The OECS Protected Areas and Associated Livelihoods or OPAAL project is to be implemented on November 1 st 2004, and will involve all the independent Member States of the OECS. Member States signed the Project Participating Agreements with the OECS Secretariat at the recently concluded OECS Authority Meeting in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The OPAAL project aims to contribute to the conservation of biodiversity of global importance in the participating countries of the OECS by removing barriers and minimizing the challenges facing the effective management of protected areas (PAs). Participating countries have already identified priority sites for project interventions.

A major component will focus on providing opportunities for enhancing livelihoods for communities that are dependent on the resources in these protected areas, through arrangements that will permit users to earn a living without destroying the future value of the resources. Target groups in these areas will be provided financial and other management assistance to take advantage or the new livelihood opportunities through a special developmental fund.

The project will seek to secure involvement of civil society and the private sector through partnerships to facilitate planning, management and sustainable use of the protected areas to ensure maximum benefits.

The OPAAL project was born out of a request by the government of St. Lucia to the World Bank to support a national C oastal/Wetland Ecosystem Conservation and Sustainable Livelihoods project. The St. Lucia project was subsequently converted into a regional activity. While the Dependent Territories of the UK cannot benefit directly from GEF or World Bank assistance, other avenues are currently being explored to ensure that the benefits of this project can be extended to them.

The initial project will run over a period of five years at a cost of 7.57 million US dollars. The project will aim to build national and regional capacity for protected areas management. It will emphasise on improving the institutional framework for Protected Area establishment and management, skills development, and enhancing knowledge on the nature and importance of protected areas to national development.

The Environment and Sustainable Development Unit of the OECS (OECSESDU) will be responsible for the overall implementation of the regional and national components. Programme Officer at OECSESDU Keith Nichols says the OPAAL project is a catalyst that will inform a longer process of protected areas management and development and associated livelihoods. It is envisaged that the project will evolve into a fifteen-year programme.

Contact:
Keith Nichols Programme Officer OECSESDU
Kendol Morgan Senior Communications Officer OECS Secretariat This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Raymond O’Keiffe Comm. Officer email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it