A call goes out from the Prime Minister to chief environment office Diane blacklayne to DCA head mr SOUTHWELL and all other decision makers to protect the frigate bird colony of Barbuda and the environment. May 6, 2014 Honorable Baldwin Spencer Prime Minister Antigua and Barbuda, West Indies Honorable Spencer, We are a professor and PhD candidate from the University of New Brunswick, and have been studying Magnificent Frigatebirds breeding on Barbuda for many years (Tony’s study was conducted in the 1970s, and Sarah’s ongoing work began in 2008). We are writing in opposition to the planned cottage development at Cedar Tree Point, Barbuda. We understand that unapproved clearing of vegetation along the beach has already begun, which raises several concerns, outlined below. Cedar Tree Point is a highly sensitive area of ecological importance. It falls within the boundaries of Codrington Lagoon National Park, created in March 2005, because “it has been designated by national and international agencies as a biological diversity hotspot which is under threat from pollution and a variety of man-made as well as natural disasters” (Codrington Lagoon National Park brochure). The area has also been designated as Antigua and Barbuda’s only Ramsar site—a wetland of international importance for migratory waterbirds. At the centre of the Ramsar philosophy is the “wise use” concept, which prioritizes the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands and their resources. Ramsar Contracting Parties, or Member States (i.e., Antigua and Barbuda), have therefore made commitments to the wise use of their wetlands through national land-use planning, and appropriate policies and legislation, management actions, and public education that maintain the ecological integrity of their Ramsar-designated wetlands. In addition to these local and international recognitions of the importance of conservation of this site, BirdLife International has also assigned Codrington Lagoon as an Important Bird Area, assigning it as globally important habitat for the conservation of bird populations. This importance, in part, is attributed to the largest breeding colony of Magnificent Frigatebirds in the Caribbean, at roughly 2,500 pairs, which rely on the mangroves of Codrington Lagoon for nesting habitat. The proposed cabins are just over half a mile away from the frigatebirds nesting habitat—much too close for comfort. The proposed development puts this very critical lagoon habitat and the species living there at risk. The first, major risk associated with the development at cedar Tree Point comes from the clearing of mangroves and other vegetation. The roots of mangroves and shrubs have a stabilising effect on the structural integrity of beaches, so that sand is not eroded away by wind and waves. This phenomenon is well known on Barbuda, which exports sand used to replace that washed out to sea at other resort locations! Clearing the beach and increasing erosion risk therefore puts the closed lagoon ecosystem in jeopardy. Of primary concern is maintenance of the suitability of breeding habitat for the frigatebirds, which could be compromised if too much vegetation is cleared from the outside border of the lagoon. Additional risks to the frigatebird colony could stem from helicopter traffic or road development, which could come at the cost of noise and behavioural changes to the birds that drive them off their nests and lead to nest failure. There being no road to the site, access presumably would be by either boat or helicopter; if the latter, major disturbance to the frigatebird colony would be hard to avoid. This could result in the frigatebirds, which are a major tourist draw on Barbuda, in relocating to a more suitable nesting area; it is not clear whether there is an alternative site for them on Barbuda. Clearing mangroves and potential filling of ponds surrounding Cedar Tree Point to make the beach more attractive for tourists comes with other costs to many migratory and resident bird species relying on the lagoon habitat. A diversity of species including warblers, herons, boobies, terns, gulls, osprey, stilts, gallinules, and pelicans rely on the lagoon for nesting and foraging, and the ponds near the Cedar Tree include important habitat for the endangered West Indian Whistling Duck. A large conservation problem for this species is loss of wetland habitats by the cutting of mangroves, a problem already exacerbated by the project under current discussion. There are already abandoned or failed resort facilities on Barbuda, and to put another one right next door to the islands main ecological tourist attraction seems like a very bad idea, both environmentally and economically. We urge decision makers on Antigua and Barbuda not to approve this development, as the potential costs to critical habitat, ecotourism, and sustainability outweigh any potential short-term economic gains. With hope, Tony Diamond, Professor of Biology and Forestry, University of New Brunswick Sarah Trefry, PhD Candidate in Biology, University of New Brunswick
Posted on: Tue, 06 May 2014 18:51:09 +0000
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