Geoghegan, Tighe

This technical report from the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) reviews and draws lessons from recent experiences in participatory planning and management of marine and coastal resources in the Caribbean. The specific areas examined include protected areas (PAs), coastal zone management (CZM), and ecotourism (ET). The review is limited to the insular Caribbean, but the authors believe this region to be representative, and that the lessons drawn from this experience could be widely applicable.

Throughout the world, forestry departments have been rethinking the way they work to meet the challenges of a changing sector. Management that emphasises collaboration with stakeholders rather than regulation makes sense in this new context, but it involves risks. Jamaica is notable in the Carribbean region for its willingness to meet these risks head on, and in doing so has begun to create a new and positive dynamic between the Forestry Department and the people it serves.