Calendar of Events

March 26-28, 2023
44th annual Southeast Environment and Recreation Research Conference, Asheville, North Carolina, USA. https://serrconference.org/

April 17-20, 2023
International Trails Summit, Reno, Nevada, USA.
https://web.cvent.com/event/24d42cc6-9b01-4aad-8cb7-425826bc429c/summary

May 31 to June 2, 2023
Caribbean Urban Forum 2023, Paramaribo, Suriname.
Theme: Improving resilience and sustainability through Innovation

Programme Affiliates and Sponsors





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Benefits of Parks

Parks Caribbean highlights the multiple benefits derived from protected areas development, including the support provided by protected areas to key economic sectors. In supporting Caribbean development priorities, Parks Caribbean will establish mechanisms for capacity strengthening, sustainable financing, and enhancement of community livelihoods associated with protected areas management.

Protected areas protect critical natural areas that provide a range of goods and services, and similarly, protect historical and cultural resources considered to be of national or global importance. The range of benefits provided by protected areas includes:

Maintaining Supply of Clean Water – The first forest reserves  in the Caribbean were established primarily to ensure the availability of water supplies. Although water supply management practices now utilize a watershed approach, protected areas are still established to protect critical or threatened water sources (e.g. Basseterre Valley National Park, St. Kitts and Nevis).

Providing Food – Hunting for food is still practiced in many countries, and one objective of some protected areas is replenishment of food species. The establishment of fish sanctuaries/reserves is the best known application of the concept, in that the nursery areas for juvenile fish are protected in order to sustain local fisheries.

Supporting Community Livelihoods – Natural areas provide a range of goods that support livelihoods for residents of adjacent communities, and often far beyond. Barks and roots for natural drinks, materials for craft, fuel, dyes, skins, and a long list of other products are routinely harvested from protected areas. Sustainable use practices are increasingly being informed by the application of science (e.g. mangrove harvesting for coal production in the Mankote Mangrove Marine Reserve, St. Lucia).

Biodiversity Conservation – Biodiversity resources support a range of livelihood activities; form the basis of medicines, neutraceuticals, and beauty products; and interaction with many of the species enrich our lives. However, harvesting and development activities degrade the biological resources. Protected areas play a key role in biodiversity conservation, balancing the needs of people with the need to maintain the integrity of the ecological systems on which we depend.

Research and Education – Protected areas serve as living laboratories for research, providing insights to human-natural systems dynamics, and contributing to the design of best practices for incorporating human dimensions into natural resource management strategies. More broadly, protected areas enhance the learning opportunities for children and adults, particularly in the context of human health and wellbeing.

Support to the Tourism Sector – Tourism is one of the key economic sectors in the Caribbean, where, for most countries, the sector is the largest foreign exchange earner and employs a large percentage of the labour force. Yet, tourism in the Caribbean is primarily nature-based, and therefore significantly dependent on good environmental quality and the availability of natural attractions. Protected areas, primarily national parks and historical/cultural sites, function as key components of the tourism product in most Caribbean countries.

Protection of Life and Property – Few people understand the scope of the protection services provided by ecosystems; reducing surface runoff and flooding, reducing the impact of storms, and reducing the wave energy impacting on coastlines. In that context, it is widely recognized that protected areas will play a major role in mitigating the adverse impacts of climate change.

Other Benefits – Protected areas provide a range of other benefits, such as; protecting sacred sites, improving health by providing spaces for recreation and relaxation, maintaining value of adjacent lands and property, and re-stocking adjacent areas with fish/game animals

Country Profiles

Reviews of country management systems

The Country Profile is a summary of protected areas programming that provides information on the national management framework, programmes and projects, relationship with economic sectors, and the linkages and responses to international environmental agreements. They also show how the benefits produced by a well-managed system of protected areas extend into communities and the national economy.

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Publications

reports on a range of protected areas topics

Parks Caribbean makes available reports on a range of protected areas topics, and may be focused on a particular site, a country, or may cover regional issues. This wealth of materials on protected areas policy and practice is used by policy makers, protected areas practitioners, students, and the general public.

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Protected Area News

Updates from the protected areas network
Parks Caribbean provides the most current information on protected areas programming in the Caribbean. Also included is global news of relevance to the Caribbean, and thought-provoking briefs and analyses prepared by our network of Members. Persons who wish to have protected areas news sent directly to their email addresses can subscribe to the Parks Caribbean news list.

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Parks and People

Contribution to sustainable development
This section of the website promotes protected areas that demonstrate the triple bottom line of sustainable development; that is, sustained and inclusive economic growth, social development, and environmental protection. Submission of site profiles must follow the Guidelines provided by Parks Caribbean.

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