Status and trends of biodiversity, including benefits from biodiversity and ecosystem services

St. Vincent and the Grenadines is an archipelagic nation located within the Windward Islands of the Eastern Caribbean, composed of 32 islands, islets and cays. St. Vincent is rugged and mountainous with steep slopes and fertile yellow earth, volcanic ash and alluvial soils while the Grenadines are characterized by low, dry hills surrounded by extensive coral reefs... More »

Main pressures on and drivers of change to biodiversity (direct and indirect)

The country’s biodiversity is threatened by various factors, including limited and ineffective land use planning, deforestation and other forms of habitat loss and fragmentation, excessive use of ago-chemicals, forest fires, sand mining, destructive harvesting practices and unsustainable use of resources. Natural threats to the forest ecosystems include volcanic eruptions, tropical cyclones, extended drought and landslides... More »

Implementation of the NBSAP

St. Vincent and the Grenadines developed its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) in 2000, to guide implementation of the Convention in the country by systematically addressing what were regarded as main threats and key priority areas for action. The Plan’s objectives were to: develop and articulate a National Biodiversity Policy which fosters the sustainable use of biological resources and the maintenance of biodiversity; integrate biodiversity conservation into national planning processes; encourage integrated natural resource management techniques with emphasis given to developing practical and cost-effective measures for the preservation of natural habitats; rationalize land use allocation and encourage sectoral and regional planning for human settlements; create conditions and incentives for effective conservation at both the national and local levels; strengthen the human capacity for conserving and using biodiversity sustainably... More »

Actions taken to achieve the 2020 Aichi Biodiversity Targets

An ecological GAP analysis for the Protected Area System was conducted in 2006 by members of the National Implementation Support Partnership with technical assistance from The Nature Conservancy. The analysis determined the “representativeness” of the current system and identified actions that could be taken to ensure better representation of biodiversity in protected areas... More »

Support mechanisms for national implementation (legislation, funding, capacity-building, coordination, mainstreaming, etc.)

The recently created National Environmental Commission is a multi-stakeholder committee which functions as the primary mechanism for facilitating the effective integration of environmental and sustainable development considerations into economic and social development planning and decision-making in the country. In addition, the Environmental Management Department coordinates the implementation of Multilateral Environmental Agreements and inter-agency collaboration in environmental management... More »

Mechanisms for monitoring and reviewing implementation

No comprehensive monitoring measures have been established in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, however several small targeted inventories have been established by diverse institutions. Under the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, a biodiversity inventory and assessment were carried out for the Kingshill Forest Reserve through the implementation of the project on protecting the Eastern Caribbean Region’s biodiversity... More »