OECS Celebrates Graduation of 10 Forestry and Environmental Management Trainees Under EU-Funded ILM Project

The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission is pleased to congratulate ten recent graduates of the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) who completed a two-year Diploma in Conservation and Management of Forests, Wildlife, Parks and the Environment under the EU-funded OECS GCCA+ Integrated Landscape Management (ILM) Project.

The milestone follows the graduation ceremony hosted by UTT on November 19, 2025, marking the achievement of trainees nominated by OECS Member States to strengthen regional capacity in forestry and environmental resource management.

During consultations with national ILM Focal Points, Member States identified forestry management capacity as a critical skills gap in advancing climate resilience and sustainable land management. In response, eight Member States submitted nominees for the programme, with Saint Vincent and the Grenadines securing an additional placement through special EU funding support.

Following a competitive procurement process, UTT was awarded the contract to deliver the specialised diploma programme. The ILM Project provided comprehensive support to all 10 trainees, covering airfare, accommodation, tuition, and a stipend for meals and local transportation. Students began their training after arriving in Trinidad during the weekend of September 15, 2023.

The ILM training initiative reinforces the OECS’ commitment to regional collaboration, ensuring that Member States not only address shared environmental challenges but also cultivate professionals capable of working effectively across borders.

“The OECS region continues to face interconnected environmental and climate-related pressures,” noted the ILM Project Team. “By investing in collective training, we are equipping a new generation of specialists who will strengthen resilience, biodiversity protection, and sustainable land management across all Member States.”

The diploma programme provided both theoretical and practical instruction across a wide range of subject areas, including forest Mensuration, Silviculture, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing, Sustainable Forest Management, Watershed Management, Wildlife Management and Environmental Conservation Practices.

All graduates demonstrated strong performance throughout the two-year course, delivered at UTT’s Eastern Caribbean Institute of Agriculture and Forestry (ECAIF) Campus.

The OECS Commission extends warm congratulations to the graduates:

Mr Ray Cecil Charles of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, who joined the programme one semester later, is scheduled to complete his diploma in January 2026.

About the OECS ILM Project

The EU-funded OECS GCCA+ Integrated Landscape Management Project aims to optimise the contribution of land to food security, climate resilience, and ecosystem services within the OECS. Strengthening national and regional capacities is one of the project’s core strategies for achieving long-term environmental sustainability.

The OECS Commission celebrates this important achievement and remains committed to enhancing the region’s technical expertise to protect its natural resources and build climate-resilient futures.