Turtle conservation field station commissioned at Almond Beach

Turtle conservation efforts here have been further strengthened with the commissioning of a field station at Almond Beach in Region One on May14.

The field station is outfitted with Internet service, solar power supply, and a library; and training will be provided in conservation strategies and ICT. A multi-purpose guest house is also currently under construction, which can be used to accommodate visitors to the beach, workshops, and function as a hub for the One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) project.

These were made possible through funding from Eerepami Rainforest Foundation, which received contributions from youths in Germany, the Government Information News Agency (GINA) reported. During the commissioning ceremony, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds indicated that he was appointed a Patron of the Guyana Marine Turtle Conservation Society (GMTCS), after calls were made for a mining minister to become involved because persons were mining the sea shellwhich is abundant along the beach.

Hinds noted that Guyana is at an early stage of development. He was making reference to the number of Direct TV dishes in Mabaruma, which he said indicated that Guyanese are aware of developments worldwide. He noted that exposure to the world via the television creates potential for contradictions, particularly by the youths who want to have similar material lives.

PM Hinds explained that, in an urge to develop rapidly, there may be temptations to do things. For instance, harvesting natural resources in a way that may not be sustainable, which can result in problems the world now faces with climate change. In recognition of this, the need arises for the establishment of partnerships with more developed countries. This has resulted in the formulation of the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).

“We in Guyana, while we are small, we have to develop ourselves as best we could, and develop partnerships with people in other parts of the world,” the prime minister stated. He added: “If we are a part of the world, we must feel challenged to match other people in the world, and focus on what we do… for instance, providing a good tourism product.”

According to Hinds, other developmental activities are ongoing in Guyana, including the OLPF project which aims at advancing the lives of Guyanese through access and use of technology. Co- Patron of GMTCS, Dr Peter Pritchard, gave recognition to the efforts of stakeholders (the community), which he said are an indication of their care for the turtles and protected areas of Guyana, Almond Beach in particular. He noted that, since his arrival in 1964, there have been significant efforts to make sure the beach is properly developed.

Chair of GMTCS Board, Dr Raquel Thomas, noted that the organization’s efforts have been recognized by government, and it has received support through education awareness and development in protected area. She added that GMTCS has worked with the community during 2010 in determining its delineation potential for Shell Beach.

Thomas emphasized that, while protected areas focus on biodiversity, focus must also be placed on the people dwelling in the area. The project has received support from organizations including the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), SOL, Flora and Fauna International (FFI), Amerindian Affairs Ministry, and Conservation International (CI).

Representative of Eerepami Rainforest Foundation, Robert Spitzer, explained that sea turtles have been in existence for hundreds of years. However, there have been over 100 years of careless activities, including over-harvesting, which have brought a variety of sea turtles to the brink of extinction. In this regard, conservation is critical, since it protects the turtles. He noted that the existence of the turtles is important for the stability of the marine ecosystem by maintaining fish populations.

Vice-chairman of Region One, Paul Pierre, commended the community for its steadfastness in ensuring marine turtle conservation becomes a successful project in Region One. He emphasized that, in all the communities in Region One, there are visible signs of development.

Pierre made reference to some of the developments, which include the success of the road projects, 60 miles of road which allows access to communities which were not previously connected; construction of new schools; progress in agriculture, and improved health care via roving doctors.

Apart from the presence of the turtles, Almond Beach is well known for its abundance of coconuts, which provide investment opportunities and have the potential to materialize others. Students from schools within the region are also afforded the opportunity to partake in marine ecology sessions. Guyana is home to four of the world’s eight known sea turtle species: the Leatherback, Green, Hawksbill and the Olive Ridley, which are endangered species. These turtles visit Shell Beach, a 90-mile stretch of beach located in the Northwestern region of Guyana, to lay their eggs.