Barbados

1. Harrison’s Cave—Sturges Region, Saint Thomas
2. Carlisle Bay, Saint Michael
3. Folkestone Coastal Community, Saint James

Environmental Special Projects Unit, within the Ministry of the
Environment, Energy and Natural Resources of Barbados

The Integrated Development Programme (IDP), which came about during the period of 1989-1998, focuses on the upgrading of infrastructural, technical and administrative aspects of Harrison’s Cave via the National Conservation Commission (NCC). It also focuses on national land use and park planning studies, which suggested the need to assess opportunities for nature-tourism in central Barbados (in the general vicinity ofHarrison’s Cave).

The NCC Technical Division developed preliminary proposals for the expansion of Harrison’s Cave facilities in December 1994. The Project Unit was officially established on April 1, 1996 and relocated to a place near the Harrison’s Cave study site in April 1997. Phase 1 of the IDP was initiated in April 1998 and its three major objectives were:
• to determine the administrative, technical and financial feasibility in order to expand the viewing area of Harrison’sCave;
• to study the feasibility of upgrading and enhancing the facilities at Folkestone as a recreational park and reserve, which include the identification of measures that should be taken to protect and preserve the ecology of Folkestone;
• to explore the possibility of establishing a Recreational Park and Marine Reserve at Carlisle Bay as an enhancement to Barbados’ tourism product. This would include dive sites and associated attractions and the beach would be maintained as an open recreation area for Barbadians and visitors in an environmentally sound manner.

• Tourism resources (Chapter VIII of the Barbados Programme of Action)
• National institutions and administrative capacity (Chapter X of the BPoA)
• Regional institutions and technical cooperation (Chapter XI
of the BPoA)
•Human resources development (Chapter XIV of the BPoA)

•The completion of Phase 1 of the IDP resulted in the development of an Environmental Special Projects Unit in the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Natural Resources (ESPU). The ESPU enhances the Ministry’s capacity to incorporate the environment into a natural resources policy. It has also allowed the Ministry to make greater input in nature-tourism policy and development. The ESPU staff developed a Geographical Information Systems, Project Management, Community Consultation, Financial Management and Social Impact Assessment Capacity. An Integrated Nature Tourism Area in central Barbados was established.
• Harrison’s Cave and its immediate vicinity are now designated as a Natural Heritage Conservation Area (NCHA) and an annual environmental management plan has been developed. As part of the development of marine management areas, the IDP established a Roundtable Process, which provides detailed recommendations on administrative, legal, and technical aspects for the functioning of marine
management areas in Barbados.
• Participants include representatives from the private and the public sector as well as NGOs.

Community input and participation proved to be extremely beneficial to the three study sites and helped solve conflicts between IDP goals and community interests in addition to providing an avenue for grass-roots recommendations.
• Community participation can be successfully achieved with simple mechanisms such as regional and periodic newsletters, consistent in-the-field meetings and the locating of project executing units to the affected communities. The relocation of the ESPU allowed community members the opportunities to view, learn and assist firsthand in the various work programmes of the IDP. These mechanisms were also at the forefront of an environmental education programme within the three study areas.
• Pilot projects demonstrated to communities, policy makers, the private sector and the regional lending institution that the three study areas offer tangible economic opportunities in the nature-tourism sector. For example, community members in central Barbados were given the opportunity to develop businesses in the areas of craft and local cuisine. The use of Pilot Projects throughout the IDP also helped to alleviate some frustrations caused by a “study-fatigued public” (i.e.,
where studies are completed and implementation is not im-mediate
or at times not done).
• Technology transfer is a multi-directional process and not necessarily a top-down process. Phases 1 of the IDP showed that communities, international consultants, government and lending agencies could be informed by, and learn from each other.

Project Manager
The Environmental Special Projects Unit
No.1 Sturges, Saint Thomas, Barbados.
Tel.: (246) 438-7761
Fax: (246) 438-7767
E-mail: espu@caribsurf.com
Web site: www.espu.gov.bb