We have high hopes that the Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary (GHNS) which was recently put up for sale, will be restored as a functioning ecosystem. Here are some points about the GHNS that are worth noting. The first is that it is the largest wetland in Barbados and the only significant area of red mangroves. It is home to a considerable amount of the limited biodiversity that we have on this small island. It is used by migratory birds and has been designated a Significant Bird Area by Birdlife International.
The Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary comprises 40 per cent of the larger wetland known as Graeme Hall Swamp. The Government of Barbados owns the rest. The entire area is a single wetland ecosystem. It was designated a Natural Heritage Conservation Area in the 2023 Physical Development Plan under the Barbados System of Parks and Protected Areas. In 2006 the entire area was also designated as a Wetland of International Importance under The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. Barbados is a signatory to the Ramsar Convention, Ramsar designation is not easy to get, and delisting would be a stain on Barbados’ international reputation.
These designations place significant constraints on what can be done within the area. While much remains to be done to operationalise Graeme Hall Swamp Natural Heritage Conservation Area as a fully-fledged conservation area, the interministerial committee established to pursue this is making steady progress. The wetland has experienced many negative impacts over the years, including a deluge of sewage when the South Coast Sewage Treatment Plant failed in 2005. This now seems to be under control, and the swamp is recovering slowly.
The Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary was the vision of Canadian lawyer and entrepreneur Peter Allard, who bought it in the 1990s and developed it into a popular attraction for visitors and locals. It was self-sustaining until it had to be closed due to the sewage impacts. Allard saw the potential for it to be rehabilitated and reopened. He was helping The Land Conservancy (TLC) Barbados to become established as a leading ecosystem conservation organization that could ensure that the GHNS endured when he sadly died of an accident in 2022. The GHNS then passed to his estate and now we see it up for sale.
We at TLC remain committed to ensuring that Allard’s legacy is sustained and to ensuring that the GHNS stays as an essential component of the Graeme Hall Natural Heritage Conservation Area and the Ramsar Convention site as currently designated. We urge potential buyers to take note of the Ramsar and Physical Development Plan designations and consider the implications for what they may wish to use the area for. We also urge the Government of Barbados, if it cannot acquire the area, to stand firm defending these designations and in the commitments made in international fora to be a leader in climate change mitigation, despite our small size, and to be a champion for the conservation of mangroves and other wetlands. The Land Conservancy Barbados will do its utmost to defend these values and Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary.
The Land Conservancy Barbados
