Maria Islands Visits during the Closed Season
The Saint Lucia National Trust is deeply concerned about evidence of people visiting the Maria Islands Nature Reserve during the closed season which runs from April to September of each year. During a site visit to Maria Islands by representatives of the National Trust and the Department of Forestry, a bird was found tied to the root of a tree with a shoe lace. The inspection also found a number of nests that were robbed of their eggs, garbage along the trails, broken branches and foot prints in places that are out of bounds at all times. There was also evidence of significantly lower than normal nesting activity which could be the result of human interference.Director of the Trust, Bishnu Tulsie, says "the Maria Islands Nature Reserve is a critical component of Saint Lucia's biodiversity. As a result, he adds, we should all adhere to the rules and regulations governing their management and protection. Birds from around the world come to nest on the island on an annual basis and there are a wide variety of unique flora and fauna which are under legal protection".
Meantime, the Trust wishes to inform the public that visits to the Maria Islands Nature Reserve should only be undertaken under the supervision of its trained tour guides or officers of the Forestry Department.
The Saint Lucia National Trust held a meeting with the Marine Police in the south of the island and came to an agreement to increase patrols to, and monitoring of the reserve. The Trust calls on the public to support its efforts to protect the Maria Islands Nature Reserve by refraining from undertaking unsupervised visits and reporting any suspicious activity on the island to the Marine Police.
Bishnu Tulsie
Director
