Grenada Forest Management Project - Phase II Forestry and Wildlife Legislation Review (2003)

 The text of the draft law which is presented in this document has been prepared following a oneweek workshop held on 4-8 March, 2002 in St. George’s, with the participation of representatives of numerous government departments, private sector, NGOs etc.. It reflects suggestions and comments received during the workshop and subsequent observations raised by the Forestry and National Parks Department Management Team.

 

The existing legal framework is not discussed in this document, as a DFIDC document by Rosalyn E. Wilkinson, published in April 1999 (Grenada Forest Management Project - An examination of existing relevant and related forestry legislation) describes it and includes recommendations for revisions.

A striking feature in the practical implementation of the legal framework of Grenada relating to forestry and protected areas is that many provisions of the Forest, Soil and Water Conservation Act and the National Parks and Protected Areas Act have remained dead letter, despite their apparent adequacy and (in the case of the latter Act) their recent adoption. For example, the National Parks and Protected Areas Act requires the creation of a management plan in relation to any protected area. This is an appropriate requirement, which is also recommended for inclusion in the new Act, although the current provisions have not yet been implemented. Similarly, there is provision for the creation of a National Parks Advisory Council, which could be an appropriate tool to bring useful stakeholders’ insights into management, but this body has never come into existence, although participatory management processes are not new to Grenada.

 

A particular effort has therefore been made to identify means for the new law to have the best chances of effective implementation. Some mechanisms to this end have been set out in the text of the draft. For example, there is a deadline within which management plans must be adopted, with a condition that following the deadline no permits be issued except in accordance with the plans. There is also a specific term for the creation of the advisory council, and a requirement that the council meet with a specified frequency. 

 

However, the most important tool to facilitate future implementation and enforcement has been the effort to draft a text which is fully “owned” by the concerned people, following in the steps of the process which took place for the formulation of the current forestry policy, which was characterized by an outstanding effort of public consultation and involvement.

 

 

Area of interest: Grenada

Year: 2003