The Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT) is used widely throughout the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region for assessing Protected Area Management Effectiveness (PAME); and representatives of protected area agencies from Antigua and Barbuda, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Saint Lucia, Guyana, Belize, Jamaica, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines confirmed interest in connecting in order to share experiences and learn from each other.

To that extent on April 20^th 2022, the BIOPAMA Caribbean team organised an inaugural event to establish the LAC METT implementation support network aimed at supporting colleagues in biodiversity conservation in implementing and applying the METT Tool and recommendations from assessments. Forty-two (42) individuals from over thirty (30) government and non-governmental organisations attended the session.

Hyacinth Armstrong Vaughn, Regional Coordinator for the BIOPAMA Caribbean programme at IUCN indicated that the initiative emerged from conversations around METT tool implementation and the METT exchange hosted by the National Service of Natural Areas Protected by the State (SERNANP) in January 2022. This meeting built on momentum from regional discussions on the post 2020 global biodiversity framework and negotiations of the 2030 targets as countries work towards improved management effectiveness.

Jose Courrau, Thematic Expert at IUCN presented on the history of the METT Tool, explaining that based on the Global Database on Protected Area Management Effectiveness (GD-PAME) over 500 METT assessments have been conducted in the LAC region. Justin Springer, Technical Assistant at IUCN shared the Terms of Reference for the network stating that the network aims to provide a forum for METT users and practitioners to share experiences on the METT, provide access to technical support on METT implementation, and offer capacity development on best practices for successful METT implementation.

Next steps include the establishment of a Facebook group that will facilitate peer-to-peer engagement and information sharing. The proposed group activities will include but are not limited to capacity building and training opportunities. Persons interested in joining the network that did not register for or participate in the information session can contact the BIOPAMA Programme personnel at Hyacinth.ARMSTRONGVAUGHN@iucn.org, Jose.COURRAU@iucn.org, and Justin.Springer@iucn.org for more details.

Video Recording of Meeting: