Stakeholder engagement for the future governance of Nelson’s Dockyard National Park’s fragile coastal and marine ecosystems is set to enter a critical stage next week, with a final validation workshop for two landmark management plans scheduled to take place on September 24. The event, organized jointly by Integrated Health Outreach and the National Parks Authority, will run from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Long Hall Events Center located in the historic Officers’ Quarters of Nelson’s Dockyard.
This workshop marks a key milestone in the multi-stage planning process for the park’s proposed Marine Spatial Plan and Natural Resources Management Plan, two comprehensive frameworks designed to guide sustainable use and protection of the region’s natural assets for years to come. Attendees will have the opportunity to review the full draft proposals, sign off on finalized provisions, and raise any outstanding questions before the plans move toward formal implementation.
Key agenda topics for the interactive session reflect the most pressing challenges and priorities facing the park’s diverse ecosystems. Participants will tackle critical issues including pollution mitigation and solid waste management, the official demarcation of different marine zones, and the identification of areas allocated strictly for conservation, sustainable commercial fishing, and other permitted marine economic activities. Beyond marine-focused provisions, the workshop will also explore core management priorities for interconnected land, coastal and marine habitats, as well as refine the institutional governance framework that will oversee the rollout and enforcement of the two plans once approved.
In line with a commitment to inclusive, community-centered decision-making, organizers have extended invitations to a broad cross-section of groups with a stake in the park’s future. Local residents, representatives from civil society organizations, private sector stakeholders, small-scale farmers, and artisanal fisherfolk are all encouraged to attend. The event also specifically targets leaders and operators in the region’s marine, commercial fisheries, and tourism sectors, which rely heavily on the long-term health of the national park’s natural resources.
Following the conclusion of the September 24 workshop, the planning team will open an additional two-week window for post-validation public comment, running from September 25 through October 9. This extended feedback period ensures that stakeholders who are unable to attend the in-person workshop, or who wish to submit additional input after reviewing the discussions from the event, still have the opportunity to shape the final versions of the plans. All feedback can be submitted to the Cobe Team based at The University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus. Full details and registration information for the September 24 workshop are published on the official event flyer, available to interested participants.