A US$16-million Forest Conservation Fund launched yesterday by minister of agriculture and lands Roger Clarke will provide long-term funding to protect and manage the island’s forest reserves and national parks.

The Forest Conservation Fund (FCF) is the result of a debt-for-nature swap signed in 2004 by the United States government, the government of Jamaica and The Nature Conservancy which sees the cancelling of nearly US$16 million in Jamaican debt to the USA.

The agreement follows the enactment of the Tropical Forest Conservation Act (TFCA) by the US government in 1998. That act offers eligible developing countries options to relieve certain official debt owed to the US, while at the same time generating funds to support local tropical forest conservation activities.

Under the swap agreement, the US government forgave US$6.5 million of Jamaica’s debt. This amount, along with its requisite repayment from the government of Jamaica, will be kept in Jamaica in the Fund and will accrue to approximately US$16 million over the next 20 years.

In addition, the US environmental non-governmental organisation, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), which has been working in Jamaica for 19 years, has contributed US$1.3 million to the fund, which will focus on conserving and restoring important tropical forest resources in Jamaica.
The Forest Conservation Fund will support reforestation efforts, management of protected areas and conservation of Jamaica’s biodiversity through activities such as scientific research and biological surveys, prepare and plan for new national parks, restore damaged ecosystems and conduct public education and community outreach activities.

The Forest Fund is critical at this time, said Clarke, as Jamaica’s forests continue to be adversely impacted by human settlement and slash-and-burn activities.

“The effect of this is being seen in the increasing incidence of landslides, flooding and contamination of potable water resources,” the minister said.

Noting that the Forest Fund will help Jamaica safeguard the valuable forests and rich biodiversity in seven geographic regions ranging from the Blue and John Crow Mountains Forest Reserve/National Park in the east to the Negril Protected Area in the west, Clarke said: “The government is also doing all in its power to ensure compliance with the policies designed to protect our forests including the strengthening of legislation dealing with forest protection and conservation and the development of a new National Forest Management & Conservation Plan.”

In addition, said Clarke, the Forestry Department will be increasing replanting activities in critically degraded watersheds and a J$18-million five-year project in partnership with the National Water Commission will see some 120 hectares of forest planted in areas like Maryland, Dublin Castle, Petersfield and Newton.

A seven-member Oversight Committee with representatives from public and private sector agencies will administer the fund.

The Committee is chaired by Conservator of Forests, Marilyn Headley, while environment & natural resources officer of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Karen McDonald-Gayle, is the representative of the US government and Terry Adams-Williams represents the Nature Conservancy. All three agencies have permanent seats on the Committee.

Other term members are: Eleanor Jones of the Jamaica Institution of Environmental Professionals, Carole Excell of the Jamaica Protected Areas Network, Wayne Cummings, who represents the Jamaica Hotel & Tourist Association, and Devon Rowe of the ministry of local government and the environment.

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