Trinidad and Tobago National Protected Areas Policy.

Trinidad and Tobago National Protected Areas Policy is a national policy designed to establish an integrated system of protected areas that ensures conservation of the full diversity of natural ecosystems in Trinidad and Tobago whilst allowing for the sustainable use of these resources and providing equitable access to opportunities for their recreational, educational, research, cultural, spiritual/religious and sustainable livelihoods.
To this end, the policy will establish an appropriate framework for the selection, legal designation and management of a national system of PAs. This includes elaboration of a classification system for the designation of a comprehensive and rationalised system of PAs, the establishment of effective institutional arrangements for management, development of mechanisms for sustainable financing, identification of human resource capacity needs, resolution of policy conflicts, development of enabling legislation, and tools and guidelines for effective management.
To help with the sustainable conservation of natural heritage and ecosystem diversity, efforts will be focused in conserving the full diversity of natural ecosystems in Trinidad and Tobago, preserving genetic materials, protecting and restoring populations of rare, endangered, and endemic species and the habitats on which they depend for survival, developing systems for ex-situ and in-vitro conservation of species of national interest to facilitate the restoration of populations of these species as necessary and appropriate, managing populations of species and areas of ecosystems that are used for extraction of goods (e.g. timber harvesting, wildlife hunting, harvesting of craft materials, non-timber forest products, medicinal and aromatic plants) in a manner that ensures their long-term viability, developing systems of buffer zones and ecological corridors, and protecting samples of representative, important, rare or unique biological and geological features. Special attention will be paid to the conservation of cultural, spiritual/religious and historical heritage.
Further, participatory management will be applied to ensure maximum inclusivity. To facilitate the equitable and effective participation of the private sector, academic institutions, NGOs, CBOs, communities and individuals, the Government, in collaboration with all relevant stakeholders, shall adopt a policy and legislative framework, guidelines, structures and mechanisms to institutionalize co-management and other forms of participatory PAs management, including mechanisms for stakeholder participation in the development, implementation, review and evaluation of all policies, plans and reports, and will adopt and strengthen policy and legislative frameworks, guidelines, structures and mechanisms to enable delegation of appropriate management responsibilities (including monitoring and enforcement) to governmental and non-governmental stakeholders.
Regarding governance, the Government in collaboration with all relevant stakeholders, shall establish a Forest and Protected Areas Management Authority to administer the coordination and implementation of the National Protected Areas Policy, and establish multi-stakeholder management committees as required to coordinate and facilitate the management of particular terrestrial, coastal and marine PAs. The monitoring and evaluation of policy implementation will be coordinated by the Board of the Forest and Protected Areas Management Authority.