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Commonwealth NGOs
related to forestry | | |
 National Environmental Societies Trust
P.O. Box 3040
Kingston 8
Jamaica
Email: nest@infochan.com
Website: www.jsdnp.org.jm/nestjamaica/nesthome.htm
Type: NGO
Scope: national
Interest in Forestry: peripheral
Description
The mission of NEST is to assist NGOs to devise and implement solutions to environmental problems, through
the provision of technical and organizational services"
The earth's ecosystem is made up of innumerable elements which all work together to sustain life on
the planet. Each component, however small, contributes to a healthy environment. Take the humble
bird's nest it protects young ones, and is a launching pad from which they lift their wings, take their
first flight - and so begin their journey as part of Nature's cycle. As carriers of seeds, birds assist
in
the formation of new plants, and their droppings provide a natural fertilizer.
Just as the nest provides a haven for young birds, so too does the National Environmental Societies
Trust (NEST) assist in the development of a growing number of Environmental Non- Governmental
Organizations (ENGO's) in Jamaica.
Formed in 1989 as an umbrella organisation for environmental non-government organisations (ENGOs), NEST
is dedicated to restoring Jamaica's natural resources, which are being eroded at an
alarming pace. For example, the island has the highest rate of deforestation in the world at 4.5% per
annum, according to the 1994-95 Food and Agriculture Organisation/World Resources Institute
Report.
NEST believes that the key to ending the destruction lies in the hands of the people who are directly
affected. Our objectives are, therefore,
• To provide an institutional framework for encouraging citizens' participation in environmental conservation;
• To secure the necessary resources to support the conservation efforts of ENGOs throughout Jamaica;
• To help ENGOs to maximize their positive impact on environmental problems at the community level;
• To collaborate with ENGOs in planning, implementing and evaluating community-based conservation projects.
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