THE Caribbean Coastal Area Management Foundation (C-CAM), the non-governmental organisation that manages the Portland Bight Protected Area (PBPA) on behalf of the Government of Jamaica, will stage a ‘green’ 5K walk/run on April 27 to raise funds for its work and to bring awareness to the importance of good environmental practices.

The race will be run from Vere to Lionel Town, both in Clarendon, between 6:30 am and 10:00 am and is timed to commemorate Earth Day, observed on April 22, as well as the anniversary of the PBPA which was created in 1999.

“We have a lot of environmental organisations, businesses and clubs in schools and we think it’s important for all the groups to be a little more united in our support for a greener Jamaica,” explained conservation officer/events coordinator Sharlene Rowe.

“April 22 is Earth Day and it’s also the anniversary of Portland Bight Protected Area, Jamaica’s largest protected area, so it’s very fitting,” she said.

C-CAM anticipates having 250 participants on race day. The registration fees are $1,500 for individuals; $20,000 for corporate teams (up to 15 people); $10,000 for agencies (eight people maximum); and $8,000 for school and youth groups (10 people or less).

“It’s health, fitness, taking care of you and how you fit into the environment,” Rowe continued. “We want to attract corporate groups which are dedicated to sustainable living and sustainable development so we can be united for a greener Jamaica and we want to educate people that everything you do on the land affects the sea and what you do at sea will affect the land and your livelihood.”

Portland Bight Protected Area covers 1,876 km2 from Hellshire in St Catherine to Rocky Point in Clarendon. It is governed under The Natural Resources Conservation Authority Act, the Fishing Industry Act and the Wildlife Protection Act. It has two game reserves, three special conservation areas for fish at Three Bays, Galleon Harbour and Salt Harbour, and is also home to one of few remaining dry limestone forests in the Caribbean — Hellshire Hills.

C-CAM plans to make the event annual “so that Jamaica can have an input in the preservation work that we are doing”.