The Bahamas National Trust (BNT) and Audubon have teamed up to make things better for shorebirds in The Bahamas. Fifteen (15) Andros students from Fresh Creek Primary and Central Andros High participated in a Shorebird Immersion Camp at FORFAR Field Station facilitated by Director of Education, Portia Sweeting, Science Officer, Predensa Moore and BNT Warden Wavell Hanna.
The students learned about the coastal ecosystem which provides the foraging and nesting habitat for many shorebirds, acquired shorebird identification skills, as well as shorebird monitoring protocols. Classroom sessions on shorebird identification and invasive species were combined with field experience as the students visited the rocky shore and collected specimens to be examined at the wet lab at the station and conducted point counts and sites along the shore.
Students discussed how The Bahamas should deal with issues that threaten shorebirds such as coastal pollution and invasive plant species, such as the casuarina, by participating in a role-playing exercise where they assumed the roles of government ministers and conservation agencies.
The BNT will continue working with the students to increase their skills so that they can support monitoring efforts for species such as the endangered piping plover (Charadrius melodus). Recent surveys indicate that The Bahamas may be one of the most important wintering areas for this critically endangered species.
The Bahamas National Trust was created by an Act of Parliament in 1959 to build and manage the national park system of the Bahamas. Possibly the only non-governmental organization in the world charged with such a responsibility the TRUST, as it is commonly known works daily to conserve and protect the natural resources of The Bahamas, through stewardship and education for present and future generations. If you are interested in more information about the Bahamas National Trust and how you can get involved visit www.bnt.bs or like their Facebook page (Bahamas National Trust).