Summary

Funded in part by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), C-EWCL was designed specifically for up and coming conservation professionals in the Caribbean to gain invaluable skills and experience in conservation. Following a similar model to US-based EWCL classes, the two-year training program provided one week of in-person training, a virtual training, as well as a final in-person training and graduation ceremony. Participants were provided access to seasoned conservation professionals that helped guide project development and provided one-on-one mentoring and career development. 

Throughout the two years, participants worked in teams to develop, implement and evaluate a wildlife conservation project in the Caribbean focusing on the following topics: (1) The Conch Team addressed the illegal wildlife trade in the Caribbean through improving awareness and detection of illegally traded wildlife; (2) the Sea Turtle Team improved conservationists safety through the development of safety protocols and training materials to support sea turtle conservation workers in the Caribbean; (3) the Saint Vincent Parrot Team focused on safeguarding the parrot population by ensuring regulatory authorities are trained to the latest standards to combat the illegal pet trade and habitat loss; and (4) the Whale Team worked with partners to develop sustainable marine mammal watching guidelines to ensure coexistence of whales and tourists.