Body Bonds Rehabilitation Project

The small island state of Antigua and Barbuda supports a range of globally and regionally significant terrestrial and marine habitats and species. Inadequate conservation, planning and management the states important, yet limited, resources has resulted in both a loss of species diversity and degradation of the functionality of the islands watersheds and other ecosystems (GoAB 2006). During the colonial era watersheds were denuded of native forest and scrubland vegetation. These impacts on watersheds have been compounded by unsustainable agro-pastoral practices (agro-chemical misuse, overgrazing and uncontrolled fires) as well as the introduction of invasive species (Cooper and Bowen 2001).

Antigua and Barbudas watershed ecosystems have a finite capacity. Their degradation will lead to the deterioration in the quality of water for drinking and irrigation; deterioration in coastal water quality leading to reduced productivity in fisheries; topsoil losses and soil exhaustion with resultant lack of fertility; etc. In fact, the economic development of Antigua and Barbuda, which is based primarily upon tourism, is highly dependent upon the quality of the ecological functions of watersheds and other ecosystems as well as other physical processes throughout the Islands. In short, the lack of strategic planning for watershed resource management and an overall lack of understanding of the finite nature of natural resources including those derived from watersheds is resulting in a degradation of ecosystem functions, which will lead to a decline in quality of life. The effects of global climate change only add to this equation. Although these concerns hold true for all populations in any part of the globe, in the small island context there is little to act as a buffer to such changes and the results of ecosystem stress and decay can be seen and felt more quickly and more tangibly.

This Project will aim to develop an Integrated Watershed Management System for Antigua and Barbuda. Such a system considers the islands watershed ecosystems and their resources as capital assets, which, if properly managed and protected, will continue to yield a flow of vital goods and services necessary components for sustainable economic development.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• SIRMM
• Antigua
• Barbuda
• Watershed
• degradation
• lemon
• grass
• erosion
• soil
• climate
• change
• Caribbean
• GEF
• global
• environment
• diversity
• facility
• water
• runoff
• island
• resource
• sustainable
• agriculture
• species
• habitat
• river