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Friends of the Environment E-Newsletter
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| Established in 1988 |
March 2016 |
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Every month when we put together these newsletters it is a reminder of how much this little organization is able to accomplish! In March alone we reached
over
1,000 local students in addition to new groups of researchers coming through the Kenyon Centre and assisting with events like the Great Abaco Family Fitness Weekend.
Thank you! Together we are making a difference for Abaco's future.
Kristin Williams
Executive Director
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The Kenyon Centre
If you attended this year's Reef Ball you might remember that one of our planned projects for this year is educational landscaping at the Kenyon Centre. This week we have been able to start on our edible orchard! Above (right to left) FRIENDS Program Assistant AJ McIntosh, Bahamas Environment Steward Scholar Intern Christian McIntosh, and our high school work-study student for the week, Johntae Dorsett (Abaco Central High) have been working hard to set up the orchard. We already have banana, mango, seagrape, cocoplum, and sugar cane, but we will be adding more local edible favorites!
Other projects will include a bush medicine garden and a pollinator garden.
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Bahamas Natural History Conference!!!
This month we attended the Bahamas Natural History Conference in Nassau. It was a great opportunity to learn about research on other islands and share work that FRIENDS is doing. Our partner from the
Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation, Amy Heemsoth, gave a presentation on the Bahamas Awareness of Mangroves project that we have been doing in Abaco. FRIENDS Program Coordinator Olivia Patterson Maura also presented a poster on the influence of fishing on queen conch evolution that she developed while doing her Master's through
Project Dragonfly at Miami University of Ohio.
Click here to view Olivia's poster.
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Video Corner: The Story of Sharks
A "must see"! This short video explains why an often misunderstood animal is a valuable part of the Bahamian environment and economy.
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March Madness: Education Update
World Forestry Week is celebrated in March every year to raise awareness of the importance of forests, and their importance for current and future generations. In the Bahamas we have the Bahamian Pine Forest that is only found on four of our islands (Abaco, Grand Bahama, New Providence and Andros), coppice forest (hardwood trees), and our beautiful mangrove forest. FRIENDS teamed up with The Ministry of The Environment Forestry Unit and The National Museum of The Bahamas to visit schools all over Abaco to educate students on forest fires, forest reserves, blue holes, and animal and plant species found in these ecosystems and the roles they play. FRIENDS also donated and planted native plants at three of the schools. 933 students were reached through this Forestry Week partnership!
Our largest field trip this month involved
88 4th graders from Central Abaco Primary School! Students visited the FRIENDS Education Centre for a nature trail hike and presentations from Mrs. Nancy Albury of The National Museum of The Bahamas, then they went on an expedition to Broad Creek to observe mangrove ecosystems, then viewed rocky shore and sandy beach habitats near Camp Abaco and then helped plants native trees as part of FRIENDS coastal restoration!
This mysterious gelatinous object was discovered on a south Abaco beach by FRIENDS member Helen Jacobs and was brought to the Island Investigators Club to study. The Island Investigators hypothesized that it was an organism or animal product of some kind (e.g. egg case), but they aren't sure yet. What do you think it is? If you have an idea,
please email us!
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Summer Camp Dates are Out!
June 27 - July 1: Junior Camp (ages 6-9, returning campers only)
July 5-8: Camp for ages 10-12, IGFA Fishing Camp (Crossing Rocks, Dundas & Murphy Town)
July 12-15: Junior Camp (ages 6-9, for first time campers only)
July 18-22: Sea Beans Camp (ages 3-5, half day only, *FULL)
July 25-29: Nature Detectives
August 2-5: Grand Cay Camp
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Abaco's Environment in Photos :
Piping Plovers - Abaco's Avian Second Home Owners
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Our Program Coordinator Olivia Patterson Maura captured this slightly fuzzy photo of Piping Plover 0T1 on March 5th. This is the first recorded sighting of a banded piping plover on Elbow Cay and also happens to be the first time that 0T1 has been observed in the wintering grounds! 0T1 was originally tagged on Fire Island, NY on June 22, 2015.
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Abaco Survey Report
37 sites surveyed
40.76 miles of shoreline surveyed by foot
26.10 miles of additional area covered in the (southern) Marls
176 Piping Plovers - 19 occupied sites (compared to just 76 in 2011)
44 Wilsons Plovers - 7 occupied sites
Plovers were observed from as far south as the Sandy Point Flats to as far north as the Gillam Bay Flats on Green Turtle Cay.
Thanks to Todd Pover of
Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey for the season report, and to all of the scientists and volunteers who contributed to the survey efforts!
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