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Grenada

Bathway Beach

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Conservation benefit: Installation of interpretive materials to promote protection of leatherback turtles

Date Approved: 07.2010

Grenada has one of the largest nesting populations of critically endangered leatherback turtles in the Caribbean. These sea turtles–the biggest in the world–nest on Levera and Bathway beaches, located in 450-acre Levera National Park. Every year thousands of people visit the nesting beaches, along the island’s northern coastline, to see the turtles. The influx of visitors has had some unwelcome results such as littering, noise pollution, and physical interference with the animals. In response, the Fisheries Division passed new rules to help protect the habitat and nesting turtles. It has also allocated space in the Levera National Park Office, at Bathway Beach, for an interpretative and staging area for tours and visitors to the park.

Seacology is providing funds to Ocean Spirits, a local NGO, to buy, construct, and install a variety of interpretive display materials. They will house the materials at the turtle interpretation center in the park office building. This center will relieve some of the pressures on the beaches, especially during the nesting season.

Project Updates

May 2012

The center was officially launched September 28, 2011. The brief launch ceremony was attended by a host of government officials, among them the Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, officials from local NGOs, and members of the surrounding communities. A final report for the project was received in May 2012.

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September 2011

The activities for this project were completed this month. The project took a bit longer to complete than was originally anticipated, as there were a number unforeseen activities that had to be undertaken. These included cutting an internal doorway to integrate the General Bathway Interpretation space and the BSTEC, and repainting the affected areas; laying a brick walkway to provide safer and easier access to the BSTEC; and installation of 110-volt outlets in the BSTEC for use with new equipment. The project also included the acquisition of display pieces and office furniture.

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