Service Organizations
Bahamas Ntl Trust seeks 5 new parks on San Salvador
By Bahamas National Trust
May 25, 2014 - 9:41:36 PM

BNT Seeks Creation of Five New National Parks on San Salvador - The Bahamas National Trust (BNT) is working with the Living Jewels Foundation, which is a local non-governmental agency in San Salvador, to expand the national park system in San Salvador by five new parks. Jermaine Johnson, the BNT’s education officer in San Salvador, has made a number of presentations at various schools on the island about the proposed national parks and recently took high school students on a tour of the areas. (Photo: BNT)

San Salvador, Bahamas – The Bahamas National Trust (BNT) is working with the San Salvador Living Jewels Foundation, a local conservation organisation in San Salvador, to expand the National Parks System to include five areas in San Salvador. Two of these sites are Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) Key Biodiversity Areas; Grahams Harbour and Cays, and the Southern Great Lake, important for nesting migratory seabirds, and are habitats for the critically endangered San Salvador Rock Iguana.

Jermaine Johnson, the BNT’s Education Officer in San Salvador, has made a number of presentations at various schools on the island about the proposed national parks, and more recently, took students from The San Salvador Central High School on a tour, to provide more insight into the ecosystems in The Bahamas, and especially San Salvador. Nicole Brown of the Caribbean Regional Implementation Team also participated in the tour during her visit, where all were able to learn more about the various plants and animals found within the proposed park sites.

BNT Tour Teaches Students About Proposed National Parks- BNT Education Officer, Jermaine Johnson gave high school students a tour of the proposed national parks after a school presentation. The tour provided more insight into the ecosystems in The Bahamas, and especially San Salvador. Additionally, they learned more about the various plants and animals at the proposed parks. Johnson exclaimed, “Riveting is how I would describe the tours, as the kids were so intrigued about getting to see all of the things that they were taught about weeks before in the classroom. It’s awesome when turtles greet the students as if saying ‘yes please help to protect me!’” (Photo: BNT)

Johnson exclaimed, “Riveting is how I would describe the tours, as the kids were so intrigued about getting to see all of the things that they were taught about weeks before in the classroom. It’s awesome when turtles greet the students as if saying ‘yes please help to protect me!’”

In addition to presenting to students in San Salvador, the BNT has held meetings with fishermen, community leaders, Senior Government officials, local Government representatives, and business owners. The five areas in San Salvador which are proposed national parks are Southern Great Lake, Pigeon Creek & Snow Bay, Grahams Harbour, West Coast Dive Sites and Green’s Bay.

The CEPF Caribbean islands programme is supporting the BNT's efforts to strengthen the legal protection status of these important areas. To learn more about the proposed national parks for San Salvador, visit BNT’S website at http://www.bnt.bs/_m1s893/Proposed-parks/San-Salvador-protected-areas.

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