January 23-24, 2025 – The Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF) participated in a workshop facilitated by Cuso International, bringing together representatives from the conservation trust funds (CTFs) benefiting in the Caribbean Organizations for a Resilient Environment (CORE) Project. The project, funded by Global Affairs Canada and implemented by CBF, seeks to drive community-level solutions to biodiversity loss and climate change while integrating inclusive gender-responsive (IGR) approaches into climate action across the Caribbean. Cuso International is a key project partner supporting the implementation of the capacity building initiatives with the CTFs through their volunteer program.
The workshop served as an essential platform for knowledge exchange, fostering collaboration among the National Conservation Trust Funds (NCTFs). The NCTFs highlighted good practices as it relates to governance and board committees, working with women-led organizations and the support provided by the Cuso International volunteers such as the development of a Gender Action Plans and associated training.
A notable highlight of the workshop was a training session on Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL), led by Cuso Volunteer Magdelene Cooman. The training was very well received, as the NCTFs recognized the potential benefits of applying these methodologies to enhance their own operations.
The meeting brought together key representatives from the Protected Areas Conservation Trust in Belize (PACT), the National Conservation Trust Fund of Jamaica (NCTFJ), the Green Heritage Fund of Suriname (GHF), the Protected Areas Trust of Guyana (GPAT), the Dominica National Conservation Trust Fund (DNCTF), the Grenada Sustainable Development Trust Fund (GSDTF), the Saint Lucia National Conservation Fund (SLUNCF) and the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Trust Fund (SVGTF).
In addition to the training, participants embarked on a field trip to Morne Gazo, where the Grenada Sustainable Development Trust Fund (GSDTF) showcased their ongoing work with local partners through CBF’s endowment fund. The visit provided a firsthand view of conservation efforts on the ground, contributing to the protection of the Morne Gazo nature reserve of 64 sq acres. This project remains a model for terrestrial conservation, eco-tourism, and sustainable livelihoods in Grenada. Read more about the project here.
The event also featured a special launch of the Grenada Biodiversity 101 Magazine developed under Caribbean Biodiversity Fund AFD / FFEM funded project (Caribbean Regional Architecture) internship initiative and a ceremony highlighting GSDTF’s work with a local women’s group (St. Mark´s women in Action). focused on advancing gender mainstreaming within their initiatives. Read more about this initiative here.
See here for a video of the intern, Alyssa White who made extensive field visits to protected areas in Grenada to map out the different species. This internship culminated in the publication of a Grenada Biodiversity magazine that you can find here.
