The Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme (SGP) implemented a project in Tobago to raise awareness of the local community in Speyside to protect the Buccoo Coral Reef and adopt an integrated coastal management strategy.
23 January 2012: The Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme (SGP) presented the results of a project to support local organizations in Tobago to protect coral reefs and marine biodiversity, which was implemented by the UN Development Programme (UNDP).
The US$49,920 grant contributed to efforts by the Speyside community to establish a higher level of environmental protection in a marine area and manage the Buccoo coral reef sustainably. Although the area is not yet designated a protected area, the grant aided in community activities that improved its overall protection and created an integrated coastal management system at the community level. The Speyside Marine Area Community Based Management Project aimed to create greater environmental awareness among the community to achieve the goals of using the coral reef sustainably. Among the initiatives supported by the GEF SGP grant were an awareness raising campaign called “My Island My Community: Increasing Awareness and Changing Attitudes and Behaviours” on climate change in Tobago, and education and awareness programs that engaged 450 community members. [GEF Press Release]