A groundbreaking community-centered conservation initiative is kicking off in Grenada, led by the Gaea Conservation Network Incorporated (GCN) to address critical gaps in wildlife data and foster long-term sustainable species management across the island nation’s protected areas.
Over the course of 12 months, the Community-Anchored Monitoring for Priority Species project will build the first comprehensive national baseline dataset for two of Grenada’s most at-risk endemic species – the critically endangered Grenada Dove and critically endangered Grenada Frog – alongside ecologically and economically important game species including armadillo, manicou, Mona monkey, and iguana. At its core, the project moves beyond traditional top-down research by empowering local community members with the training and tools needed to lead long-term monitoring of their unique natural heritage.
To mark the official launch of the initiative, GCN has organized two public educational walks that are open to all interested community members, nature enthusiasts, and tour guides seeking to expand their eco-tourism offerings. The first, focused on the Grenada Dove, will take place at 6 a.m. on October 17 and 18 at Perseverance and Mount Hartman, two key habitats for the endemic bird. The second event, a guided night walk to spot the elusive Grenada Frog, will kick off at 6 p.m. on October 24 at Grand Etang. Those interested in participating can register for either event by contacting GCN directly at 405-8995.
Beyond public outreach and community training, the initiative includes a unique collaborative component that integrates the traditional ecological knowledge of Grenada’s hunting community into formal wildlife management. Working in partnership with the Forestry and National Parks Department, GCN is formalizing the role of local hunters’ on-the-ground knowledge of wildlife distribution, incorporating that insight into the department’s official harvest management frameworks to create more accurate and effective population policies.
The project comprises three interconnected data-gathering components, and all collected information will be analyzed by GCN before being shared with the Forestry Division to inform evidence-based conservation decision-making. For the Grenada Dove, the initiative will update outdated population and range data while embedding local communities into ongoing long-term monitoring efforts. For the Grenada Frog, the project builds on existing research conducted by the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee by creating a sustainable pathway for continued community-led monitoring that extends beyond short-term academic research. For game species, the collaborative data-gathering with hunters will give forestry officials an unprecedented clear understanding of current harvest pressure, allowing for more balanced, sustainable population management.
This new project builds on the success of GCN’s October 2025 Grenada Dove Conservation Action Planning process, which brought together government agencies, academic researchers, and local community partners to co-design a 10-year national conservation strategy for the species. That earlier planning effort was supported by leading conservation organizations the American Bird Conservancy, BirdsCaribbean, and Re:wild. A similar Conservation Action Planning workshop focused on the Grenada Frog is scheduled for October 6–7, 2026, with funding through the G-CREWS project, and the baseline data collected through this new monitoring initiative will directly inform that workshop’s outcomes.
“Protecting Grenada’s priority species is a shared responsibility. Management is strongest when the communities who live alongside these landscapes are part of it. This project puts the tools of monitoring directly into the hands of community members and turns their participation into data that decision-makers can actually use,” explained Dr. Jody Daniel, President of Gaea Conservation Network.
The initiative receives core funding from the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the Fonds Français pour l’Environnement Mondial (FFEM) through the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF) as part of the Caribbean Regional Architecture for Biodiversity (CRAB) Project. It is implemented by Gaea Conservation Network in partnership with the Grenada Sustainable Development Trust Fund, with additional financial support from the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund. Work focused on the Grenada Frog also receives support through the Climate-Resilient Water Sector in Grenada (G-CREWS) project, which is jointly financed by the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety (BMUKN) via its International Climate Initiative (IKI), and the Government of Grenada. The 7-year G-CREWS project is implemented by the Government of Grenada, the Grenada Development Bank, and the National Water and Sewerage Authority (Nawasa) in partnership with the German Development Corporation (GIZ).
Gaea Conservation Network is a Grenada-based organization working to advance local biodiversity conservation through science-driven monitoring, habitat restoration, and community-centered education. More information about the organization and its work is available at www.gaeaconservation.org. Additional public information about the priority species included in this project is hosted on the Grenada Biodiversity Hub, available at www.grenadabiodiversity.org.
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