EU Hands Over Fencing and Equipment to Mason River Protected Area

The Government, in partnership with the European Union (EU), officially handed over fencing and equipment to the Mason River Protected Area in Clarendon, valued at $60 million, on May 14, through the A Jamaican Path from Hills to Ocean (Hills2OceanJA) project.

This donation comprises 500 metres of fencing in Mason River, environmental monitoring equipment, and the findings of a hydrological study.

Head of Delegation of the EU to Jamaica, Belize, and The Bahamas, Her Excellency Dr. Erja Askola, handed over the items at a ceremony at the Ramsar Site in Mason River, Clarendon.

The Rapid Ecological Assessment (REA) of the Watershed Management Units (WMUs) targeted under the project, was the largest of its kind undertaken in Jamaica, to date. It covered a combined area of approximately 1,990 kilometres, which is approximately 18 per cent of Jamaica’s land mass.

The hydrological study report includes a Water Resources Management Plan geared towards protecting and preserving the value and function of wetlands, to support high biodiversity, and to promote sustainable livelihoods.

The 500m fence was constructed to protect the sensitive ecosystem from encroachment, illegal dumping, and degradation, while the environmental monitoring equipment includes a waterproof GPS unit, a buoyancy compression device, data loggers and base stations, measuring tape, weights, dive computer and laptops.

Prior to the official handover, Executive Director, Jamaica National Heritage Trust, Dr. Leslie Harrow, who spoke on behalf of Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, reflected on how the improvement project started for the historic and treasured site, and the overall spend, to date.

“We are deeply appreciative that this historic site has been chosen to benefit from the project which is co-funded by the EU Global Climate Change Alliance Plus with $4.9 Million Euros (approximately J$859.5 million) and the Government of Jamaica’s contribution [of] $1.2 million Euro (approximately J$193 million). The project commenced in November 2020 and is expected to be fully implemented over six years,” Dr. Harrow said.

“The overall objective of this project is to enhance the resilience of Jamaica’s ecosystems and communities to climate change extending from hills to ocean. It aims for a 105 per cent increase in farm yields for selected crops across the Watershed Management Units, the introduction of integrated and sustainable landscape management practices over 140 hectares of agricultural and pastoral land and improved management of 210 hectares of protected areas with support from the EU,” he said.

For her part, Dr. Askola said the EU will continue to stand with the Government of Jamaica, while expressing credit to everyone who contributed to making the project possible and ongoing, such as the Government of Jamaica, Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) and others.

“The EU will continue to stand with Jamaica in its fight against Climate Change and the true success will require that all of us – the Government, communities, scientists and international partners – remain engaged and committed… . We have [also] trained over 1,000 farmers and community members in climate-smart agriculture and equipped them with knowledge to adapt to a changing climate while protecting the land,” Dr. Askola said.

“We have also introduced thousands of trees and other plants across watersheds, restoring ecosystems and combatting deforestation. We have developed innovative tools such as Jamaica Watershed Management Classification Tool to support data-driven decision-making for conservation,” she said.

The Mason River Protected Area spans 97 hectares covering a 47-hectare Reserve and a surrounding Multiple Use Zone consisting of 68 hectares of land between Clarendon and St. Ann.

It is surrounded by the communities of McNie and Mason River, Clarendon, and Douglas Castle, St. Ann, with the nearest town being Kellits, Clarendon, about 4km away. It is Jamaica’s only documented upland wetland, purchased by the Government in 1963 and designated a protected area (2002) and Ramsar site (2011).

The Jamaican Path from Hills to Ocean is a multi-year initiative funded by the European Union and the Jamaican Government. The project is designed to increase resilience to climate change of Jamaican ecosystems and communities from the hills to the ocean. It is being implemented with the Planning Institute of Jamaica serving as the executing agency. It involves collaboration with multiple government agencies, including the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, RADA and NEPA.