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Protected Areas Division
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Our National Parks are protected under the law in the Turks and Caicos Islands National Park Ordinance (1989). This ordinance establishes regulations for four different categories of Protected Area:
National Park: Ecosystem and biological conservation with recreation as a primary secondary goal.
Nature Reserve: Ecosystem and biological conservation with recreation as a low-key secondary goal
Sanctuary: For the protection of the natural ecology, or animal or plant, and the avoidance of disturbance of the area by people.
Area of Historic Interest: For the purpose of protecting an area or object of historical interest.
National Park Nomenclature - Each park is given a number and each site plan is also labeled as to it’s status; NP for National Park, NR-Nature Reserve, S-Sanctuary and HA- Area of Historic Interest. NP1, for example, is the site plan designation for Admiral Cockburn Land and Sea National Park and S23 is the designation for the Big Sand Cay Sanctuary.
Park Wardens - The Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands appoints Park Wardens under the National Parks Ordinance. The Park Wardens and Fisheries Conservation Officers of the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources are Park Wardens under the Act. Police Officers can also act as Park Wardens and are authorized under the Ordinance.
DECR’s Fisheries Division and Protected Areas Division work closely with the Department of Economics, Planning, & Statistics (DEPS), the Planning Department, other government agencies and NGOs to protect our National Parks from uncontrolled development and other threats.
Where are the Protected Areas?
 CAICOS BANKS |
| S-24 |
French, Bush and Seal Cays Sanctuary |
| HA-31 |
Molasses Reef Wreck Area of Historical Interest |
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Little Ambergris Cay Proposed Nature Reserve |
| GRAND TURK |
| NP-3 |
Columbus Landfall Marine National Park |
| NP-7 |
Grand Turk Cays Land and Sea National Park:
(Gibbs, Penniston, Martin , Alonza, Pinzon, Cays) |
| NP-10 |
South Creek National Park |
| S-25 |
Long Cay Sanctuary |
| MIDDLE CAICOS |
| NP-4 |
Conch Bar Caves National Park |
| NR-22 |
Vine Point (Man O’ War Bush) and Ocean Hole Nature Reserve |
| NORTH CAICOS |
| NP-5 |
East Bay Islands National Park |
| NP-6 |
Fort George Land and Sea National Park |
| NR-14 |
Cottage Pond Nature Reserve |
| NR-15 |
Dick Hill Creek and Bellefield Landing Pond Nature Reserve |
| NR-21 |
Pumpkin Bluff Pond Nature Reserve |
| S-26 |
Three Mary Cays Sanctuary |
| HA-29 |
Fort George Area of Historical Interest |
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Wades Green Proposed Area of Historical Interest |
| NORTH, MIDDLE AND EAST CAICOS |
| NR-17 |
North, Middle and East Caicos Nature Reserve
(International Ramsar Site) |
| PROVIDENCIALES |
| NP-2 |
Chalk Sound National Park |
| NP-8 |
North West Point Marine National Park |
| NP-9 |
Princess Alexandra Land and Sea National Park |
| NR-18 |
North West Point Pond Nature Reserve |
| NR-19 |
Pigeon Pond and Frenchman’s Creek Nature Reserve |
| NR-20 |
Princess Alexandra Nature Reserve |
| HA-28 |
Cheshire Hall Area of Historical Interest |
| HA-33 |
Sapodilla Hill Area of Historical Interest |
| SALT CAY |
| S-23 |
Big Sand Cay Sanctuary |
| HA-30 |
H.M.S. Endymion Wreck Area of Historical Interest |
| HA-32 |
Salt Cay Area of Historical Interest |
| SOUTH CAICOS |
| NP-1 |
Admiral Cockburn Land and Sea National Park |
| NR-12 |
Admiral Cockburn Nature Reserve
(Long Cay, Six Hill Cays, Middleton Cay) |
| NR-13 |
Bell Sound Nature Reserve |
| HA-27 |
Boiling Hole Area of Historical Interest |
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East Harbour Conch and Lobster Reserve
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| WEST CAICOS |
| NP11 |
West Caicos Marine National Park |
| NR-16 |
Lake Catherine Nature Reserve |
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National Parks and Tourism
Most of our Country’s tourist infrastructure is located near or adjacent to National Parks. On Providenciales, the Grace Bay area has the largest concentration of hotels and other tourism-oriented businesses in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The vast majority of diving, snorkeling, parasailing and boating activities take place in the Princess Alexandra National Park. On Grand Turk, virtually all guest activities take place in the Columbus Landfall National Park. These two National Parks alone are the setting for as much as 90 per cent of all recreational water sport activities. This year (2004) tourist arrivals will approach 200,000 visitors, most to Providenciales and Grand Turk. The National Parks on other Islands attract many visitors, as well. Two of the most popular are the Conch Bar Caves Nature Reserve on Middle Caicos and Ft. George Land & Sea National Park in the Caicos Cays.
National Parks and Protected Areas Management
The DECR has two divisions. The Fisheries Division takes the lead in the management and regulation of our extensive inshore fishing industries. In particular, the Division monitors the catches of lobster and conch and regulates successful quota systems for both local use and export. The focus of activities for the Fisheries Division is the maintenance of a profitable and sustainable fishery for the people of the Turks & Caicos Islands.
The Protected Area Division, popularly known as the National Parks Division, has responsibility for the overall management and protection of our National Parks, Reserves, Sanctuaries and Historic Sites. One third of the land area of our Island country and vast tracts of inshore waters and reefs have been included in the Protected Area System.
While each Division has a different main focus, they support each other through shared infrastructure, authority and personnel. In some cases Fisheries Officers may act as Park Wardens and Park Wardens may act as Fisheries Officers. Other organizations may be called upon to aid in DECR activities, too. Officers of the Turks & Caicos Islands Royal Police Force and their Maritime Unit are also empowered to act as Fisheries Officers and Park Wardens. This joint enforcement approach allows each of the Divisions to maintain and expand their realms of responsibility over the wide expanses encompassed by our Protected Areas.
Another major constituent in the management of our Protected Areas is the valued participation of the Turks & Caicos National Trust. The National Trust is a non-governmental organization that harnesses the interest and energy of the general public in conservation issues. The Trust is chartered under its own statute and is run by a Council drawn from its members. The Trust manages some of the Protected Areas, such as Little Water Cay, a part of Princess Alexandra Nature Reserve, and Cheshire Hall Area of Historic Interest. It carries out a range of activities that include education and public awareness.
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