The Department of Environment and Martime Affairs (DEMA) had sponsored an Essay Writing Content in connection with the 2012 Conch Festival. The theme of the essay writing contest is QUEEN CONCH: PRESERVING A TCI TRADITION FOR THE FUTURE. High School students through the Turks and Caicos Islands were invited to participate in the contest. The Director of DEMA, Mrs. Kathleen Wood, had announced the results of the contest as follows:
First Place: Tyra Alexein S. Zaguirre (Holy Family Academy Catholic School), Second Place: Monique Green, Rashana Capron and Angulique Pereira (Maranatha High School), Third Place: Jasmine Robinson (Marjorie Basden High School). The cash prizes were donated by SWA (Simon Wood and Associates).

DEMA has established two Native Plant Biodiversity Conservation Nurseries in North Caicos and Providenciales, and several native plant gardens have been established, supplied by these nurseries. Plants grown from rescued material have been planted in the Lower Bight Park’s Botanical Garden, in schoolyards, and along roads. The Science Club of Raymond Gardiner High School on North Caicos has begun planting out native and endemic plants at the Flamingo Pond Overlook for site beautification. The Turks & Caicos National Museum Foundation was awarded funding to install a Botanical and Cultural Garden on Grand Turk. Plants from the nurseries have been planted in the garden and fully tagged and interpreted. The garden has become a popular tourist stop on Grand Turk. Invasive plants are removed from these sites as well, and replaced with native species.

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His Excellency the Governor DAMIAN RODERIC TODD, upon recommendation of the Ministry of Environment and Home Affairs (MEHA), the Department of Environment and Maritime Affairs (DEMA) and the Fisheries Advisory Committee (FAC), had announced the Fisheries Protection (Lobster) (Close Season) (No. 2) Order 2012. This Order comes into operation on 1st August 2012. The close season in relation to crawfish, for the current year, shall end on 14 August 2012. The close season for crawfish for the year 2013 shall commence on 15 April 2013. The Fisheries Protection (Lobster) (Close Season) Order 2012 is revoked.

Mr. Peter Osborn visited the Turks and Caicos Islands on March 13-27, 2011. He spent two weeks on Provo, North and Middle Caicos in March last year and listed the birds that he saw. He primarily came to TCI to visit a friend but he managed to list the birds that he saw. While in North Caicos he spent a day with the bird identification-guru of TCI, Mr. Bryan Manco.

Peter is scheduled to visit the TCI again on July 2012, hoping to see more birds. In his email to the the DEMA Bird Monitoring Coordinator, Peter noted various activities in TCI that aims to promote the conservation of birds and management. The TCI's Department of Environment and Maritime Affairs (DEMA) supports bird conservation and enhancement of habitat, in order to enhance the eco-tourism (bird watching) value of the Islands. The Turks and Caicos National Museum (TCNM), the UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum (UKOTCF),the Turks and Caicos Environmental Club and the Turks and Caicos National Trust (TCNT) are engaged in scores of activities that promote bird conservation and bird watching. The Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds (SCSCB) is extending various kinds of assitance to TCI towards bird conservation and preservation of bird habitats.

On Sunday March 25th 2012, an 18 inch (1 ½ foot) long snake was observed on Governor’s Beach at which time it was subsequently attacked by individuals cleaning the beach. As a result, the snake sustained severe wounds to its mid-section and died before it was brought into the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR) Grand Turk office, for species identification on Monday March 26th 2012.
The dead snake has now been identified as a Corn Snake (Pantherophis guttatus guttatus), the second such confirmed sighting and capture since this snake was first found on Grand Turk in 2009. There have also been recent reported sightings of snakes along other sections of the island such as Breezy Brae. Additionally, portions of snake skin were found three (3) weeks ago on the grounds of the Jags McCartney International Airport. The Corn Snake has been sent to DECR’s Providenciales office for further examination, along with the snake skin for species identification.

The Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR) is proud to announce the recipient of the first annual Mark Crick Environmental Sustainability Award to Helena Jones Robinson High School in Grand Turk.

A juvenile white ibis Eudocinus albus was seen by the DECR’s Bird monitoring team last week (Feb 3, 2012) at Wheeland Pond, Providenciales. This is believed to the first recorded sighting of this species in TCI. The bird is common in the south-eastern United States. The habitat of this species is mangrove, salt and brackish water ponds. They feed by probing their curved beaks in mud for small invertebrates. This bird often wanders out of range and can be approachable, tending to walk away rather than fly. This bird was seen to walk around the wetlands with other birds like little blue heron (as seen in the picture below).

The UK's DFID has put out the attached call for proposals to develop a CC program for all OTs based on the success of the ECACC
program. The project manager (technical matters) will be Christine Roehrer in DFID Overseas Territories Department.

The Director of the DECR, Mr. Wesley Clerveaux, is pleased to annoucen the successful completion of the CARIBSAVE Climate Change Risk Atlas (CCCRA) Phase I. Links to electronic copies of the final drafts of the ‘CCCRA Country Profile’ and the ‘Summary Document’ for Turks & Caicos Islands are given.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has confirmed that small, low-lying coastal developing states like the Turks & Caicos Islands are the most vulnerable to global climate change, and accompanying sea level rise. Responding to climate change risks (adaptation) is therefore important and demands the attention of all key stakeholders.

The Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR) will conduct series of field activities in support to the International Migratory Bird Day which is celebrated during the second week of October.This activity will be done hand-in-hand with the collection of target plant species in connection with the DECR’s joint project on Seed Collection with UK’s Royal Botanic Garden Kew Millennium Seed bank project and JNCC’s Rescue and Collection of Endemic and Endangered Plant Species project.

In an effort to make the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) enjoyable to live in (free from worries that our love ones may be poisoned or may touch dangerous plants), the Department of Environment & Coastal Resources have conducted a research on poisonous and injurious plants in the Territory, and have discovered that many of the familiar ornamental plants in our backyards, public places and parks, hotels and restaurants, and schools which are imported are considered dangerous and poisonous. This is of serious concern to the Department, and the DECR will run a series of press releases to inform and sensitize the public of the potential harmful effects of some of these imported plants.
The first in the series is Nerium oleander L. (N. indicum Mill.) that belongs to family Apocynaceae. It is known by the different names such as Adelfa, Alhelí Extranjero, Laurier Rose, Oleander, ‘Oliwa, ‘Oleana, ‘Olinana, Rosa Laurel, Rose Bay, Rosa Francesa.

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A bird spotted at Mangrove Cay located within the Princess Alexandra Nature Reserve has stirred discussions among professional members of the Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds (SCSCB).

The UK's Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) has approved two (2) project proposals from the DECR, (1) Nassau grouper assessment and (2) Endemic and endangered plant species collection.

For more information, please contact the DECR.

The Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR)is coordinating the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CBEF) and the International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD).
The activities the following:
1. Bird monitoring/bird watching/eco-walk
2. Mangrove (red mangrove) planting
3. Poster Making & slogan contest for students
4.Photo contest - (must be taken in the wetlands)

For more details, please contact the DECR and look for Dr. Eric F. Salamanca (Coordinator) at Telephone 941-5122 or send an email to ericfsalamanca@gmail.com.

WANTED DEAD NOT ALIVE

The RBG Kew had secured froms from OTEP to digitise all the plant material held at Kew. For more information please click the link below.
http://dps.plants.ox.ac.uk/bol/tci

The Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR) would like to remind the general public and companies that applications and renewals for operating commercially within the National Parks, Turks and Caicos Islands begin on June 01st 2010. All operators are reminded to ensure that their establishment/Vessels are licensed for the upcoming season July 1st, 2010.

An ordinance to protect the Marine Environment by minimising intentional and negligent discharges of pollutants into the marine environment of the Turks and Caicos Isladns (TCI).