Forest and Protected Areas of Trinidad and Tobago

Management Plans for five (5) protected areas were finalised under the Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago (IFPAMTT) project in 2019.  These plans present a management approach for the ten year period 2019-2029.  A sixth site - Trinity Hills and Eastern Extension Pilot Protected Area - retained a draft version of a Management Plan by project's end.  The final documents are listed below:

Caroni Swamp Protected Area - Management Plan 2019-2029

Main Ridge Forest Reserve National Park - Management Plan 2019-2029

Matura Forest and Coastal Zone Management Plan 2019-2019

Nariva Swamp Protected Area - Management Plan 2019-2029

NE Tobago Marine Area Management Plan 2019-2029

During the final year of the Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago project (2015-2020), a socio-economic study was undertaken, aimed at providing an overview of the multiple roles of forests on the welfare and livelihoods of households living in the vicinity of six (6) protected areas and further afield of these areas.  This survey was undertaken with the assistance of the Central Statistical Office (CSO) and with the support of a Technical Backstopping Team of economists, the latter which prepared the final report.  A presentation of preliminary findings was delivered at a media event in late 2019 and the final report can be found at this link.

In the months of February and May 2019, a workshop on communication was held among representatives of some of the stakeholder agencies that have been involved in the "Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago" project.  The highly interactive sessions enabled participants to review some of the techniques and approaches to communication that were used in the course of project implementation and to improve their own skills.  Led by the Project Coordination Unit personnel, the workshop also had input from participants, who outlined some of the tools used in communicating with audiences in outreach work in communities and with other specialized audiences.  Participants also contributed to the selection of key elements to be included in the development of a Communication Guidelines document, which is an expected output of the current project.  The workshop report is available at this link.

Draft versions of Management Plans for six (6) pilot protected areas were developed as preliminary outputs of the "Improving Forest and Protected Area Management in Trinidad and Tobago" project in 2019.  The plans propose a management approach for a ten-year period and were developed after extensive consultation with site-associated stakeholders, Government organizations, civil society groups and users of these spaces, as well as incorporation of key materials which were developed in the course of the project's implementation including baseline biological survey, conservation objective statements and site-specific communication strategies.  

• Caroni Swamp Draft Management Plan
• Main Ridge Forest Reserve Draft Management Plan
• Matura Forest and Coastal Zone Draft Management Plan
• Nariva Swamp and Coastal Zone Draft Management Plan
• North East Tobago Marine Pilot Protected Area Management Plan
• Trinity Hills and Eastern Extension Draft Management Plan