The Jamaica Clearing-House Mechanism Dayne Buddo Senior Research Officer Natural History Division Institute of Jamaica UN Convention on Biological Diversity CHM Focal Point National Biodiversity Committee October 26 th, 2005

CLEARING-HOUSE MECHANISM (CHM) A national network of organizations & persons gathering, collating and distributing public information on biodiversity.

National Clearing-House Mechanisms  Many countries (including Jamaica) had a problem accessing environmental information from within and outside of their own countries.  Under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), party countries had to establish and develop a Clearing- House for Biodiversity  CHMs are also expected to promote technical and scientific cooperation at national, regional and international levels.

The Jamaica Clearing-House Mechanism (JACHM)  The Jamaica CHM began operations in 1999 and the focal point is in the Natural History Division of the IOJ.  Forms a link between sources and users of Biodiversity information in Jamaica

UNIQUE FEATURES OF CHMs  Needs-driven: supports policy-makers, natural resource managers & scientists, educators, general public in biodiversity conservation & education  Decentralized: promotion of responsible collection & management of data and information according to recognized standards and accessibility to information through links with the CHM  Optimizing effort: using available resources, promoting joint initiatives & the sharing of information and experiences

Dissemination of Information  JACHM Website  Workshops  Presentations  Educational CDs  Biodiversity List  Exhibitions  Brochures  Articles in the Media

Website Features  Biodiversity Literature Catalogue  Species Lists of Jamaican Endemic Biodiversity  I3N-JA ( IABIN Invasive Species Information Network – Jamaica)  Biodiversity for High School Students  Article of the Month  Hans Sloane’s Jamaica Collection  Directory of Environmental Organizations  Important Links Locally and Internationally

Biodiversity for Schools  The JACHM recognized the difficulties faced by advanced level biology teachers and students to obtain relevant biodiversity information  The JACHM designed a series of webpages based directly on Caribbean syllabus  This provides an online Biodiversity Resource  Provides links to relevant websites

Biodiversity Literature Catalogue  Difficult for researchers to locate relevant material on Jamaica’s biodiversity  The JACHM designed and now hosts a searchable online database for biodiversity literature in Jamaica  Over 1300 entries to date are present in the database (an ongoing process)  Includes reference information and their locations in Jamaica  CHM does not house all the material, but facilitates contact to the institutions that do.

Article of the Month  Short articles of the topic species, addressing the taxonomy, distribution, impacts or benefits photos etc.  Articles on various current issues or events are also posted  Contact Information for researchers  Global readership through other networks

Hans Sloane’s Jamaica Collection  began record of Jamaica’s natural history  Formed the basis of the British Museum Collection in 1756  A major attraction in its time - visitors from Britain and abroad  Collection contained 14,000 fossils & rocks, 4,500 mammals, birds and reptiles, antiquities and books & journals stuffed with dried plant specimens.

Plans in Motion  Biodiversity Projects in Jamaica Listing of research projects being undertaken Listing of research projects being undertaken Name, institution, and contact information of researchers Name, institution, and contact information of researchers  Biosafety Clearing-House  GIS capacity  Photo Gallery

Jamaica Clearing-House Mechanism The Natural History Division Institute of the Jamaica East Street, Kingston Website: