X
GO

From Ridge to Reef

The Concept

Healthy ecosystems provide services that support livelihoods through income from agriculture, fisheries and tourism. Particularly small island states depend on healthy ecosystems, be it terrestrial, coastal or marine areas, as economic drivers. Yet, estuarine, coastal and marine environments (including coral reefs) are vulnerable to pollution and overuse. Pollution is often caused by influx from rivers that are transporting agricultural chemicals, solid waste or untreated wastewater towards the marine ecosystems. Coastal and marine ecosystems hence directly benefit from healthy terrestrial ecosystems and rivers.

Solutions to water pollution are found in coordinating the use and management of land and water from the hinterland to the sea: Ridge to Reef. By linking action and implementation in river basins and coastal areas, the aim is to support ecosystem services and improve riparian and coastal livelihoods.

This aqua-terrestrial management approach, from which the Caribbean Aqua-Terrestrial Solutions (CATS) programme derives its name, addresses both ecological and socio-economic fields of action in a space-spanning way and thus helps both the environment and the people living in and from it. To achieve holistic outcomes with the implemented measures, the CATS programme adjusts its activities along a set of systemic elements.

  1. Incorporation of climate proofing
  2. Implementation of measures for protection of coral reefs, terrestrial and marine biodiversity in protected and focus areas
  3. Population sensitisation and capacity building in conservation of natural resources, value chains and sustainable development
  4. Support of complementary R2R measures in the catchment area implemented by Protected Area Administration and other actors
  5. Participation of the private sector
  6. Fostering of beneficial interaction (direct or indirect) between the terrestrial, fresh water and marine ecosystems, and reduction of negative influence of practices in the hinterland on water courses and marine ecosystems
  7. Cooperation and exploitation of synergies with national and regional actors, sectors and interventions
  8. Consideration of gender and age sensitivity
  9. Enhancement of partner capacity to access financing
  10. Inclusion of the tourism sector
Related Posts
  • Diving in a Coral Forest
    • 11/9/2019 3:25:00 AM
    Diving in a Coral Forest - click here to watch the video on YouTube!Since early 2019, the CATS Programme collaborates with CLEAR Caribbean on a coral restauration project in Soufriere, Saint Lucia. The project aims at propagating Staghorn Coral and Elkhorn Coral along the coastline in the Soufriere area, reaching from Anse Chastanet Bay to the Pitons.The corals are grown on trees made of PVC pipes and glass fibre bars and are anchored to the ground with ropes. So far, a total of ten trees have b...
  • Small business capacity development in Fond St. Jacques
    • 9/16/2019 9:46:00 AM
    Resilience of the agricultural sector against the effects of climate change does not only refer to adapted cropping practices or improved land use. It also includes the strengthening and capacity building of small businesses along the value chain which use agricultural raw materials and add value for the end consumer. Only a holistic approach and the strengthening of all stakeholders involved can create a resilient agricultural sector.Following this understanding, the CATS Programme has partnere...
  • Nursery Management and Forest Ecology Training
    • 9/4/2019 5:05:00 AM
    A four-day training workshop in Nursery Management and Forest Ecology was successfully completed in Dominica on August 10th, 2019. A total of ten people were trained including seven men and three women from the local communities.Training participantsThe training workshop was geared to support the reforestation of the Soufriere Scotts Head Watershed. The goal was to improve the general ecological health and services of the watershed to maintain productive ecosystems in the adjoining Soufriere Sco...
  • Sandy Island Oyster Bed Marine Protected Area (SIOBMPA) Office Hosts 2019 Summer Camp
    • 9/3/2019 1:37:00 PM
    The Sandy Island Oyster Bed Marine Protected Area (SIOBMPA) Office coordinated a youth summer camp held during the week of August 19th to 23rd 2019. This camp was focussed on raising the awareness of the Carriacou’s youth of the valuable ecosystems on their island and their waste management responsibility while also improving their snorkelling and swimming skills and stimulating writing and creativity.The SIOBMPA is a still generally pristine and very unique ecosystem on the island of Carr...
  • Support to Soufriere Scotts Head Village Council and Fisheries Cooperative
    • 5/28/2019 12:47:00 PM
    The Soufriere Scotts Head Village Council has been one of CATS key partners within the Soufriere Scotts Head Marine Reserve (SSMR) Watershed in Dominica. Together, we have worked collaboratively on the Alums Stream Project, beach clean activities, community sensitization programs and well as support to fishermen and other interventions aimed at improving livelihood support and adaptation to climate change. This partnership continues to blossom and bear fruit. During CATS' most recent engagem...
  • Training on Unmanned Aerial Systems in Dominica
    • 5/28/2019 9:16:00 AM
    The Caribbean Aqua-Terrestrial Solutions (CATS) Programme works with a number of governmental agencies and groups in selected watersheds across three focal countries in the Eastern Caribbean to improve research and data collection for environmental management. Best practices and effective monitoring of environmental parameters is hinged on accurate and reliable data for timely decision making. The use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) is revolutionizing how these critical datasets and monitoring ...
  • Business Simulation with Fond St Jacques Agro-Processors
    • 4/18/2019 8:08:00 AM
    On Friday, Apr 12th, 2019, the Fond St. Jacques Development Committee hosted a Business Simulation Exercise for two agro-processing businesses located in Fond St. Jacques, Soufriere: Jacq-Co Valley Products Ltd. and Rainforest Foods. The exercise was conducted by professionals of the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College (SALCC), namely by Dr. M. Lashley, Ms. Faye Henry, Ms. M.L. Catty and Mr. E. Ottley.The exercise, also referred to as a Micro Business Game, has been developed as “a highly i...
  • CATS on TV: What's Happening Now - With Laura
    • 10/22/2018 4:51:39 PM
    On October 16th, 2018, the CATS programme took part in the Saint Lucian TV talk show "What's happening now - with Laura". Our CATS colleague Dr. Camille David, expert for coastal and marine systems, discussed with several stakeholders from the Soufriere Watershed in Saint Lucia, how sustainable management and development of a watershed can be achieved. Alongside Dr. David, important partners to the CATS programme were on the show, such as the GEF UNDP Small Grants Programme , IWEco, Fruitage Jeu...
    • 5/5/2017 3:45:34 PM
    Having recognized the importance and sensitivity of the Placencia Peninsula, the Government of Belize (GOB) agreed to a project to implement a wastewater (sewerage) system for the area. Due to the rapid development and population growth being experienced on the Peninsula, the potential for ground water contamination and pollution of the waters of the lagoon and the Caribbean Sea were predicted to intensify. The Government therefore commissioned two consultancies, a feasibility study and a detail...
  • Information Sharing on Low-Chemical Agricultural Practices Supported by Ministries of Agriculture and Community Organisations of the OECS under the CATS Programme
    • 5/4/2017 7:07:38 AM
    TAMCC students consult facilitator during lunch break at Natural Pest Control training at the farm of Evans Gooding of NEFO Farmers Saint Lucia has been conducting many training sessions on non-chemical use within the agricultural sector.  These have been facilitated by Agronomist, Thaddeus Constantine of the Ministry of Agriculture.  Several private and public sector entities within the State have also benefitted from the technical expertise of Mr. Quint Odlum, on the installation and appl...
CATS Links:
flickr CCC
YouTube Biodiversity