Debt-for-Nature Swap in Jamaica

The Nature Conservancy has been working with partners since 1990 to preserve critical natural areas of Jamaica. At this time, the Conservancy is multiplying our resources more than tenfold through in a Debt for Nature Swap—a program established by the U.S. Congress in 1998 Tropical Forest Conservation Act) to assist eligible developing countries in their conservation efforts. Under this program, certain debt payments owed to the United States government are used instead to finance the country’s forest conservation efforts.

Jamaican Tody © Alan Sander

Funds raised by the Conservancy in the U.S. and Jamaica combined with appropriated U.S. Government funds are being used to help reduce the country’s debt, freeing nearly $16 million in debt payments to be directly invested in conservation of forested land. The Conservancy needs to raise $1.5 million toward this effort, $330,000 of which has been secured to date.

In addition, through a special private challenge grant—the Wilson Match, some contributions to the Conservancy will be matched on a 50 percent or more basis, providing additional income to the donor’s state of residence and leading to an even greater leverage of contributed funds.

The funds from the Debt for Nature Swap are establishing a National Parks Trust Fund for Jamaica, making millions of dollars available over time to manage its spectacular national parks and the rare species they harbor.

While the Trust will help meet the long-term needs of Jamaica’s national parks system, the Conservancy also sees the need to raise additional capital to create a comprehensive forest and freshwater protected areas program. Program activities, which complement the goals of the Jamaica Protected Areas Trust, include an improved biological assessment of Jamaica, improved stewardship and restoration strategies for degraded ecosystems and facilitating conservation of ecologically important, privately owned lands. To accomplish this, the Conservancy is working in close partnership with government, local communities and other Jamaican conservation groups. The Conservancy needs to raise an additional $400,000 in support of these efforts.

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Funding Need
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• Debt-for-Nature Swap $1.5 million
• Immediate Need: $970,000
• Protected Areas Program $400,000
• Total: $1.9 million
• Raised: $330,000 from private sources

For more information about Jamaica's Debt-for-Nature swap and how you can help please contact Aleks Stankovic, astankovic@tnc.org.