Capacité + is here!

The Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI), as the Regional Implementation Team (RIT) for the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund’s (CEPF’s) Phase II investment in the Caribbean Islands Biodiversity Hotspot, is pleased to share the first issue of our newsletter Capacité + with you! Capacité + will not only provide you with quarterly updates on our work in the region, lessons learned and best practices from CEPF supported projects and other related initiatives, it will also be a space where CEPF Caribbean grantees and other stakeholders can share their insights on biodiversity conservation and civil society capacity building in the region.

The word Capacité (Capacity)reflects the strong emphasis placed by both CANARI and the CEPF on building the capacity of civil society organisations (CSOs) to participate in and influence the conservation of the Caribbean Islands Biodiversity Hotspot. 

We hope you enjoy reading Capacité + 

and we invite you to share the newsletter with others.

Parque Nacional Valle Nuevo, Dominican Republic.© Fundación José Delio Guzmán

First grants approved under the CEPF second investment in the Caribbean Islands Biodiversity Hotspot The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) recently awarded the first four grants under its current five-year investment to civil society organisations (CSOs) working in Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.   Learn more

Great Bird Island, Antigua. © Chaso MediaAntigua Ground Lizard. ©  Nick Hollands

CEPF Success Story“Islands Without Aliens: Building Regional Civil Capacity to Eradicate Alien Invasive Species”  During its first investment in the Caribbean Islands, the CEPF supported a consortium of four organisations led by Fauna & Flora International (FFI) to strengthen the capacity of local organisations to eradicate and control alien species in Saint Lucia and Antigua & Barbuda. Eight years later, the project continues to have significant positive impacts on biodiversity conservation and restoration in both countries.Read More

Goat Islands, Portland Bight Protected Area, Jamaica.© CANARIThe CEPF inthe Caribbean Islands After a successful first investment in the Caribbean Islands Biodiversity Hotspot that ended in 2016, the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) has now returned to the Caribbean region for a second five-year investment between August 2021 and July 2026.Learn more  Bromelia© CANARIExploring the Caribbean Islands Biodiversity Hotspot Our Caribbean region is a biodiversity-rich archipelago with unique habitats and high species diversity. Check out our infographic for facts and figures about the Caribbean and its biodiversity!View infographic

Approved grants

C-CAM Salt River Field Station, Jamaica.© Simone Lee.To date, CEPF has issued four grants totalling over US$1.1 million under its second investment in the Caribbean region. The individual large grant investments range from US$112,626.15 to US$388,483.58. Explore our interactive map of current CEPF-funded projects in the Caribbean: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/6b2618e2a26649dc8041af7f12ead197

For more details on the grants that have been issued, click here.

Meet the Caribbean Regional Implementation Team (RIT) The Regional Implementation Team (RIT) at the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI)  works on the ground directly with CEPF’s grantees, helping to build local capacity and implement CEPF’s strategy in the biodiversity hotspot.Learn more

Members of the Caribbean RIT. © CANARI.

About the CEPF The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) is a joint initiative of l’Agence Française de Développement, Conservation International, the European Union, the Global Environment Facility, the Government of Japan and the World Bank. The Phase II investment in the Caribbean Islands Biodiversity Hotspot is financed through the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund – Caribbean Hotspot Project of the World Bank, using funds provided by the Government of Japan.

About CANARI The Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) is a regional technical institute which has been working in the islands of the Caribbean for over 30 years. Our mission is to promote and facilitate stakeholder participation in the stewardship of natural resources in the Caribbean.