Recognizing the existing challenges in managing the Soufriere River in St. Lucia, the community is now committed to taking real action to change the cause of this important source of life for their people. The Caribbean is renowned world-wide for its natural beauty and stunning sea, yet it faces numerous challenges that can be addressed through environmental conservation and sustainable community development.
This ‘ridge to reef’ project is a perfect example of a ‘whole-of-ecosystem’ or integrated management approach that is needed to address the most pressing environmental problems of the regions.
Additionally, the beauty and impact of Caribbean Natural capital stay with people long after the initial visits to our shores. In his remarks Mr Alexander Girvan reflects on his visits to the marine areas the Soufriere Watersheds drain into and thanked the community and project implementers for their collective efforts to preserve these important ecosystems. "It is my distinct honor to celebrate the work that you have done from Ridge to Reef as a recipient of this strategic project grant from the Small Grants Program (SGP) implemented in collaboration with PROCARIBE+.”
Addressing watershed challenges requires the cooperation of numerous stakeholders from government to civil society, private sector and even youth. Watch the launch of this project and PROCARIBE+ in the video below where Senior Program Manager and the National Coordinator of GEF SGP UNDP, Giles Romulus emphasises the power of “working as a family”.
See here the launch of the project including remarks from PROCARIBE+ Senior Project Officer Alexander Girvan https://www.youtube.com/live/BZqlNL5CICA
About WaterWays Caribbean
In 2025, WaterWays Caribbean was awarded Grant funding from the ProCaribe+ program to develop and sustain a strong community pride as the basis for addressing pollution and to complement this by establishing a system for the effective control and management of pollution in the Soufriere Watersheds. Check out the full information visiting My Water Ways website.
Ridge-to-Reef Approach
The ridge-to-reef approach, promoted by the United Nations, is a holistic management strategy that recognizes the interconnectedness of ecosystems from the highest points of land (the "ridge") to the coastal and marine areas (the "reef"). This approach aims to address environmental degradation by understanding how activities in the uplands impact downstream ecosystems like coral reefs. Among its objectives is to reduce threats to biodiversity and ecosystem services, strengthen conservation and sustainable use, enhance resilience and promote integrated management.
UN approach
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is a key player in promoting and implementing ridge-to-reef projects, particularly in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) also supports ridge-to-reef initiatives as part of its broader work on environmental conservation and sustainable development.
