Grand Bahama Island - The Bahamas Weekly presents a video  featuring Day 2 highlights of the International Explorer's Club Flag Expedition of mapping the reef system's around Peterson's Cay National Park, Grand Bahama Island. You will hear from the Expedition Leader and Marine Biologist, Dr. Stefan Harzen. This video was shot by Grand Bahamian resident, and award winning Canadian cinematographer, Paul Mockler.

Stay tuned to The Bahamas Weekly for upcoming interviews with the members of the Expedition Team.

Why Grand Bahama was chosen for this expedition:

The primary reason is that the lead researchers Dr. Stefan Harzen and Dr. Barbara Brunnick have conducted or participated in various research projects in The Bahamas for more than 10 years. As such they have extensive knowledge of Grand Bahama and its ecosystems having explored the underwater environment around the island on several previous trips.

The waters around Grand Bahama, like in most areas of the archipelago are particularly well suited to create maps of underwater habitats due to clear visibility. The site was chosen for two reasons: first, the reef is situated within an existing National Park and generating a detailed map provides direct and immediate benefits to those responsible for managing it. Secondly, the reef complex is large enough to be highly significant and small enough so it can be mapped in the time period available.

In order to carry out the highly detailed environmental mapping required by the GBPA Dr. Harzen and Dr. Brunnick developed their own biodiversity mapping system combing GIS technology with biodiversity software and ground-truthing for the first ever biodiversity mapping of this kind of a coral reef in The Bahamas and the wider Caribbean region, and possibly the first time that this biodiversity mapping has been carried out on a coral reef anywhere in the world. To further apply the biodiversity mapping technology developed by Dr. Harzen and Dr. Brunnick, DEVCO had the foresight to host this groundbreaking environmental project. Learn more about this exciting project:

www.BahamasExpeditions.org

The Explorers Club Flag Expedition Coming to Grand Bahama Island

Special thanks to cinematographer Paul Mockler for shooting and providing the footage, and to Kim Miller, of GBPA for a dynamic job coordinating everything.

Video edited by Dave Mackey at Mackeymedia.