Development of a Protected Areas Database for Jamaica

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1 Progress Report Technical and Financial Development of a Protected Areas Database for Jamaica Grants for Digital Data Protected Areas Thematic Network Prepared by: Projects Planning & Monitoring Branch 5 May 2010

2 1. Executive Summary The National Environment & Planning Agency signed the project Agreement 11 February 2010 for the commencement of work for the Digitization of Jamaica s Protected Areas. When the project was first conceptualized, it was felt that a SQL Developer should be engaged as there was none on Staff. However, the Agency recently hired a SQL Database Developer and instead decided that a GIS/Information System Specialist was required to assist in the completion of the task. Consequently, the Scope of work has had to be re-worked, resulting in a minor delay in the recruitment process. The Government of Jamaica s (GOJ s) procurement procedures are being followed for engagement of the specialist. The deadline for the receipt of applications is 21 May, The Agency had commenced other activities such as the procurement and installation of the database server, and the preliminary development of the data management database, which includes Protected Areas information. None of the money allocated by the OAS was spent in the quarter being reported on. US$10,121 was allocated as GOJ counterpart funding. 2. Results of planned outputs and scope of the project 3.1 Three (3) months at the latest after the signature of this agreement by both Parties, the institution will submit to the GS/OAS to its satisfaction, an interim technical-financial progress report of the Project (First Report) in conformity with Article I and paragraph 2 (a) and (b) of Annex 3 to this Agreement together with a digital copy of the database with the information digitized, following PATN and WDPA standards. The First Report will include: (i) the digitized Protected Areas data for 60 Protected Areas and (ii) a detailed report for the first workshop that encloses the lessons learned, the presentations and conclusions. Thirty (30) days after the above-referenced report is submitted, the GS/OAS will notify the institution in writing its observations and comments. In case that the GS/OAS is not satisfied with the First Report, the institution will have thirty (30) days from the date when the written notification is received to make the necessary corrections to the above mentioned Report and resubmit it to the GS/OAS. Project Task Status 1. Engagement of SQL Database Developer When the project proposal was written, NEPA proposed to hire a SQL Developer as there was none on Staff. Now that a SQL Database Developer has been hired, there is a need to get a GIS/Information System Specialist to complete the activity of preparation of Jamaica s P.A Database. The Terms of Reference for the GIS/IM Specialist is attached at Annex Initiation Workshop with Stakeholders to define Jamaica s PA database needs The Engagement of the GIS specialist was a little delayed due to the re-organization of the Scope by the I.T Manager and GIS Coordinator within the Agency. To engage the specialist we followed the GOJ Procurement Procedures. The advertisement that was published can be seen at Annex 2. The deadline for the receipt of applications is 21 May Stakeholder list developed, but initiation Workshop not yet held as it will be a part of the Scope of work for the GIS Specialist

3 Project Task Status 3. Collating/Gathering data for Database Not yet commenced development 4. Design and Setup of Database Server Database server purchased with counterpart funds and installed by the I.T. Branch. The Agency s SQL Developer has commenced the preliminary Database development for all data, inclusive of Protected Areas Data. 5. Development of the PA Database (data digitizing) and linking with GIS Full digitization of data and linking with GIS not yet commenced, as this is a component of the Scope for the GIS Specialist. 6. Training in the management of the PA database Not yet commenced 7. Plan and host end of project workshop where Not yet commenced Database will be launched to Stakeholders 8. Prepare and Submit quarterly technical and financial reports Quarterly Technical and Financial Report prepared 3. Methodology employed and activities carried out to achieve the planned outputs Complete methodology will be outlined by the GIS/IM Specialist once engaged 4. Lessons learned, problems and viable solutions Due to the stringent GOJ s procurement guidelines, two (2) months should have been allocated for engagement of the Specialist.

4 5. Counterpart Funds

5 6. Financial Report (OAS Contribution)

6 7. Annexes

7 Annex 1: DEVELOPMENT OF A PROTECTED AREAS DATABASE FOR JAMAICA TERMS OF REFERENCE GIS/ Information Management Specialist The Government of Jamaica received funds from the Organization of American States (OAS), through the Department of Sustainable Development of the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development, to Develop a Protected Areas Database for Jamaica. The information generated from the project will be incorporated into the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) and the IABIN Protected Areas Thematic Network (PATN). 1.0 BACKGROUND i. At the Santa Cruz Summit of the Americas meeting of Heads of State in 1996, the Inter-American Biodiversity Information Network (IABIN) was created with the objective of providing a networking information infrastructure (such as standards and protocols) and biodiversity information content required by the countries of the Americas to improve decision-making, particularly for issues at the interface of human development and biodiversity conservation; ii. iii. iv. Through IABIN, access was made available to scientific information currently scattered throughout the world in different institutions, such as government organizations, museums, botanical gardens, universities, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs); As a party to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Jamaica is committed to developing an ecologically-representative network of protected areas designed to conserve at least 10% of the nation s naturally-occurring terrestrial, aquatic and marine flora and fauna. Jamaica s current protected areas system covers approximately 18% of the country s lands as well as 15% of archipelagic waters. There are currently a number of protected area categories, the majority of which are managed by the Forestry Department (Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries), the Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT), Fisheries Division and the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA). v. Jamaica is currently addressing the need to reform the present protected areas complexity to ensure that the country s resources are supported by viable and wellfunctioning biological processes. This will enable a robust system aligned with international paradigms to be put in place. Under divided administrative authority, the current protected areas of Jamaica were largely established independently of each other to capture unique biological attributes and not necessarily in conjunction with one another as a complementary network vi. Jamaica s protected areas include nearly 2000 km 2 of terrestrial areas constituting just over 18% of Jamaica s lands as well as approximately 1800 km 2 of marine area or approximately 15% of the country s archipelagic waters 1. The system encompasses a variety of biologically important features such as ecosystems, biological communities, habitat types as well as plant and animal species. 1 Jamaica s National Ecological Gap Assessment Report-submitted by the Ecological Working Group May 2009

8 vii. The Agency currently conducts a number of ecosystem assessments and collates land use data which forms the basis of the environmental component of the development orders, which aids in defining the conservation areas. There exists various data [such as water quality, habitat assessments, air quality, coral reef data] scattered among the agencies with jurisdication over each protected area. With this comprehensive data as a basis, the project will begin to compile metadata information on the protected areas, using two areas as pilots. The data will be formatted using IABIN Standards and made available to stakeholders through the Protected Areas Multi- Agency Committee. As a way of disseminating information to the public, sensitization meeting/workshops as well as presentations will be made to potential information providers and users on the importance of the IABIN project and the immense value that this information will have on biodiversity management. At the end of the project, a series of public education resource materials will be produced and distributed, and the database launched at a workshop which will receive media coverage. 2.0 OBJECTIVES i. The purpose of this Agreement is to establish the regulatory framework to implement, update and maintain for a minimum of five (5) years an Internet-accessible Database or Information System of Jamaica s protected areas with at least 160 Protected Areas registries. This information or database system must have a mechanism, such a "Web Service" 2, compatible with the World Database on Protected Areas (hereinafter WDPA ) and the IABIN Protected Areas Thematic Network (PATN), which allows interoperability with other databases or information systems (hereinafter the Project ) and thereby to increase the availability of protected areas information through IABIN. ii. In pursuance of this objective, the Project will employ the PATN and WDPA standards and attributes. These standards can be met by using the web based system, offered by PATN and UNEP-WCMC, available at online, and/or the tool developed by the Ministry of the Environment of Brazil, which includes a Web Service to automatically provide data to IABIN and the WDPA. If the Institution were to use another tool to digitize its data, in addition to the database used, a Web Service compatible with the WDPA and the IABIN Protected Areas Thematic Network (PATN), which allows interoperability with other databases or information systems, must be built by the Institution in close coordination with the PATN Coordinating Institution. The Institution will make freely available the information generated through the Project by means of its informatics facilities as well as through the PATN and WDPA websites and the tools this network creates for that purpose, for a minimum of five (5) years. The institution will install in a server accessible from the internet, a software that will work as a data provider and will make freely available to the public the information generated through the Project by means of the tools this network creates for that purpose, for a minimum of (5) five years. The institution will update manually or automatically (via web service) the PATN and WDPA databases with the country s protected areas spatial and aspatial data every 4 months for a minimum of 5 years. The institution will created the following metadata records at IABIN Catalog: one record for the Protected Areas Database using Dublin Core standard, one record for each on-line map using FGDC standard. 2 "Web Service" is computer programs, usually "scripts", that provide services to remote applications, called consumers, using the Internet as a channel of communication. Applications and Web Services consumers can be developed in different platforms, using different programming languages, and using different standards such as XML, SOAP, HTTP, WSDL, UDDI.

9 3.0 CHARACTERISTICS Type of Consultancy: Individual Consultant Duration: Four (4) Months Level of Effort: Fifty (50) Person Days 4.0 SCOPE OF WORK The GIS/Information Management Specialist will be required to review documents including existing reports, plans and policies related to Protected Areas Management, review and streamline information to NEPA s existing information management database, consult with internal and external stakeholders, and lead the process of linking the Protected Areas database with existing geospatial data. Specifically, the GIS/ Information Management Specialist will carry out the following tasks: i. Gather and collate data related to the development of the PA/GIS database by facilitating a information gathering Workshop ii. Direct liaison with all relevant stakeholders to identify GIS needs and develop appropriate database management system/gis software pertaining to Protected Areas System; iii. Coordinate the development of Protected Areas GIS Maps; iv. Develop data and mapping standards; v. Identify, gather and digitize protected area datasets into the NEPA s Protected Areas data repository compatible with the WDPA and the PATN; vi. Maintain and expand the data repository and related meta-database; vii. Work with data to create themes and layers for use in GIS; viii. Conduct analysis and relate separate datasets to create analytical products; ix. Develop and deliver a short training and skills development programme to officers currently managing the PA databases within NEPA and other government departments 5. EXPECTED OUTPUTS i. Hosting of Workshop to identify Protected Areas Database/GIS Needs ii. Report on PA/GIS Database Baseline Information and Gap Analysis iii. A short training course on the protected areas and GIS delivered to key government personnel and stakeholders involved in project preparation, and preparation of Training Report iv. A management/maintenance manual for the database v. Workable PA/GIS Database launched to Stakeholders vi. A final Technical Report Deliverables Due Date % Payment due 1. Detailed Workplan and Week 2 10% Stakeholder List 2. Initiation and PA/GIS Week 5 15% Data Collection Workshop 3. Final Data Gap Analysis Week 7 15%

10 and Needs Report 4. Preparation for and Delivery of short Training programme on PA/GIS Database Management 5. (a) Workable PA/GIS Database Launched to Stakeholders Week 12 15% Week 14 25% (b) Database Management / Maintenance Manual 6. Final Technical Report Week 16 20% 6. QUALIFICATIONS: a. First degree in Database Development/ Computer Sciences/GIS or a related field (Masters Degree preferred); b. At least 4 years of demonstrated experience in Information Management with GIS; c. Successful training experience in database management and GIS; d. Experience in Web Mapping Service (WMS) is an asset; e. Knowledge of environmental management may be an asset; f. Excellent writing, editing, and oral communication skills in English; g. Ability to meet deadlines and prioritize multiple tasks; h. Demonstrated ability to work within a multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural group; and i. The candidate should be highly motivated and capable of working independently. Ability to work with a wide variety of people from governments, agencies, NGOs, and research institutions is essential. 7.0 REPORTING RELATIONSHIP The GIS/Information Management Specialist will report to the Director Strategic Planning, Policies & Projects Branch of NEPA, with technical guidance by the Manager IT Branch of NEPA, Manager Protected Areas Branch of NEPA and the GIS Coordinator Map Registry of NEPA.

11 Annex 2:

Annual Report

Annual Report 2005-2006 Envir nvironmental Information System (ENVIS) Intr ntroduction Objectiv bjectives es All efforts towards protection and improvement of environment aim at sustaining good quality