MONTEGO BAY, St James — The Coalition for Forests is continuing its call for participatory budgeting in the local forestry sector.

The coalition, which is made up of 27 Jamaican NGOs, is headed by the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI), in partnership with the Caribbean Coastal Area Management (C-CAM) Foundation and the Jamaica Conservation Development Trust (JCDT). The alliance was formed two years ago and has received funding of €290,065 or over $41 million from the European Union for its forestry management project.

Speaking to the Jamaica Observer recently, senior technical officer at CANARI Lehome Johnson said that the coalition is amplifying the voices of its members, who have called for a seat at the table.

“When we talk about participatory budgeting, it’s simply having a say in our public financial management system, in the way the Government does and prepares the budget, while also trying to influence an increase in the amount of resources that are allocated for forest conservation and management across the island,” Johnson explained.

While furthering his point, Johnson told the Observer that an increase in allocation would provide greater resources and benefits in the overall goal of forest conservation. Jamaica’s forest areas are home to several endemic trees, 31 species of birds, and 21 species of bats.

“We recognise that if there is an increase in allocation for forest management and conservation, then it is going to be beneficial for everybody, because Jamaica’s forests give what we call ecosystem services. They support life,” Johnson explained.

“Our forests provide clean water and air. We are in an age where we are talking more about climate change, adaptation, and mitigation. Our forests help us in that regard because they help us to adapt to the impacts of climate change, and also to mitigate climate change by acting as sinks. It absorbs carbon from the environment,” the senior technical officer added.

In addition to that, Johnson said that the alliance is seeking to develop and engage in strategic dialogue with key government agencies to foster partnerships “that extend from influencing budget allocation towards forest conservation and management to evaluation for accountability”.

At the same time, Johnson said the involvement of NGOs in forest management and conservation supports the guiding principles under existing and proposed policies on forest conservation and management.

He said that in the Cockpit Country alone, the voluntary contribution of the members of the coalition’s Local Forest Management Committees (LFMCs) and the Southern Trelawny Environmental Agency (STEA) was over $8.5 million in 2022. Johnson said that the sum exceeded funds given by the Government of Jamaica and other funders.

He said that it further highlighted the work being done by local NGOs.

“We also want to point out that there are a lot of Jamaican NGOs working in forest conservation and they are delivering a lot of results. We think that since they are delivering these results then they probably need to be included in the budgeting process, and have a say in the amount of resources that are allocated for forest conservation and management,” Johnson told the Observer.

Johnson said that NGOs in the coalition are hoping to build additional partnerships with the Government as they strive for the same goal. However, additional aspects will look at building awareness for the work of the NGO and encouraging the best practices of the people who come into contact with the country’s forest areas.

“We don’t want it to seem as though this is a competition for funding, but what we are saying is that civil society organisations can be seen as partners. There is funding available privately, and if the Government partners with these organisations then we will be able to unlock that funding,” said Johnson.

“The aim is to highlight the work that non-governmental organisations and other civil society groups are doing concerning forest conservation and management across the island. While also improving the engagement and awareness of our citizens in terms of forest decision-making, especially as it relates to the availability of funding for forest conservation and management activities,” Johnson told the Observer.

The next phase of the project involves the implementation of workshops, and meeting with government representatives, said the senior technical officer.

“The coalition’s efforts represent a pivotal step toward sustainable forest management in Jamaica. By empowering CSOs to actively participate in budgeting and financial planning, the potential for positive change in forest conservation and community well-being is substantial,” he pointed out.