Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis, March 12, 2025 (UNESCO National Commission) – The UNESCO-certified St. Mary’s Biosphere Reserve (SMBR) stretches from mountain to sea, triangulated from Canada Estate to Bayford’s Estate and Ottley’s Village. It is a protected area that is home to a vast array of endangered sea turtles, birds, plant species and marine life.
The National Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Committee is the national authority under the Ministry of Environment that is responsible for the management of the SMBR. We are appealing to the general public, especially residents of this area, to cease and desist all dumping of waste material (plastic bottles and containers, white goods, vehicle parts etc) in ghauts/river sides, and to halt all illegal sand mining on the beaches of Canada, Keys and Cayon which are popular nesting sites for our precious sea turtles.
Dumping in ghauts and water courses that form the natural network of drainage channels is illegal under the National Conservation and Environmental Management Bill (Part X, Section 43, para. (4)) and persons caught polluting these areas will be subject to a fine of $8,000 XCD. Sand mining from any land on the foreshore or other Crown land within the coastal zone without a sand mining licence issued under the Act is expressly prohibited (Part IX, Section 40, para (1).
These activities do irreparable damage to our beautiful environment, especially when they flow into the sea. Let us keep our environment clean and protected for future generations to enjoy.
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