OUR PROJECT
We want this project and its associated conservation tours to provide employment locally while raising money to fund projects like our turtle nesting surveys. We hope that once conservation ideology and funding start flowing into the community, more people will realise that it is important and financially beneficial for them to at least save some of their natural resources for the future.
OUR GOALS
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To protect and enhance Jamaica’s wildlife and environment through science, education and community involvement.
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To solicit, accept and use contributions of funds and other property for the support of our objectives.
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To periodically gather good nesting data on local endangered Hawksbill sea turtles in order to learn about the local population trends and their needs for survival so we can work towards protecting them and at least some of their habitat
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Put on educational tours, including a sea turtle tour. The money raised by doing theses tours goes to pay local people to both gather turtle data and do the tours, which in turn makes saving these animals financially worthwhile to the community
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Run a museum dealing with natural history and local issues, in order to make it easier for the community to find some of the information needed to make informed decisions.
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Plant trees such as sea grape, tulip and mangrove along the seaside to enhance turtle nesting habitat and help control erosion
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Keep the beaches clean by having occasional clean up days.
BACKGROUND
Jamaica is a beautiful country with an historically rich multicultural heritage but rarely do you hear about her threatened wildlife resources. Jamaica's wildlife and wild places are being squeezed from all sides. The wealthy want to develop the shoreline by replacing its wild places with resorts that exclude the local people while so many of the less wealthy struggle to squeeze a living out of ever decreasing natural resources. Not all have the luxury of being able to worry about the survival of the fish, turtles or crocodiles but need to concentrate on how to best catch what is left to feed their families and send their kids to school.