Building a Foundation for Anguilla's Wetland Future
Geographical coverage
Geographical scale of the assessment | National |
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Country or countries covered | Anguilla |
Any other necessary information or explanation for identifying the location of the assessment, including site or region name |
Geographical scale of the assessment
National
Country or countries covered
Anguilla
Any other necessary information or explanation for identifying the location of the assessment, including site or region name
Conceptual framework, methodology and scope
Assessment objectives
To build an information and capacity base for Anguilla's Globally Important wetlands by: the publication of a wetland inventory; the development of a National Wetland Conservation Plan; the revision of Important Bird Area (IBA) designations and submission of sites for Ramsar designation; the enhancement of local capacity (knowledge resources, skill development and institutional strengthening)
Mandate for the assessment
Anguilla is a party to the Ramsar Convention through the UK Government; however, to date no Ramsar Sites have been designated. A wetland inventory undertaken in 1990 requires updating with recent monitoring and data and current threats and Pienkowski (2005) recommended that five wetlands be designated. The project is also pertinent to the Convention on Biological Diversity, Convention on Migratory Species, Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region: Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife in the Wider Caribbean Region (SPAW Protocol) and the principals of the St. George's Declaration of Principles for Environmental Sustainability in the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). The project is funded by FCO/DFID Overseas Territories Environment Programme, 2011, project no ANG 801.
Conceptual framework and/or methodology used for the assessment
BirdLife International’s Important Bird Area Monitoring Guidelines (http://www.birdlife.org/regional/americas/apm_documents/Background%20 paper%2011.2_IBA%20Monitoring%20Framework.pdf) WorldBird Important Bird Area Database (www.globalconservation.info)
URL or copy of conceptual framework developed or adapted
http://www.birdlife.org/regional/americas/apm_documents/Background%20paper%2011.2_IBA%20Monitoring%20Framework.pdf
BirdLife International (2006) Monitoring Important Bird Areas: a global framework. Cambridge, UK. BirdLife International. Version 1.2.
BirdLife_2012_IBA_Monitoring_Framework.pdf
System(s) assessed
- Inland water
Species groups assessed
Birds
Ecosystem services/functions assessed
Provisioning
Regulating
- Regulation of water flows
- Regulation of water quality
Supporting Services/Functions
- Habitat maintenance
Cultural Services
- Recreation and tourism
Scope of assessment includes
Drivers of change in systems and services
Yes
Impacts of change in services on human well-being
No
Options for responding/interventions to the trends observed
No
Explicit consideration of the role of biodiversity in the systems and services covered by the assessment
No
Timing of the assessment
Year assessment started
2011
Year assessment finished
2013
If ongoing, year assessment is anticipated to finish
Periodicity of assessment
Repeated
If repeated, how frequently
Biannual - While the project has come to end, parts of it will continue, namely, monitoring of wetlands based on BirdLife International’s IBA monitoring guidelines and continual updating of Anguilla’s national wetlands inventory. Wetlands will also continue to be monitored for qualification as IBAs.
Assessment outputs
Report(s)
Anguilla Wetlands Mapping Project Report
State of Anguilla’s Wetland Birds Report 2007-2011
Communication materials (e.g. brochure, presentations, posters, audio-visual media)
Journal publications
Training materials
Other documents/outputs
Anguilla National Trust Bird Monitoring database (updated monthly)
Important Bird Area summaries for 13 of Anguilla’s wetlands/offshore cays (posted on BirdLife International’s website)
National Inventory of Anguilla’s Wetlands (will be updated regularly)
Tools and processes
Tools and approaches used in the assessment
- Geospatial analysis
- Indicators
Process used for stakeholder engagement in the assessment process and which component
Stakeholder workshops
Key stakeholder groups engaged
*Government of Anguilla (including, inter alia, Department of Environment Department of Physical Planning, Department of Land and Surveys, Department of Disaster Management) *Statutory Bodies (Anguilla National Trust, Anguilla Tourist Board) *Landowners
The number of people directly involved in the assessment process
Less than 10
Incorporation of scientific and other types of knowledge
- Scientific information only
- Resource experts (e.g. foresters etc)
- Traditional/local knowledge
- Citizen science
Supporting documentation for specific approaches, methodology or criteria developed and/or used to integrate knowledge systems into the assessment
BirdLife International IBA Monitoring Guidelines (http://www.birdlife.org/regional/americas/apm_documents/Background%20paper%2011.2_IBA%20Monitoring%20Framework.pdf) WorldBird Important Bird Area Database (www.globalconservation.info)
Assessment reports peer reviewed
Yes
Data
Accessibility of data used in assessment
Open data sources (published literature) supported by internal (Anguilla National Trust) data collection programme (raw data is not public) BirdLife International Data Zone
Policy impact
Impacts the assessment has had on policy and/or decision making, as evidenced through policy references and actions
The ANT hopes that the assessments will influence the re-drafting of the Anguilla’s Wetlands Policy by the Government of Anguilla. Seven additional Important Bird Areas have been recommended to be added to Anguilla’s IBA list. Three sites could qualify Ramsar Sites, based on Ramsar criteria. The ANT will recommend that the Government of Anguilla submit these sites to the Ramsar Secretariat for consideration.
Independent or other review on policy impact of the assessment
No
Lessons learnt for future assessments from these reviews
Capacity building
Capacity building needs identified during the assessment
Yes
Actions taken by the assessment to build capacity
Network and sharing experiences, Workshops, Developing/promoting and providing access to support tools, Communication and awareness raising
How have gaps in capacity been communicated to the different stakeholders
No
Knowledge generation
Gaps in knowledge identified from the assessment
Yes
How gaps in knowledge have been communicated to the different stakeholders
• Information sharing during workshops • One-on-one conversations with public and private stakeholders