b'ACCESS FEATUREFostering a Culture of A team of researchers from The UWI responded to the call of the Government of Jamaica (GoJ)through the of Scholarship National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), and theOfficeofDisasterPreparednessandEmergency Management(ODPEM)toconductanassessment of the mangroves in Jamaica. A project by the World and Research Bank Funded Program on Forests (PROFOR) entitled AssessmentandEconomicValuationofCoastal Protection Services provided by Mangroves in Jamaica was rolled out from September 2017 to November 2019. The project aimed to examine and evaluate the ways in which mangrove ecosystems are protecting coastal The UWI remained steadycommunitiesfromnaturalhazardssuchastropical in its efforts to tackle thestormsandresultantshorelineerosion.Theteam ongoing challenges thatincluded The University of Santa Cruz, EnvironmentalMangrove Monitoring and Evaluation Manual produced by threaten the sustainableHydraulicsInstitute,TheNatureConservancy,Dr.The World BankPeter Edwards and The University of the West Indies development of the region.DepartmentofGeographyandGeology,Centrefor 64 Our footprint was evident inMarine Sciences & International Centre for EnvironmentwillsupporttheGoJsefforttoachieveitsNational65areas that required expertise& Nuclear Sciences. DevelopmentGoalofsecuringahealthynatural and thought leadership onenvironment. The project is also aligned to Goal 4 of TheprojectwasthefirstofitskindwhereaVision 2030, which aims to secure a healthy and natural climate change, disastermultidisciplinary team from UWI got together to fulfil aenvironment for the island of Jamaica, and the initiative risk reduction, and theproject which aimed to provide feasible soft solutionswillalsocomplementOutcome13-Sustainable use of environmental andfor flooding in coastal communities in Jamaica. The UWIManagementandUseofEnvironmentalandNatural natural resources. Duringteam included Dr. Arpita Mandal, Dr. Rose Ann JasmineResources and Outcome 14 - Hazard Risk Reduction Smith, Dr. Taneisha Edwards, Dr. Robert Kinlocke, Prof.and Adaptation to Climate Change. The outcomes of the period under review, ourSimon Mitchell, Prof. Mona Webber, Ms. Patrice Francis,theprojectwillaidindevelopingpoliciesandplans researchers were unswervingMr. Camillo Trench, and Dr. Adrian Spence. The teamfordisasterriskreductionthatimpactontourism, in their commitment to addwascontractedatacostofUS$90,794toconductagriculture and fisheries, and the business sector, thus siteanalysis(habitatstatus,ecosystemservicesassisting Jamaica in meeting the requirements of the The UWI voice to policiesand habitat risk assessments) in the communities ofSendaiFrameworkandTheStateoftheJamaican and plans that enhancePortland Cottage, Clarendon; Bogue, St. James; andEnvironment (in progress). The outcomes of the project stakeholder capacity toSalt Marsh, Trelawny. The UWI also provided hands- are also aligned with the United Nations Sustainable respond to shifts in ouron training onthe evaluation of mangrove status andDevelopmentGoals13and14whichtargetClimate disseminated information.Action and Life on Land.physical, economic, natural and social environments. TheprojectisspecificallyalignedwiththeNationalTwocentraldocumentsproducedfromtheproject Development Plan, Jamaica Vision 2030, and the Worldare, A Mangrove Monitoring and Evaluation Manual for Bank Country Partnership Strategy (CPS FY14-17) andJamaica and The Forces of Nature. ANNUAL REPORT 2019/20 Realigning our Resources with Resilience and Resourcefulness'