Bio-diversity

Cacoon Castle is one of the areas in the parish of Hanover that was once renowned for its wide range of plant species including valuable herbs of medicinal and pharmaceutical value. Over the past thirty years however, due to large scale commercial agriculture such as yam production and the once flourishing cattle trade, as well as settlement expansion there has been marked reduction and loss of many of these plant species arising from land degradation. The local herbs have been an important part of the biodiversity and therefore, in addition to helping to maintain the ecosystem, they would occasionally be harvested from the wild and sold on the local market, contributing to the livelihoods of residents. Currently this activity is one of the income streams that has been significantly reduced and contributes to the level of economic hardship being experienced generally. Because the community lost much of the economic activities that were taking place in the 1970 s the vulnerable groups the poor, women, youth, elderly and the disabled has suffered tremendously to sustain their livelihood. As a result there has been over exploitation of natural resources resulting in: Loss in diversification of agricultural production Habitat loss of plants species Degradation of the natural environment Fragmentation of the natural habitat Rural urban drift Climate Change Effects Deforestation The area is located in a forest reserve in the Great River Watershed. The flora of the area is threatened because of overexploitation and in addition to deforestation, for agricultural activities, slash and burn and grazing of cattle. Studies will be conducted to provide empirical data on the endangered and endemic species in the area. The primary objective of this project would be to restore restore/maintain the biodiversity of the area by increasing the population of medicinal plants and herbs and build the capacity of the community for better management of the natural resources. This will contribute to the diversification of agricultural production and reduce unemployment. The aesthetics would be enhanced, providing a much healthier environment for the children, the elderly and a better environment to raise families. The rate of deforestation would be significantly reduced as farmers would be introduced to more environmentally friendly technologies. This level of intervention will also ensure the sustainable use and preservation of natural resources which will ultimately be a sustainable source of income generation/livelihood opportunities for the local community. Expected results are to see protection of the environment and maintaining biodiversity. Reduce overexploitation of the natural herbs and spices growing in the area

Jamaica