Don’t let more than half of Graeme Hall Swamp go unprotected

The Land Conservancy Barbados compliments Mr Anthony DaSilva and the Barbados Wetland Trust on the restoration of Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary. This is a big step forward in wetland conservation in Barbados. It will be a big plus for Barbadians and visitors.

While we rejoice in this happening, it is worth noting that the Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary is only part (about 38 per cent) of the overall Graeme Hall Swamp wetland that was designated by Ramsar. The rest, which is owned by the Government of Barbados, remains at high risk unless steps are taken to protect it. The entire Graeme Hall Swamp is one ecosystem and needs to be managed as such. If the past abuses of the government-owned part should reoccur, Mr DaSilva’s work may be undone as the Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary and the government-owned part are hydrologically and ecologically linked, so that what happens in one will impact the other.

The entire swamp has been isolated from the sea for several years now and is losing its coastal brackish characteristics. Both GHNS and the government are being impacted by this loss of connection. The connection to the sea must be established to allow seawater into the swamp and along with it the fishes and other animals that can thrive in a brackish system.

In our view, Mr DaSilva’s efforts underscore the importance of conserving the entire Graeme Hall Swamp. He has done his part. The rest is now in the hands of the government which has a long-established Graeme Hall Swamp Management Committee. However, as long as the Graeme Hall Swamp was the primary option for discharging sewage in the event of a plant failure, there was not much the Committee could do. When the tertiary sewage treatment plant at Graeme Hall is built, the threat to the Swamp will be much reduced. It is time to revitalise the Graeme Hall Swamp Management Committee and work on the long-term sustainability of the entire swamp.

The Land Conservancy Barbados