By Natalia Collier | Program Director
While seabird populations around the world have gone down dramatically in recent decades, there is still hope for these remarkable birds. A new multi-year project will restore habitat at two key nesting sites in the Grenadines islands. By reducing threats like invasive species, these important bird areas can continue to rebuild seabird populations.
This goal is to compensate for losses to certain species impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. With funding from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration trust, we have been able to hire three residents of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to carry out this restoration work as well as educational outreach.
Outreach efforts will reach thousands of people, sharing with the public how important seabirds are for ecosystems health. For example, did you know that coral reefs near seabird colonies grow back faster due to the nutrients from bird guano? Seabirds also help fisherfolk to find good spots to cast their lines, providing an important service for this traditional way of life.
Ultimately, we are aiming to increase public support for protecting seabirds and their habitats, which are also home to threatened endemic species like the Pink Rhino Iguana. In addition, we will work with our citizen scientists to monitor how the nesting colonies respond to restoration efforts, increasing their skills and knowledge in the process.
The local Forestry department is a major partner in this effort. The Director of Forestry, Mr. Fitzgerald Providence, notes "Many people may not be aware of this, but the Grenadines includes internationally important ‘bird areas’. It is incumbent that we do our part in preserving these ecosystems and the services that they afford us for future generations.”
We look forward to sharing updates on this work. Your support of citizen scientists is a crucial part of this long-term effort to take care of our natural world. These volunteers are the thread that tie together various projects. They are there, year after year, keeping an eye on nesting sites and serving as advocates in their communities. Thank you for supporting their work!
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By Natalia Collier | Program Director
By Natalia Collier | Program Director
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