Biodiversity Knowledge and Conservation Awareness in a Bufferzone Community: An Assessment of Public Engagement Strategies and Tools

Abstract This study examines the impact of environmental conservation activities on the awareness of residents of a small rural community in Jamaica. Millbank lies in the buffer zone of the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park and is partially surrounded by a Forest Reserve. The community is considered a model for community conservation, however, there has never been a comprehensive study of the community's knowledge and awareness of biodiversity and conservation, important components for sustainable management of the natural resources on which the community largely depends. The general trend in conservation awareness is positive for Millbank due to the varied efforts of stakeholders from sectors including academia, community based organizations, government and nongovernment organizations. While public awareness efforts and strategies have yielded increased knowledge including the heightened awareness of protected species and pesticide poisoning of the river systems, reports of insufficiencies in public awareness strategies, limited funding and ineffective enforcement threaten the potential for successful conservation. Overcoming these limitations require greater consistency and sustained efforts in community engagement. The legacy of projects resonates in signs that display images of biodiversity and positive conservation messages. However, greater effort is needed to improve their effectiveness which has diminished over time as many signs fade and the messages become illegible. Stakeholders should utilise a wide range of communication methods and devices while recognizing the benefits of using layman terms in public education for greater understanding of conservation concepts. This will strengthen the stakeholder-community relationship and foster greater cooperation for long term conservation.