Lakeshia Anderson, National Parks Planner and Lindy Knowles, Science Officer, both with The Bahamas National Trust (BNT) presented poster presentations on mangrove restoration efforts in the Bahamas and the expansion and establishment of marine protected areas at the 67th Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute Conference in Barbados on November 4, 2014.
Lindy Knowles focused his presentation on the loss and degradation of mangrove habitats which are prime fish habitats on New Providence, Bahamas as a result of unsustainable development. Additionally presented were initiatives being done to restore degraded mangrove habitats to improve both structure and function properties of mangroves.
Lakeshia Anderson presented work on the park planning process undertaken by the BNT when establishing a national park. This includes conducting rapid ecological assessments to gather critical baseline information on the area including threats and current conditions and; performing participatory planning meetings with relevant stakeholders. The poster presentation focused on the expansion of the Lucayan National Park and the establishment of the East Grand Bahama Park.
To learn more about The Bahamas National Trust and other initiatives visit: www.bnt.bs
