Biodiversity Conservation and Management

Goals

To undertake effective management of the biodiversity and land resources of Barbados, particularly in degraded areas and to contribute to their conservation, effective management, and increased awareness of the importance of local biodiversity and land resources, and their contribution to local development.

The overall goal of the Biodiversity Conservation and Management programme is to define the guiding principles, vision, long-term aims and policies for the management of biodiversity in Barbados

The Biodiversity Program serves to contribute to the achievement of this goal through its objective of increasing the awareness of the Barbadian public of the importance of local biodiversity, its conservation and management and the development and implementation of a program of action to facilitate effective management of the biodiversity resources of Barbados.

The objective of the Biodiversity program is achieved through the implementation of the action articulated in the National biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) through the development and implementation of plans, programmes, policies, legislative instruments and the national implementation of the multilateral environmental agreements to which Barbados is a Party.

The NBSAP, laid in Parliament in 2002, is the policy document which guides the work of the programme, and funds have been secured from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through the United National environment Programme (UNEP), to review and update the Plan and a major component of the work of the programme for the coming financial year will be the implementation of activities articulated in the revised NBSAP and prepare Barbados’ 6th National Report to the CBD.

Target Populations

The diverse issues covered by the section result in a number of different stakeholders being targeted including Local Species Management Stakeholders such as the Barbados Wildfowlers Association; Farmers; Householders; Pet Shop Owners and importers of exotic pets. Primary Sustainable Land Management stakeholders included the residents and businesses within the Scotland District as well as School Children and the General Public.  Stakeholders targeted in the implementation of Multilateral Environmental Agreementsincluded Government Agencies; and Non-Governmental Agencies and traders in CITES Listed Species

Objectives

The Biodiversity Programme aims to contribute to national development through the conservation of Barbados’ biodiversity resources and the enhancement of their management through:

  1. the management of local species through the implementation of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) Policy Document;
  2. the execution of public awareness programmes aimed at raising the awareness of the general public of the importance of biodiversity;
  3. the implementation of various biodiversity related Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) to which Barbados is a Party, including the administration of the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora Act CAP. 262, which provides for the implementation of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Barbados and the issuance of import, export and re-export permits.
  4. the development, management and execution of externally funded projects, which help Barbados to meet its international obligations and achieve national objectives articulated in various national policies; and
  5. the development of plans, policies, programmes and legislative instruments.

Strategies

  1. Working through the Working Group on Biodiversity and CITES Management Authority to ensure that necessary technical and scientific advice on biodiversity research, project development and implementation and biodiversity policy development is obtained.
  2. Ensuring the awareness of issues related to Biodiversity is raised among Barbadians in general by ensuring a web presence and planning and executing activities to mark Environmental Days and working with the Sub-programmer’s adopted schools
  3. The fulfillment of Barbados’ obligations as a Party to a number of Biodiversity related MEAs including the preparation of National Reports
  4. The development and implementation of projects, as a mechanism for funding priority national activities and fulfilling international obligations with the Biodiversity Conservation and Management Programme.
  5. The development of policies to information the drafting of national legislation on key biodiversity related issues, including access and benefit sharing, invasive alien species and the licensing of zoos.