OVERVIEW

In Falmouth, shared characteristics weave the varied building styles into a distinctive pattern of early Jamaican architecture, and a critical mass of each variety makes the town an unusually distinctive place. Market Street is lined with the largest coherent group of colonnaded commercial buildings in Jamaica. This contrasts dramatically with the residential streets, where rich and poor lived close to one another in a common pre industrial manner. As a result, there are small wooden houses and brick Georgian mansions scattered throughout what is now officially designated as the Falmouth Historic District.

While the town saw little commercial advancement after the 1840s, houses continued to be built. Most neighborhoods have an agreeable variety of houses dating from about 1800 through the early 1900s. All of the town's buildings, the old and the not so old, makeup the historic townscape of Falmouth.

Falmouth is not overcrowded, but there is a shortage of stable, livable houses. Virtually all of the surviving early houses were well constructed, though most of them are deteriorating and some are disappearing from the scene for lack of care and maintenance. Most of the small early houses that remain were built with two rooms, but many of these were subsequently enlarged and the additions have sometimes deteriorated more than their well-built cores.

The strongest arguments for environmental protection in the Greater Falmouth area, and in Jamaica as a whole, can be articulated from the perspective of the tourism sector. According to government statistics, tourism is the most important economic sector in the country in terms of investment and employment. However, having a sustainable tourism product is largely dependent for its success on the environment and the tourism product has the most to lose from environmental degradation. There is tremendous potential for community-based nature and cultural heritage tourism to flourish in the Greater Falmouth area and to bring with it the protection of the natural and heritage resources on which it depends.

The Environmental Foundation of Jamaica (EFJ) and the Falmouth Restoration Company (FRC) recognized that the development of the unmatched cultural heritage tourism opportunities in Falmouth represented the best first strategic step towards achieving environmental protection of both the built and natural environments of the Greater Falmouth area. By launching the Preservation of Small, Privately Owned Historic Buildings project in Falmouth, the EFJ and FRC made the first, but crucial, step towards preserving and protecting the wonderful architectural heritage represented by the Falmouth houses and enabling community-based environmental management to begin in the following ways:
- community-based environmental action could be started;
- pride in the community would be increased;
- disadvantaged citizens would directly benefit from jobs associated with increased tourism;
- environmental awareness, as to the importance of both the natural environment and the built environment   to building a strong local economy, would increase; and community groups would recognize the   importance of taking steps to establish protected areas, reduce squatting and pollution, and find   opportunities to employ citizens who are otherwise engaged in environmentally destructive practices.

In short, the "Small House Project" was seen by the EFJ and FRC as the first step in building capacity to empower local citizens to assume leadership for environmental management and decision-making. In December 1996 the EFJ awarded the FRC J$1,970,000.00 for careful repair and preservation of small privately owned houses in Falmouth. Dr. James M. Parrent managed the project. The project's objectives were to preserve early and distinctive houses, and other buildings, in a manner that will help secure their survival, enrich the living environment of Falmouth, preserve and enhance the pleasing character of this historic town, and to aid the occupants in making their houses both more livable and a source of pride.

In a letter dated June 26, 1996, supporting a grant application for funds to assist small home owners, the Hon. Roylan B. Barrett, Custos Rotulorum for the Parish of Trelawny stated the following: "The importance of immediately restoring these buildings lies not only in the preservation of the buildings from further decay and their historic architectural designs but also as a tribute to the hard work, dedication and determination of the people who built them in those periods, mainly slaves and the immediate descendants of slaves."

The first project was successfully complete and, by all measurable indicators, a success. A great amount of work was accomplished with a modest amount of money. Some of the accomplishments are tangible while others are not.

The tangible accomplishments are:
- fourteen houses were restored by the grant funds;
- at least eight houses repaired or restored by owners;
- 16 young men were trained in the art of historic house preservation and restoration;
- ten young persons from SDC Youth Service Volunteer Programme trained in the history of Falmouth;
- five young persons from Social Development Commission (SDC) Youth Service Volunteer Program   trained in the use of computers, typing, accounting practices and general office procedures;
- better housing conditions for some of the most disadvantaged citizens;
- international recognition of the Falmouth project;
- international ties with organizations such as the Smithsonian Institute and Colonial Williamsburg;
- Organization of American States (OAS) funding for the Falmouth pre feasibility study;
- OAS funding for the Trelawny Craft Training Program;
- Ohrstrom Foundation organized and paid for experts in the field of historic masonry repairs to visit   Falmouth to train local masons in this almost lost art and has pledged continuing support for the   preservation and restoration of small historic homes in Falmouth;
- private companies donated materials and provided discounts on purchased materials; and
- Ohrstrom Foundation provided funding for the project director.

The intangible accomplishments are:
- increased pride in the town by children and adults;
- more interest in historic aspects of the town by citizens, businesspersons and government officials;
- an increased sense, on the part of local citizens and Jamaicans in general, of a brighter future for   Falmouth;
- a better understanding by Jamaicans of the importance of preserving historic structures throughout the   island;
- and a true sense, by most Falmouth citizens, that the small-dilapidated historic houses can be turned
- into charming homes that one can feel proud of.

So far the project has been a resounding success and a vital first step in the development of Falmouth in an environmentally sensitive manner. The project has become the engine driving the progress of Falmouth. For example: 1) OAS visited Falmouth and toured the houses that have been restored. Their comments were very supportive and they have indicated that they are willing to assist us further; 2) Representatives from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) visited Falmouth. They were very much impressed by the Small House Project. The IDB has indicated their willingness to assist in Falmouth and we are looking forward to more dialogue with them; 3) Chris Ohrstrom has visited Falmouth numerous times and has been generous with his time and advice about the preservation and restoration of the historic buildings. As mentioned above, Chris, through the Ohrstrom Foundation, contributed funds to the project, organized and paid for experts in the field of historic masonry repairs to visit Falmouth to train local masons in this almost lost art and has pledge continuing support for the preservation and restoration of small historic homes in Falmouth.

However, we must keep moving forward and demonstrate to all that the citizens of Falmouth are serious about improving their environment and the town's business climate. We know that the key to sustainable development and improved environmental quality in Falmouth is community-based tourism. Falmouth boasts an architectural and cultural heritage that is unmatched in the Caribbean. This built heritage is the community's greatest asset for a sustainable tourism product that will bring jobs, an improved environment, new investments and enhanced living conditions for residents and thus must be preserved and protected.

The increase in tourists to the town will help alleviate poverty by creating new jobs for the community. Also, through improvements in water supply and sewage disposal brought about by the development of Falmouth as a tourist destination, the environmental quality and living conditions of the citizens will be improved.