From forestry to protected area and ecosystem management: Organisational change in Saint Lucia, West Indes

Abstract

While global expectations of what protected areas should deliver are evolving (e.g. through the Aichi Targets and the UN Sustainable Development Goals), little attention has been paid to how government protected area agencies can adapt and improve their performance accordingly. The remit of the Saint Lucia Forestry Department has gradually extended from production forestry to, inter alia, protected area management, wildlife research and conservation, watershed management, tourism and environmental education. In 2014, in response to a widespread consensus on the need to update its ways of working, the Department initiated a participatory process of strategic planning and organisational change, comprising: (1) Organisational review and capacity needs assessment; (2) Development of a new strategic plan and corresponding restructuring of the organisation; and (3) Institutionalisation of the plan. This generally successful process provides important lessons with potentially wider application on 'change readiness', leadership, capacity, communication, participation, and the value of 'quick wins'. While further work is needed on capacity development and full institutionalisation of the changes, the Forestry Department is now better able to articulate its roles and needs and to ensure long-term conservation and sustainable use of Saint Lucia's globally important biodiversity, both inside and outside its protected areas. We call for further studies and initiatives on organisational change in government agencies responsible for protected areas and biodiversity conservation.

Mitigating the Pressures: The Role of Participatory Planning in Protected Area Management

“…As a response to poor management effectiveness, especially in developing countries, studies highlight the need for organizational capacity building in co-managed protected areas (Appleton et al 2017;Mukul et al 2017). To build the capacity of involved local communities, which has shown to be deficient in several settings, a primary necessity is an appropriate environmental education (Zorrilla-Pujana and Rossi 2014).…”

How should conservation be professionalized?

“…Progress is being made on building professionalism of conservation NGOs, supported by initiatives such as Capacity for Conservation (2021) and organizations such as Maliasili (2020) and Well-Grounded (2021). Building the capacity of government conservation agencies is often more challenging for multiple reasons, including: inflexible systems and processes; resource shortages; inadequate working and employment conditions (Belecky et al, 2019); issues of transparency, equity, inclusion and diversity that limit recruitment, retention and promotion opportunities (Smith et al, 2015); limited access to training and professional development (Appleton et al, 2017); high personnel turnover, often linked to political changes or funding fluctuations; and discrimination against women, including gender-based violence (Castañeda Camey et al, 2020).…”