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Environmental Policies and protection info (Jamaica Case Study
and support info)
The undeveloped coast is of great significance from a scientific
and recreational point ofview. The undeveloped coast means and is
comprised of sections mainly on the southern
side of the north coast highway between White River and Rio
Bueno.
Policy: Development along the undeveloped coast will only be
permitted if suchproposals would not be detrimental to the
environmental quality of the surrounding
areas.
The proposed development is located within the undeveloped coast
as outlined in the St.
Ann Dev Order and is proposed to be situated in the last
remaining area of a disturbed
coastal wetland. According to theNatural Resources and
Environmental Management
Department, University of Hawaii Manoa, USA.Coastal wetlands are
located at a
critical interface between the terrestrial and marine
environments and are ideally
positioned to reduce impacts from land-based sources.
The objective of the policy here referred to is to protect as
much as possible the existingnatural character of the undeveloped
coastline including coastal rock formations,
wetlands, flora and fauna, caves etc.
Policy: Building and structures shall be located in such a way
as to avoid any adverse
effect on the general character of the existing coastline in the
area in which it is to be
located.
The proposed development is proposed within the existing wetland
reserve, eliminating
all set back possibilities in an area that has been directly
provided for drainage to the sea
by the NWA. Siting of the proposed development as illustrated on
plans will adverselyaffect the general character of the coastline
by virtue of it replacing a natural drainage
and storage area which is a coastal hydro terrestrial basin.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) System defines
wetlands as Lands
transitional between terrestrial and aquatic systems where the
water table is usually at or
near the surface.
The Canadian Wetland Classification System defines a wetland as
a land that is
saturated with water long enough to promote wetland or aquatic
processes as indicated by
poorly drained soils, hydrophytic vegetation and various kinds
of biological activitywhich are adapted to a wet environment
The Ramsar Convention defines wetlands as Areas of marsh, fen,
peatland, or water,
whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with
water that is static, flowing,
fresh, brackish, or salt, including areas of marine water where
the depth at low tide does
not exceed six m
