The Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park is managed for conservation of biological diversity and associated cultural heritage, conservation of ecosystem services such as water supply and for its recreational values. Hence under the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Protected Area Categories, it is a Category II site. Management is guided by a ten year management plan prepared by the site’s manager, the Jamaica Conservation and Development Trust (JCDT) using a participatory process and approved by the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA). The management plan follows national and international recommendations with respect to the information included and the programmes implemented.
The first Management Plan for the BJCMNP was prepared in 1993 when the National Park was first designated. The current Management Plan is for the period 2011 – 2016 and is based on an evaluation of the 2005 – 2010 Plan. In general, programme goals remain the same with specific objectives being set every five years to aid in achieving the longer term goals and over-arching goal, mission and vision for the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park.
Currently, the new Plan for 2017 to 2027 is awaiting approval by the NRCA. There are seven management programmes each with its own goal and objectives and strategies aimed at addressing the root causes of the threats impacting the values of the National Park.
| Programmes & Strategies | Root Causes of Threats Addressed |
|---|---|
| Natural Heritage Conservation e.g. Invasive Species Control |
Insufficient “Conservation on the Ground” – need to more actively protect nature Climate Change |
| Cultural Heritage Preservation e.g. Inventory of Sites and artefacts, promoting cultural heritage |
Inadequate Cultural Heritage Preservation Limited Environmentally Sustainable Income-Generating Activities |
| Enforcement & Compliance e.g. patrols, interpretive enforcement, signs |
Inadequate Enforcement Unclear Boundaries |
| Public Education and Outreach e.g. skills training for local community members, school presentations |
Insufficient Environmental Education Limited Environmentally Sustainable Income-Generating Activities |
| Recreation & Tourism e.g. operating Holywell and the Peak Trail/ Portland Gap; facilitating sustainable community tourism around the Park |
Inadequate Resources & Management Limited Environmentally Sustainable Income-Generating Activities |
| Monitoring & Evaluation e.g. stream and photo-monitoring |
Inadequate Resources & Management – need to assess and improve management effectiveness |
| Governance & Administration e.g. Advisory and Co-management Committees; fundraising and financial management |
Inadequate Resources & Management Conflicting Policies between agencies and insufficient support of conservation initiatives – need to promote collaboration and coordination |
