| Reef Fund, DECR to co-manage Blue Flag Beaches |
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| Thursday, 09 June 2011 12:19 | |||
 The Turks and Caicos Reef Fund and the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources announced June 7 that the Reef Fund will take over administrative responsibilities for the Blue Flag Programme. The Blue Flag Programme requires strict criteria dealing with water quality, environmental education and information, environmental management, and safety and other services. The Blue Flag is a voluntary eco-label awarded to more than 3,450 beaches and marinas in 41 countries across Europe, South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, New Zealand, Brazil, Canada and the Caribbean. Three beaches in the TCI have flown the Blue Flag for the past three years — Governor’s Beach and Cruise Center Beach on Grand Turk and the Bight Children’s Park Beach on Providenciales. The Reef Fund will be responsible for administering the programme while DECR will test the water quality and monitor of the beaches which fly the Blue Flag. DECR will financially support the program for a period of not less than three years. “The Blue Flag flying over these three beaches reinforces the Beautiful by Nature message we send to all visitors and potential visitors to these islands,” said DECR Director Wesley Clerveaux. TCRF plans to work with the local hotels to expand the Blue Flag beaches on Providenciales and other islands of the TCI. “We are excited to take on this programme and will be working diligently to build on the work done by DECR to expand it to include many of the beaches in the TCI,” said TCRF Chairman Don Stark. The Blue Flag Programme is owned and run by the independent non-profit organization Foundation for Environmental Education. Founded in 2010, TCRF is a volunteer-run organization that provides funding for education, research and conservation programs to individuals, organizations and agencies that help to preserve and protect the marine environment of the TCI. More than 85 percent of all funds raised through voluntary contributions from divers and snorkelers visiting the TCI are directed to the fund’s programs. For more information, www.blueflag.org or www.tcreef.org.
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TCI Protected Areas Series
The fp is publishing a series of articles on the Turks and Caicos Islands Protected Area System to increase public awareness and respect for the beauty and value of this "beautiful by nature" country.
The authors, marine ecologist Marsha Pardee and terrestrial ecologist Kathleen Wood, are long-time TCI residents and respected scientists in their fields.
Below are links to their articles, plus related news articles, documents and laws.
- 29/7/10: Chalk Sound National Park: Beauty and ecology
- 22/7/10: Protected Areas designations and differences
- 15/7/10: Long-term prosperity vs. short-term gain
- 8/7/10: Protected Areas save environment, generate revenue
- 5/8/10: Frenchman’s Creek: Prime real estate of TCI wetlands
Related news articles
- 1/7/10: Expert report warned about encroachment on protected areas
- 8/7/10: More than 250 lots carved in Provo parks
Links to environmental documents and laws