Organisation Of Eastern Caribbean States Environment And Sustainable Development Unit Protected Areas Systems Plan For St. Kitts And Nevis Research Paper

The Governments of the OECS Participating Member States (PMS) have made significant 
commitments to protecting their countries’ resources as signatories to international conventions 
and through policy statements, legal and institutional instruments, recent environmental 
programs, and financial support of conservation activities through budget allocations. They 
have also recognised the importance of establishing protected areas as the primary method of 
preserving biodiversity and conserving valuable natural resources assets. 
In terms of planning for PAs, only some of the PMSs have Systems Plans in place, most of 
which are outdated and do not encompass existing and proposed terrestrial and marine areas in 
a comprehensive nor cohesive manner. 
The OECS Secretariat through its Environment and Sustainable Development Unit (ESDU) is 
implementing the OECS Protected Areas and Associated Sustainable Livelihoods (OPAAL) 
Project. The projected outputs for Component 1 of the OPAAL Project address Policy, Legal 
and Institutional Arrangements Reform within PMSs and include eight goals. This National 
Protected Areas Systems Plan for St. Kitts and Nevis is being implemented under Goal v: 
“updated or new national PA System Plans”.  

Area of Interest: St Kitts & Nevis 

The year 2010