fp Turks and Caicos

If you care about the environment and are looking for a way to help protect it, then mark Aug. 5 on your calendar.

Created to get more people involved in helping to protect the vast unique environment of the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Environmental Club is looking for dedicated people with an interest in the environment who would like to volunteer their time and energy in any way, shape or form.

Chaired by the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR) flora and fauna expert Bryan Naqqui Manco, the club met for the first time last month to discuss forward thinking ideas and initiatives that would call on the assistance of dedicated environmental activists from around the islands to assist in the many projects aimed to protect the land and marine environment of the TCI.

Scientific Officer and marine specialist Marlin Hibbert spoke on the importance of protecting the reefs and the need for reef monitoring and scientific scuba diving groups to assess and where possible to mitigate reef damage, coral bleaching, lionfish invasion and pollution.

Hibbert also spoke about creating a marine garden which essentially is enhancing and adding to existing marine plants.

The mission of the club is “to increase awareness and involvement of residents and visitors as stakeholders of TCI’s ecosystems and environment.”

The Environmental Club would like to see:

• More lectures and discussions about TCI-related environmental issues, especially from international researchers.
• Concentrate and focus more on the promotion of native crafts, cuisine, underwater photography, etc, with workshops and interactive participation throughout the islands.
• More clean-up events and greater awareness programs for keeping the islands clean.
• Sub groups formed with special interests like raising orchids, cacti, chicken farming, bird watching, counting and monitoring.

The club is also looking for assistance from anyone who feels they can hold a workshop on a special interest.

Some ideas include:

• Teaching young children about the environment or simply how to swim and snorkel.
• Demonstrating the art of how to press flowers.
• Leading a nature walk or give a talk on global warming, energy conservation, pollution or changing weather patterns.
• Locating grants, raising funds or holding fundraising parties which are vital and necessary in helping many of these worthwhile projects get off the ground.

If you are interested, call the DECR at 941-5122, or come along on first Thursday in every month to the DECR centre in Provo.

Environmental Club Goals

• Revive and continue more aggressively the initiatives and goals formulated by the “Beautiful Bush Working Group” whose aim was to conserve and protect the TCI’s unique natural terrestrial ecosystems.
• As development moves in and clears large tracts of land, it is important to monitor the impact on fragile plants and bushes and diligently work towards “minimum impact” by protecting, conserving and replanting many of the various species.
• The Caicos Pine Recovery Project is essential to reestablish the national tree of the Turks and Caicos free of detrimental disease.
• The object of “Native Plant Recovery” is setting up a Plant Biodiversity Conservation Nursery for endangered and endemic species.
• Identification of various species of birds from around the Islands.