Last Remaining Mangrove Wetland in Barbados Disappearing,

[JohnyCanuck]

Investor claims it’s due to Unchecked Pollution and Government Inaction

A new environmental study sharply critical of the Government of Barbados shows the key Graeme Hall mangrove wetland is disappearing due to outside pollution and poor water quality.

The Graeme Hall wetland is the last remaining mangrove in Barbados — a red mangrove forest that has existed for no less than 1,300 years. It is the only wetland in Barbados recognized internationally under the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar). It acts as a Caribbean flyway stop for migratory birds between North and South America.

The extensive 800-page study ( http://www.graemehall.com/press/papers/Graeme%20Hall%20043010%20MEA.pdf ) prepared for the Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary by Environmental Engineering Consultants of Tampa, Florida shows the Sanctuary has suffered a 77 per cent reduction in salinity in the past ten years due to an inoperative government-run sluice gate. The huge reduction signals “an inevitable failure of the mangrove ecosystem” as freshwater flora and fauna take over.

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The original environmental investment was based on the area being protected as a brackish mangrove ecosystem.

“The study confirms that Government-controlled pollution is being dumped into the wetland. Despite our formal offers of technical and financial assistance to government, there has been no response. We can’t defend ourselves against pollution and environmental mismanagement outside our boundaries. Bird counts are down, crabs are disappearing, and we are seeing environmental degradation everywhere.”

http://bajanreporter.com/?p=11662

[KT2000]

1. So much damage is caused

by the loss of mangrove forests. This is very sad.
FYI: Info on people who are working on this:

http://mangroveactionproject.org/about/history