SIMPSON BAY–Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC) will host a community meeting to discuss the results of the first phase of a study to assess the economic value of our remaining wetlands on Thursday, July 27, from 6:00pm to 7:30pm at the Philipsburg Jubilee Library. The aim of the meeting is also to get feedback from the public about how things used to be, how the changes have affected life on St. Maarten, and what people think is important about our remaining wetlands.
The wetlands of St. Maarten take the shape of ponds, lagoons, mangroves and coral reefs. Development in the past few decades has resulted in an extreme loss of our wetland areas and a decrease in the size of those that remain.
“But, what does that mean for us? Surely removing mangroves and filling in ponds and lagoons to create more land for development is good for our economy? Simply put, it is not that simple,” said EPIC in a press statement.
The public is invited by EPIC to attend the meeting to discuss the economic importance of the wetlands, the changes which they have undergone and how we can work to protect them in the future.
The project “Economic Valuation of St. Maarten’s Remaining Wetlands – Phase I” is made possible via the financial support of the Prince Bernhard Cultural Funds Caribbean.
For more information, e-mail: kippy@epicislands.org or www.epicislands.org.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/67846-community-meeting-on-cost-of-losing-wetlands
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