Friends of the Environment
September E-News | | Preserving the environment of Abaco through education, conservation, and research facilitation. | | |
Dear Friend,
September is a time of transition... Days of summer fun turn into classroom engagement, field trips, and community events. We sure have a lot going on! As we stay busy with our programs, FRIENDS wants to make sure we remain accountable to you, our supporters, so we continue publishing this monthly newsletter and sharing our activities on our social media pages. We also publish an annual report, and I am glad to say that the 2025 Annual Report is now available! Please click on the image of the report below and spend a few minutes reviewing our collective accomplishments from the last year.
I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome our new Board of Directors for the 2026–2028 term. We have a full Board of 13 members from across Abaco, and I am excited about working with them in the coming years as we continue to grow and move FRIENDS forward.
Sincerely,
Olivia Patterson Maura
Executive Director
| | Meet our 2026 - 2028 Board of Directors | |
International Coastal Clean Up Day | |
Friends of the Environment was proud to once again serve as the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Coordinator for Ocean Conservancy here in Abaco. Each year, this global movement brings communities together to take action against marine debris and help keep our coastlines and oceans clean.
This year, more than 150 volunteers came together at our main cleanup site, removing an incredible 3,695 pounds of waste! Volunteers included students, community members, FRIENDS Board and Staff, and other supporters who gave their time and energy to make the day a success.
We were also thrilled to see cleanup efforts happening in other communities across Abaco! Abaco Strong, alongside FRIENDS Board Members Denise Mizell and Lauren Riviere, led a cleanup in Bahama Palm Shores, while the Abaco Stewardship Council, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Abaco, Ministry of Tourism Abaco Office, and Sustainable Tourism representatives, led a cleanup in Cooper’s Town.
A huge thank you to Abacays-Carib Freight for sponsoring our main event and providing much-needed waste disposal support, Bayview Tent Rentals for their support as a vendor, and the local Red Cross team for providing a First Aid Station at our main cleanup site. Most importantly, thank you to everyone across Abaco who showed up, got their hands dirty, and helped make a difference for our coastlines and communities. Together, we’re keeping Abaco cleaner!
Click here to see photos from the event.
| Education in Action: Fall Programming | |
Conch in the Classroom Goes to Abaco Schools
You may remember that we first introduced Conch in the Classroom, a program developed by Florida Atlantic University’s Queen Conch Lab, to our after-school club students in Fall 2025. The program connects primary school students with the Queen Conch, exploring its ecological and economic importance, as well as its cultural significance in The Bahamas.
We were excited to take the program beyond the FRIENDS Learning Centre and into primary schools across Abaco! To help us kick things off, Becky Holt, Principal Investigator, and Amanda Matthews, Education Coordinator, from FAU’s Queen Conch Lab joined us to introduce the program at Central Abaco Primary School (CAPS), Cherokee Sound Primary School, and James A. Pinder Primary School.
During our first visits, students and teachers were introduced to the program, set up their aquariums, and met and named their new conch pets! Gary and Dory are at Cherokee, Conchshella and Ocean are at CAPS, and Max and Spikey are at JA Pinder.
We look forward to following the students and their conchs as they learn and grow together throughout the program!
Thank you to Florida Atlantic University’s Queen Conch Lab for bringing this exciting program to Abaco and to the McPike-Zima Foundation for providing the funding that makes this work possible.
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B.A.M is Back!
The FRIENDS Education Team, Brad and Lyndeisha, alongside our partner Amy Heemsoth from the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation (KSLOF), headed back into schools this month to begin another cycle of Bahamas Awareness of Mangroves (B.A.M.) Program!
B.A.M. is designed to expand on mangrove topics already included in the Bahamian science curriculum, giving Grade 10 students a deeper understanding of the importance of these incredible ecosystems. Through free classroom lessons and field experiences, students explore how mangroves protect our shorelines, provide critical habitat for marine life, and contribute to healthy coastal ecosystems.
Last year marked an exciting milestone as we celebrated 10 years of B.A.M. and welcomed S.C. Bootle High School to the program. Today, B.A.M. reaches both public high schools on Abaco, along with Forest Heights Academy, one of the program’s original pilot schools.
Each year brings new opportunities and sometimes new challenges. From teacher shortages to coordinating transportation for field experiences, we continue to adapt to ensure students have the opportunity to participate. Most importantly, we are excited to be back in the classroom, engaging another group of amazing Abaco students and helping to grow the next generation of mangrove stewards!
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Exploring Our Backyard: Afterschool Clubs Begin
FRIENDS Afterschool Clubs are officially back for the fall semester! We knew our students were ready to return when the calls started coming in early September asking, “When do clubs start?” We were just as excited to welcome them back!
This semester, we’re thrilled to see so many familiar faces returning, along with some new students joining the FRIENDS family. Our theme is “In Our Backyard: Plants, Wildlife & the FRIENDS Nature Trail,” giving students the opportunity to explore the incredible biodiversity found right here in Abaco. Through games, investigations, and hands-on activities, students will learn more about our native plants and wildlife while also helping us explore and develop ideas for the FRIENDS Nature Trail.
There’s still time to join us! Spaces remain available for students ages 10–17 in our Advanced Eco-Scouts and Island Investigators clubs. Register today!
Stay tuned throughout the semester as we share what our young environmental explorers discover in our own backyard!
| Sea Beans at our first dance party for the Fall semester! | | Final Quarter Calendar of Events | | | |
Oct 3, Mangrove Propagule Collection Event, Cherokee Long Dock
Join FRIENDS at 9:00 AM at the Long Dock in Cherokee Sound. Spend the morning outdoors collecting mangrove propagules while earning community service hours and supporting ongoing mangrove restoration efforts in Abaco. Meet at the Cherokee Sound Community Parking Lot, where groups will disperse to collection areas.
Come prepared to get wet and have some outdoor fun! For more information, contact FRIENDS at (242) 818-5725.
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Nov 12, Abaco Science Fair, New Vision Ministries, Marsh Harbour
Theme: Science & Stewardship in Marine Protected Areas. Open to the public to view science projects from schools all around Abaco! Including a special guest speaker. Full program runs from 10am-2pm.
Event sponsored by BEP Foundation and Bahamas Protected Areas Fund.
More information
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Nov 26, Hope Town Turtle Trot
Join us in a fun run/walk to gear up for Thanksgiving dinner! Interested in sponsorship to help fund marine education and conservation? For donations of $500 or more, your logo will be printed on the t-shirts and promotional materials. We will also highlight your company on social media. If your business would like to sponsor this event, please reach out to us.
More information and registration details
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Dec 4 - 6, Combustion Music Hope Town Music Festival
Book your flights and reserve your golf cart, your favourite Abaco music festival is back!
More information
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Dec 12, Christmas Cove Event and Market
Crafts, Cocoa and Cheer! Join us on our campus for a fun holiday event where we will have activities for all ages, as well as Christmas shopping from local vendors.
Interested in being a vendor? Contact us!
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The Nature Conservancy joins the Bahamas Mangrove Alliance
TNC’s Northern Caribbean Program joins the Bahamas Mangrove Alliance, strengthening national and regional collaboration for mangrove conservation.
Global Mangrove Alliance Releases The State of the World’s Mangroves 2026
The Global Mangrove Alliance (GMA) has released the 2026 edition of The State of the World’s Mangroves, bringing together the latest science, 40 years of mangrove mapping data, and contributions from more than 190 collaborators across over 30 countries. The report offers some encouraging news: mangrove extent is increasing in many parts of the world, but old-growth mangroves continue to be lost and degraded, emphasizing the continued need for conservation, protection and effective restoration.
Rosewood Exuma Court Case Could Set a Troubling Precedent for High-Impact Developments
The outcome of the Rosewood Exuma court challenge could have consequences extending far beyond this single development. The decision could become an important precedent in future disputes over developments with significant environmental impacts, potentially influencing how environmental protections and development approvals are interpreted and challenged across The Bahamas.
BPMC Reaches Major Milestone with 70 MPAs Assessed Across The Bahamas
The Bahamas Project for Marine Conservation (BPMC) reached a major milestone this year, successfully completing assessments of 70 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) across The Bahamas. This important achievement contributes to a better understanding of the status of the country’s marine protected areas and supports ongoing efforts to strengthen marine conservation nationwide.
| | RBDF Abaco Base Supports
Mangrove Restoration | |
The Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) Abaco Base recently joined FRIENDS in the field to support ongoing mangrove restoration efforts in the Northern Bahamas. Led by Fleet Chief Petty Officer Torry Forbes, the team worked alongside Brad and Lyndeisha to collect red mangrove propagules that will be used to restore areas impacted by Hurricane Dorian.
Mangroves are essential to healthy coastal communities, helping to protect shorelines from erosion while providing important nursery habitat for fish and other marine life. Collecting propagules is an important first step in growing the mangroves needed to restore areas where these ecosystems were severely damaged.
FRIENDS is a member of the Bahamas Mangrove Alliance and serves as a local coordinator for the Northern Bahamas Mangrove Restoration Project, a collaborative effort working toward the ambitious goal of planting 1 million red mangrove propagules by the end of 2026.
We are grateful to the RBDF Abaco Base team for lending their time and helping hands to this effort and to the Bahamas Protected Areas Fund for supporting field expenses. Partnerships like these demonstrate what can be accomplished when organizations and community members work together to restore and protect Abaco’s natural environment.
| Connecting & Learning at Elevate 2026 | |
Lyndeisha recently represented FRIENDS at ELEVATE: The 2026 Templeton Bahamas Non-Profit Symposium in Nassau, hosted by Templeton Religion Trust. The symposium brought together non-profit leaders and funders from across The Bahamas to connect, exchange ideas, and learn from one another. It was a great opportunity to gain fresh perspectives, hear from organizations doing impactful work throughout the country, and bring home new ideas to help FRIENDS continue strengthening our programs and impact in Abaco.
| Marine Rules and Regulations | | |
Whether you’re boating, fishing, or just enjoying the outdoors, now is a great time to brush up on regulations and responsible practices to help protect our marine ecosystems.
Below are regulations that apply to citizens, residents and visitors of The Bahamas:
It is illegal to harass, harvest, purchase, or sell any species of turtle or shark or any by-product found within the exclusive economic zone of The Bahamas. Report turtle nest activity to bahamasseaturtlenetwork@gmail.com
Crawfish season opened on August 1, and closed Season is April 1 to July 31.
Minimum size limit is 3 1/4 inches carapace length or 5 1/2 inches inches tail length.
Possession of egg bearing females is prohibited, as is removing the eggs.
Any Queen conch collected must have a fully formed flared lip.
Grouper and rockfish must be over 3lbs.
Nassau Grouper season is closed December 1 until February 28.
Stone Crab season is closed June 1 through October 15.
Download a copy of our helpful Marine Brochure for a more complete summary of Bahamian fishery regulations and best practices!
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This is a great opportunity to join the FRIENDS team through a training position with the potential to transition into full-time employment! Candidates who already demonstrate the required skills and experience may be considered directly for the Education Officer position without the need for additional training.
Interested, or know someone who may be a great fit? Please reach out to us for more information about the position and how to apply. We also encourage you to share this opportunity with anyone who may be interested!
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Thank you to everyone who has read, shared, supported, and donated to help make this work possible.
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