COLE BAY–St. Maarten has no land-based protected areas. This has spurred Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC) foundation to launch a campaign to get government to formally establish one or more terrestrial protected areas and to protect green areas around the country.
The first campaign approach is a letter-writing campaign that called on residents and business owners to write government advocating for the protection of land-based areas. The second approach is an online petition available at www.change.org/p/protect-green-areas-of-st-maarten, to support the letter campaign.
Potential conservation areas are Zone 1: The mangroves of the Simpson Bay Lagoon, Zone 2: Ponds and Important Birding Areas (IBAs), Zone 3: Emilio Wilson Estate, Zone 4: Geneve-Back Bay and Zone 5: The hilltops above 200 metres. These areas have been suggested as conservation zones in several local and regional reports such as BEST’s Regional ecosystem profile – Caribbean Region (2016), St. Maarten Proposed Land Parks Management Plan (NFSXM, 2009) and in the Development Plans St. Maarten (2012).
Tourism is the main economic activity of St. Maarten. “As such, it is important that we maintain the beauty of the natural environment for this major economic reason,” said EPIC.
Conservation areas also increase the resilience of an ecosystem and ensure that it is better equipped to adapt and recover to a changing climate.
On a small island like St. Maarten, marine and terrestrial ecosystems are closely linked and must be considered in unison.
The Man of War Shoal National Marine Park was established in 2010 and is the first marine conservation area on St. Maarten. EPIC said while the establishment of the marine park has improved our marine resources, the establishment of land-based conservation areas will not only improve those land-based areas, but it would also reduce the runoff entering the ocean and marine park.
More information about the campaign can be had by e-mailing EPIC Project Coordinator Kippy Gilders via kippy@epicislands.org.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/75262-epic-campaigns-for-protected-areas
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