Sandwatch helps save Bahamas beaches
Hope Town Primary School in Hope Town, Abaco, Bahamas has been involved the UNESCO Sandwatch Project for over 10 years. The 60 students in this 116 year old historic, red and white school have been involved in many projects from creating brochures that teach reef etiquette on sustainable use of their famous patch reef to cutting a huge floating fishing net off their study area reef to writing a comic book for kids on what they can do to feel empowered about saving their environment. Their very popular, small, 6 mile long island has been struck by 3 major hurricanes since 1999 and the 4th hurricane, Hurricane Irene, just blew through at 115 mph with gusts up to 140 mph on August 25, 2011.
(L: Hope Town students pose with the net they cut off of their reef)
Sandwatch Country Co-ordinator, Mrs. Candace Key, who is also the Hope Town School Principal, is proud of the fact that the area where the school has done several of their UNESCO Sandwatch projects came through the strong storm in great shape! After the last hurricanes washed out much of the beach in front of the Hope Town Harbour Lodge Resort, which is the area they use as their project site, the students were instrumental in replanting the dunes ( that were pushed back up into place by beach bulldozers) with sea oats. Throughout the last 6-8 years the sea oats have matured and covered the dune well. When Hurricane Irene struck this August the dune held very well with no erosion! The school is very proud that their labours paid off.
The sea oats took a beating but they will be standing tall and proud again soon guarding their valuable dune. During another Sandwatch project, several students and a teacher swam out to the test site patch reef to remove a very large, green, floating fishing net which had settled over the fragile patch reef. The net was wedged on the reef and it took several students many hours to cut it off and drag it ashore. It was far too heavy to be moved and the resort manager suggested using it to hold sand in an area that was prone to erosion from heavy rain washouts. The students managed to drag it to the area where it has become mostly covered by sand but has greatly reduced any erosion in that area.
Throughout Hurricane Irene the green fishing net held the beach sand in that spot ! What once was a damage causing object was successfully turned into a useful environmental instrument. The students also planted sea oats on the property next to the resort. That property was sold and a very large house was built. In order to extend the property, the new owner plowed sand over the sea oats. Students protested and the owner promised to plant sea oats on the “extension”. It turned out that he planted a few and filled the rest of the area with the invasive, nuisance plant known as Hawaiian Sea Grape, which does not have the deep seated roots that sea oats have. During this storm, the whole beach in front of his house washed out! A lot of valuable environmental lessons were learned during this hurricane by Sandwatchers—young and old! Candace Key. Hope Town Primary School
Hope Town Primary School in Hope Town, Abaco, Bahamas has been involved the UNESCO Sandwatch Project for over 10 years. The 60 students in this 116 year old historic, red and white school have been involved in many projects from creating brochures that teach reef etiquette on sustainable use of their famous patch reef to cutting a huge floating fishing net off their study area reef to writing a comic book for kids on what they can do to feel empowered about saving their environment. Their very popular, small, 6 mile long island has been struck by 3 major hurricanes since 1999 and the 4th hurricane, Hurricane Irene, just blew through at 115 mph with gusts up to 140 mph on August 25, 2011.
(L: Hope Town students pose with the net they cut off of their reef)
Sandwatch Country Co-ordinator, Mrs. Candace Key, who is also the Hope Town School Principal, is proud of the fact that the area where the school has done several of their UNESCO Sandwatch projects came through the strong storm in great shape! After the last hurricanes washed out much of the beach in front of the Hope Town Harbour Lodge Resort, which is the area they use as their project site, the students were instrumental in replanting the dunes ( that were pushed back up into place by beach bulldozers) with sea oats. Throughout the last 6-8 years the sea oats have matured and covered the dune well. When Hurricane Irene struck this August the dune held very well with no erosion! The school is very proud that their labours paid off.
The sea oats took a beating but they will be standing tall and proud again soon guarding their valuable dune. During another Sandwatch project, several students and a teacher swam out to the test site patch reef to remove a very large, green, floating fishing net which had settled over the fragile patch reef. The net was wedged on the reef and it took several students many hours to cut it off and drag it ashore. It was far too heavy to be moved and the resort manager suggested using it to hold sand in an area that was prone to erosion from heavy rain washouts. The students managed to drag it to the area where it has become mostly covered by sand but has greatly reduced any erosion in that area.
Throughout Hurricane Irene the green fishing net held the beach sand in that spot ! What once was a damage causing object was successfully turned into a useful environmental instrument. The students also planted sea oats on the property next to the resort. That property was sold and a very large house was built. In order to extend the property, the new owner plowed sand over the sea oats. Students protested and the owner promised to plant sea oats on the “extension”. It turned out that he planted a few and filled the rest of the area with the invasive, nuisance plant known as Hawaiian Sea Grape, which does not have the deep seated roots that sea oats have. During this storm, the whole beach in front of his house washed out! A lot of valuable environmental lessons were learned during this hurricane by Sandwatchers—young and old! Candace Key. Hope Town Primary School
