Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI)

Laventille, 2009 Award Recipient

Creating partnerships for effective conservation

The Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) began its work in the 1970s and was officially founded in 1989 and has established itself as the region’s leading promoter of equitable and effective collaboration on conservation issues. It offers research-based policy advice to governments, guidance for development strategies, and encourages participation from all sectors of Caribbean society in protecting the environment.

CANARI has expertise in the sustainable management of forests and coastal areas unmatched in the Insular Caribbean. It conducts research and advises on the complex trade-offs between conservation and development, especially in agriculture, coastal fisheries, and tourism. Working closely with government, community groups, and business interests, CANARI has helped to build the capacity of civil society and governments to cooperate in preserving important areas of biodiversity.

Through publications, training events, and its web presence, CANARI disseminates information across the region and beyond. Its staff, qualified in social, political, and natural sciences, range across all the disciplines required to advance participatory natural resource management in the Spanish, French, and English speaking Caribbean.

The range of CANARI’s work is impressive. Among its past projects are a European Commission initiative to involve civil society in managing natural resources and an effort to safeguard watersheds through targeted payments coordinated globally by the International Institute for Environment and Development. Its current work includes a project on improving policy and institutional capacity for participatory forest management funded by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization in seven islands of the Caribbean and a strong emphasis on building public awareness and capacity for climate change adaptation.

CANARI’s strength lies in its ability to focus scarce resources and facilitate open dialogue among government, private sector, civil society and individuals that advances sustainable management of natural resources critical to meeting development goals in the region.

The Caribbean Natural Resources Institute will use its $350,000 award to enhance its financial and technical sustainability and communication effectiveness.

 

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