About Specto
St. Patrick’s Environmental and Community Tourism Organization is a non-profit
environmental and community tourism advocacy group based in the parish of St. Patrick’s in the Caribbean island of Grenada. SPECTO engages community in the protection and conservation of the endangered leatherback turtle species and the development of alternative livelihoods based on environmental conservation and activism.
- We BELIEVE in community ownership
- We want to PROTECT and conserve our environment
- We are on a PROTECT mission
- We are SPECTO
SPECTO engages community in the protection and conservation of the endangered leatherback turtle species livelihoods based in environmental conservation and activism
- To facilitate information dissemination on environmental science and policy
- To encourage environmental stewardship and promote a sense of community ownership
- To educate and promote training in key areas
- To create alternative livelihoods linked to environmental protection and conservation
Community Conservation
The St. Patrick’s Environmental and Community Tourism Organization (SPECTO) is a not-for-profit rural community organization focused on raising awareness of environmental protection and the important benefits of conservation. SPECTO works with local communities to create sustainable alternative livelihood opportunities linked to environmentalism.
Endangered Species Protection
SPECTO’s voluntary members have managed the guided nesting tour operation on Levera Beach since 2010. We’ve hired over 10 community members as tour guides and beach security to assist the government in managing the Levera Beach Closed Area. We continue to work towards training community members, including single mothers and youths out of employment.
Sustainable Livelihood Creation
In 2015, SPECTO was awarded a United Nation Development Program (UNDP) and Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants to help facilitate the scaling up of its work in the Levera Pond Protected Area and the Levera Closed Beach. SPECTO was also awarded United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization FAO / IFAD MAREP grant to support its work in sustainable rural development. Having received assistance for the Grenada Ports Authority and voluntary assistance for the Conservation Trekkers Campaign, SPECTO continues to work to transform the parish of St. Patrick’s into a “green” and environmentally conscious destination.
Environmental Advocacy
Founded by a group of senior community members in 2009, SPECTO has since taken up a co-management mandate with the Government of Grenada to manage the nesting tours of the critically endangered Leatherback turtle on its most protected nesting beach -Levera Beach in St. Patricks
The SPECTO Team is comprised of voluntary members most of whom are from the community of St. Patrick’s, Grenada. Concerned about high unemployment and lack of advocacy for conservation, SPECTO was created with a focus on working together to get the word out and with a goal of supporting projects that consider job creation linked to sustainability, conservation, and environmental protection.
SPECTO is primarily a volunteer non-profit. It is managed by an advisory board of directors who are volunteers. The day-to-day operations are managed by a volunteer coordinator and an on call part-time admin assistant. The team also comprises three fully trained tour guides, three trainee tour guides, three wardens and two part time admin staff.
SPECTO’s main source of funding comes from its tours and sale of merchandise. These funds are used to pay tour guides, wardens, and a part-time admin assistant as well as cover some operational costs. In-kind contributions by our volunteers and supporters also assist in reducing some of our operational costs.
We also actively look for grant funds that allow us to fund our community projects. Since 2009 we have successfully received funding for the following:
1. Sustainable Community Development thru Eco-Tourism The Levera Pond Development Project $50,000 US (in Progress)
This project is a capacity Development Project to:
- Continue Eco Tourism tours /activities in the Ramsar Site #2034 ensuring sustaining livelihoods.
- Educate the community of St Patrick and Grenada on the value of the SITE of as of National importance while ensuring the protection and safeguarding of the integrity of the Ramsar Site and the convention that ensures its international importance.
- Website development
2. Funded by the Market Access Rural Enterprise Program Sustainable Community Development thru ECO Tourism Part 1 $60,000 US 2018 in progress
This project included
- Development of merchandise to promote the Leatherback Turtle conservation
- Rehabilitation of the Boardwalk that accesses the Levera Pond
- Trails / Hiking facilities
- Equipment for bird watching, Kayaking, and Guided Tours.
- Skills Training
3. Funded by Small Grants Funds /Global Environmental Fund/UNDP Community Development thru Eco-Tourism: $30,000 US – 2015
A Capacity Development Project aimed at developing the technical skilled capacity of SPECTO to carry out its Vision and Mission in particular the mandate from the Government of Grenada as part of the conservation Program to safeguard the endangered female leatherback turtle during its nesting and the hatching of their eggs in a safe and secure environment
This project included
- Training over 20 tour guides and wardens in tour guiding, interpersonal skills, and technical capacity to understand environmental protection and its importance to Grenada
- A stakeholder Analysis of residents of St Patrick to evaluate the area known as the Levera Pond Protected Area its function as an important ecosystem that carries an important biological function, and important and significant biodiversity’
- A Livelihood Study and a feasibility study to determine the economic contribution the LPPA should play in the national economic development of Grenada.
- Signage in the form of Billboards to carry environmental messaging.
3. A Glimpse into a climate-smart Future: $20,000 US – 2018
- Exhibits varied from Private sector renewable energy products, Grenlec electric car that provided rides for children, to community groups NGOs highlighting their community in Adaptation activities, GGO and their anti-litter campaigns, sustainable food Products, Belmont Estate, local medicines, and SAEP, NEFO showcasing Smart Agricultural practices Ridge to Reef sustainable Agricultural Fishing Reforestation and Agro forestation practices. As a mitigation tool to combat Climate Change. Earl Robers Renewable energy Exhibit using solar for household use.
- A children’s Corner aimed at educating over 200 children from schools and communities in St Patrick in recycling, Reforestation, antilitter, and environmental adaptation methods thru storytelling and practical activities.
- A food court to use non-plastic products to sell food and drink. Local products to make food and drink.
- This activity produced only 20 medium bags of litter and waste. And throughout the whole event, there was absolutely no littering of the grounds of Plains Pasture.