| Overview : *********************************** Administration To apply, this procurement process is conducted through the UNDP eTendering online system (interested applicants must register in the system in order to access the additional documents). Detailed instruction on how to register as a first-time user, how to submit and manage bids, as well as the complete User guide for bidders, and FAQ document for bidders. For link: Please be guided by the attached eTendering Procurement Notice Document. ****************************************** Background There are three recently established Marine Management Area (MMA) Conservation Zones and three existing terrestrial protected areas units in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis. Only the Central Forest Reserve National Park was established primarily for ecological conservation, and there are no terrestrial protected areas on the island of Nevis. The Global Environment Facility (GEF) investment, through the Conserving Biodiversity and reducing habitat degradation in Protected Areas and their areas of influence Project, will expand the protected areas system from two terrestrial sites totaling 5,260 hectares to four terrestrial sites totaling 8,810 hectares and three marine sites totaling 11,693 hectares, The project will further enable support for improved ecosystem representation in the protected areas system through the establishment of these new conservation / protected areas, strengthening of institutional, policy and legal/regulatory framework, development of sustainable finance mechanisms and the establishment and strengthening of protected areas management operations at key sites. However, for effective support for conservation of biodiversity and ecosystems of national, regional and global significance, there needs to be appropriate and sufficient data to inform effective decision-making. At present, there is limited data on both the terrestrial and marine biodiversity and ecosystems of SKN. Information on the state of the marine environment in St. Kitts and Nevis is insufficient to identify and prioritize conservation management needs and actions. In particular, detailed data on the presence of known endangered and threatened species is inadequate, as are the conditions of reefs and reef species to properly assess the state or trends in coral reef ecosystem health. In addition, current baseline data on fish and other marine species is not in place to properly monitor effectiveness of conservation and species management activities. To address this, the project will also establish a system to monitor the extent and health of coral reef ecosystems and biodiversity as well as the impacts of various human activities or climate change factors over time. |
