The Woburn-Calivigny Marine Protected Area, which extends between Woburn and Calivigny Bays, contains the largest intact mangrove ecosystem in Grenada. The mangroves provide critical habitat and erosion protection over three miles of coastline. The area is an important nursery for commercial fish species. It provides nesting, roosting, and feeding areas for resident and migratory birds. It is also habitat for native iguanas, snakes, and a variety of terrestrial wildlife. The area has been officially protected since 2001.
Hurricane Ivan damaged these mangrove areas in 2004. The Woburn Woodlands Development Organization (WWDO), with community members, another local NGO, and the national Forestry Department, has begun to restore these areas. They have also begun programs to clean up litter and promote awareness of mangroves to local and national audiences.
WWDO will ensure the protection of the three miles of mangrove coastline in perpetuity. Seacology is joining this effort by funding two viewing platforms, four species identification panels, and two general information signs. These ongoing mangrove awareness efforts are more important than ever, as increasing numbers of tourists flock to the region.
