority attention: Nariva Swamp, Caroni Swamp and Speyside. 4. In addition to the above-mentioned threats to biodiversity there are a number of key sector issues that need to be addressed. The existing legal and regulatory framework for conservation and protection of the nation's ecosystems does not adequately address many issues of current concern and there are several weaknesses in the institutional framework and in individual organizations. Government has already begun to address these issues by introduction of a new Protected Areas and Wildlife Bill which was recently submitted to parliament. 2. Project Objectives and Description. The proposed Protected Areas and Wildlife Management Project, scheduled for appraisal in March 2000, is intended to improve the management of Trinidad and Tobago's protected areas and wildlife resources and its financing would include a blend of IBRD and GEF funds.. The main expected results of the project are: (i) strengthening of the legal, regulatory and institutional framework for the management of protected areas and wildlife; (ii) effective management of proposed national parks, other protected areas and wildlife; and (iii) a framework for community development and participation in the national parks and other protected areas to be established through the project. The project would comprise three components: (i) establishment of the Protected Areas and Wildlife Authority (PAWA); (ii) national parks and other protected areas; and (iii) community development. 6. The global objective of the project is to safeguard the biodiversity of Trinidad and Tobago through the conservation and sustainable management of coastal and marine ecosystems that are of regional and global importance. This would be achieved through: (i) the establishment and effective management of Nariva and Caroni Swamps as managed resources areas, and Speyside as a Marine National Park; (ii) supporting the involvement of local communities in the conservation of biodiversity; and (iii) promoting the sustainable use of resources through the participatory development and implementation of strategies and action plans with the involvement of local communities. These activities would form a sub-component of the project's second component: national parks and other protected areas. In encapsulating this range of measures, the project design is fully consistent with the provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity and with the GEF Operational Strategy and specifically with its Operational Program for Coastal, Marine and Freshwater ecosystems. 7. Passage of legislation to establish the new PAWA would provide a comprehensive policy, legal and regulatory framework and fill the institutional gap for the integrated management of both terrestrial and marine protected areas. Under the parks and protected areas component, it is proposed to establish three terrestrial national parks with decentralized management structures, and as a sub-component, three protected areas comprising the coastal and marine ecosystems mentioned above, for which GEF financing is being sought. The community development component is expected to complement the other components through the creation of a framework for -2 -

3 community development and local participation in the management of the proposed national parks. The following three components would make up the proposed project: (a) Project Component 1 - Establishment of the PAWA: This component aims to strengthen the new legal, regulatory and institutional framework for the sustainable management of T&T's protected areas and wildlife. It would support: (i) the establishment of a Protected Areas and Wildlife Authority (PAWA) to embark on a national program for wildlife and protected areas; (ii) the setting up of a small project management and coordination unit (PMCU) that would largely be absorbed into PAWA once the Authority has become fully operational; (iii) training, consultancies and studies; and (iv) implementation of project monitoring and evaluation systems including a mid-term review. (b) Project Component 2 - National Parks and Other Protected Areas. This component would provide for (i) the creation of a system of terrestrial national parks with decentralized management systems, of which the first three terrestrial national parks -Matura and Maracas in Trinidad and Main Ridge in Tobago- would be set up, and their management plans developed and subsequently implemented, by year 2 and 3 of the project; and (ii) establishment and effective management of Caroni Swamp and Nariva Swamp in Trinidad as managed resource areas and Speyside in Tobago as a marine national park, through the preparation and implementation of conservation management plans; habitat restoration; provision of physical infrastructure; and ecological research and monitoring. (c) Project Component 3 - Community Development. This component, which is an essential complement to the first two components, aims to create a framework for community development and participation in the management of the proposed national parks and protected areas. It would include: (i) the implementation of social mitigation plans, including local household and production support, for communities living in and/or around the project National Parks and protected areas; (ii) community training and participation workshops; (iii) the funding of small community projects related to the parks and protected areas including pilot activities in the surrounding areas to promote sustainable resource use and alternative livelihoods; development and implementation of strategies for sustainable aquaculture management; testing and development of appropriate farming practices; development with stakeholders of a sustainable ecotourism strategy; and (iv) capacity building of local NGOs and community organizations for co-management and monitoring of protected areas including training, study tours and exchange programs. 8. Project Costs and Financing. It is estimated that overall project costs would be US$18 million. Of this sum, it is expected that IBRD would provide US$12 million in loan funds and GORTT would provide US$3 million in counterpart contribution. About US$3 million would be required from the GEF to finance the incremental costs of introduction of conservation measures to protect and preserve the significant biodiversity contained in the threatened coastal and marine ecosystems of Trinidad and Tobago and to promote sustainable resource use. Long term sustainability would be achieved through - 3 -

4 the establishment of a national conservation trust fund, visitor fees, and collaborative arrangements with national and international NGO's. 9. Institutional Framework and Project Implementation. The executing agency for the whole project would be the Ministry of Agriculture Lands and Marine Resources (MALMR) while the PAWA would be the implementing agency. According to the proposed legislation, the PAWA will be set up as a body corporate under MALMR. Its main functions include: (i) advising the Minister on the selection of national parks and other protected areas; and (ii) making and determining policies, programs, management plans and strategies for the conservation, enhancement and sustainable management of these areas. In addition, the Authority will have a strong regulatory role in all matters pertaining to the preservation, protection and management of PAs. Local management committees would be formed to include, in addition to parks staff, representatives of local communities (themselves having their own consultative committees), NGOs and other participating agencies. Close institutional coordination would be essential for the successful implementation of the project at several levels. The PAWA in carrying out its functions would require the cooperation of several agencies, in particular Environmental Management Authority (EMA), Tourism and Industrial Development Company (TIDCO) and the Ministry of Tourism, as well as universities. This fact is acknowledged in the legislation that brings the Authority into being by having representation from key agencies on the PAWA Board. Close collaboration would equally be needed between MALMR and Tobago House of Assembly (THA). Project oversight would be provided by an inter-agency Steering Committee that would be chaired by the Permanent Secretary, MALMR. 10. Project Sustainability. Critical factors for the sustainability of the project are: (i) continued GORTT commitment to improved environmental management; (ii) the availability and timely provision of counterpart funds during the project period, and continued funding thereafter of recurrent costs of the PAWA/National Parks/Protected Areas; (iii) the appointment of qualified and well-trained personnel; (iv) strong and active participation of all stakeholders; and (v) effective inter-agency cooperation and collaboration 11. In addition, critical aspects specific to the sustainability of the project's national parks and other PA component are: (i) the passing into Law of the Protected Areas and Wildlife Management Bill without which the PAWA cannot be formed, National Parks could not be declared, managed and protected; (ii) vibrant local community involvement and support for the creation and management of the National Parks and other protected areas; (iii) the establishment of the Protected Areas Trust Fund and the appointment of a Board of Trustees; (iv) the design and implementation of income-generating ventures at both the P.A. and country levels; and (v) sustained GORTT subventions and contributions from other sources (donors, NGOs, private sector) to the Trust Fund. 12. Lessons Learned and Reflected in Proposed Project Design. There have been seven IBRD loans since T&T resumed borrowing from the Bank in The Bank has been involved in the environment sector through the EM and BEIRL projects. There were also one SAL, a TAL and loans to the education, social and water sectors. Among the lessons learned from these operations are: (i) the need to make realistic projections of the level of counterpart funding required for a project; (ii) the need to address at an early stage institutional weaknesses in public sector agencies; (iii) based on the - 4 -

5 experience of the Environmental Management Project, establishing the legislative and regulatory framework during project preparation provides a basis for prompt start-up and quick implementation; (iv) the need to identify and resolve the cumbersome regulations relating to procurement of goods and services; (v) recruitment of the project management team during preparation contributes to speedy start-up and rapid implementation; and (vi) qualified staff are available in T&T, but they require a favorable remuneration package to be attracted for work in the public sector. 13. Environmental Aspects. This project is classified as "B" for environmental assessment purposes. The proposed project would reverse the trend of environmental degradation. Strategic Environmental Assessments carried out at the proposed sites revealed that there were no significant environmental impacts that needed to be mitigated. In all the proposed park areas, all physical infrastructure development would take place in already perturbed sites on the edges of the parks. These perturbed sites are all easily accessible and have been the subjects of various degrees of development. The project would have an overall positive impact on the environment by addressing the key issues affecting the protection and conservation of Trinidad and Tobago's renewable natural resources, introduce participatory management systems for protected areas (PAs), and support community-driven alternative income-earning projects to promote sustainable use of natural resources. 14. Poverty Category. It is expected that the project will not be included in the Program of Targeted Interventions. 35. Program Objective Category. This project falls under the main Program Objective Category of Environmentally Sustainable Development (EN). Contact Points: The InfoShop The World Bank 1818 H Street, N.W. Washington, D.C Telephone: (202) Fax: (202) Samuel Wedderburn Task Manager Note: This is information on an evolving project. Certain activities and/or components may not be included in the final project. Processed by the Infoshop week ending October 22,