[njlarsen]

This story came on a Caribbean mail server. The author specifically asks that it be distributed as widely as possible.

Cheers
Niels

Dear All

Below is a press release going out today related to a critical development threat (the sale of a national park to hotel developers) that will have a huge impact on the Grenada Dove. I would be interested in any feedback from you on:

1. Precedents for such actions by a government (the national Park was established specifically for the Grenada Dove - the national bird - yet still it is being sold)
2. Possible courses of action BirdLife can take to exert pressure on the Grenada government.

If you are able to get this story into the media in your countries, please do so.

With thanks and seasons best wishes, David

*****************************************

Embargoed until 00:01 hours, Tuesday December 19th 2006

Government of Grenada sells off National Park for Four Seasons resort

A 'high-end luxury resort' threatens one of the last remaining refuges for the Grenada Dove, a Critically Endangered species with a global population of just 180 birds. In an unprecedented move the Government of Grenada looks set to sell the whole of the Mount Hartman National Park to make space for a Four Seasons Resort, on the basis of its biodiverse location and "sea-view". [1]

The Mount Hartman National Park - also called 'The Dove Sanctuary' - in the south-west of Grenada, supports at least 22% of the global population of the Grenada Dove - equating to just 20 pairs. With such a low population in just a few remnant patches of forest, Grenada Dove is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the near future. [2] [3]

The Sanctuary was created 10 years ago, in order to mitigate for habitat removal elsewhere on the island, partly from development. This year saw the opening of a visitor centre to mark the educational value of the park for tourists and local people. [4] But now the proposed hotel project, supported by the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts group, plans a 150 room hotel, 300 luxury villas as well as a golf course, marina and conference centre. Dove Sanctuary was chosen on the basis of its natural surroundings, a rare commodity in Grenada today, and the unimpeded sea-views that abound throughout it.

Dove Sanctuary has been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area (IBA) for the Grenada Dove and for eleven other species that occur only on Grenada or in the Caribbean region like Antillean Crested Hummingbird Orthohyncus cristatus and Grenada Flycatcher Myiarchus nugatory. [5]

Of the proposed development David Wege, Caribbean Programme Manager at BirdLife International said: "There is more at stake here than just the removal of crucial habitat. The dwindling Grenada Dove population will suffer further from increased isolation, from human disturbance, from non-native animals and with the planting of non-native 'aesthetic' vegetation. Such a development in the heart of the Grenada Dove's largest and most well-protected strongholds might lead to the eventual extinction of this species." [6]

The news represents a complete turn-around in the Government of Grenada's policy regarding the island's unique biodiversity. In March of this year, Senator the Hon. Ann David Antoine, Minister of Health, Social Security, the Environment and Ecclesiastical Affairs in Grenada, spoke confidently to an audience of the Global Island Partnership saying: "Our region recognises the importance of conservation" and that "We aim to act responsibly as stewards of unique island biodiversity". [7]

However, on the basis of the recent news, conservationists based in the region and internationally are outraged and remain wholly unconvinced:

Respected authors, Margaret Atwood and Graeme Gibson, Honorary Patrons of BirdLife's Rare Bird Club, have notably lent their support to the protest: [8]

"There's a terrible irony in the Government's willingness to critically compromise the continued existence of the Grenada Dove - which as the island's National Bird is a symbol of the country's distinctiveness and its culture - simply to provide sea-views to people from away. They should build somewhere else."

"For the Government to sell off one the island's most prized natural resources to make space for a high-end luxury development sets a clear message: the Government of Grenada has a complete disregard for environmental protection," said Wege.

ENDS

For further details and images, please contact:

Jules Howard, BirdLife International, Communications Officer. Tel: +44 (0)1223 279809, Mobile: +44 (0) 7971069098

Email: jules.howard 'at' birdlife.org <mailto:jules.howardv 'at' birdlife.org>

NOTES:

1. The Mount Hartman National Park was established by the Government of Grenada in 1996 to ensure the protection of the endemic Grenada Dove in one of the key habitats for the bird on the island.

2. Grenada Dove is listed by BirdLife International, the official Red List Authority for birds for the IUCN Red List, as Critically Endangered. As such it faces an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

3. For an up-to-date species account of the Grenada Dove, its population and distributions; visit the BirdLife World Bird Database: 'www.birdlife.org/datazone'

4. The Mt. Hartman Visitor Center was reopened in March 2006 after being completely destroyed by hurricane Ivan. The centre provides information on the importance of Grenada's dry forest ecosystems to visitors, both local and global.

5. The Mt. Hartman site is designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International due to the fact it holds significant numbers of one or more globally threatened species.

6. BirdLife International is a global alliance of conservation organisations working in more than 100 countries who, together, are the leading authority on the status of birds, their habitats and the issues and problems affecting them.

7. The speech by Senator the Hon. Ann David Antoine, Minister of Health, Social Security, the Environment and Ecclesiastical Affairs in Grenada was made at a meeting of Global Island Partners, a high level side event at the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Curitiba, Brazil on March 28th 2006.

8. Margaret Atwood is a novelist, poet, literary critic and one of the world's best known - and best-selling - authors. She has written more than 40 books, including The Handmaid's Tale, Alias Grace, Cat's Eye and the Booker-Prize winning novel The Blind Assassin.

Graeme Gibson is one of Canada's foremost contemporary writers and editors and is the acclaimed author of Five Legs, Perpetual Motion and Gentleman Death. His most recent work is The Bedside Book of Birds: an Avian Miscellany (2005), "a wonderful collection of poetry and prose, folk tales and myths, which pay tribute to our feathered friends. . . ." (Mail on Sunday (UK)). It was hailed by Globe and Mail as "the most spectacular bird book of the year".

As joint Honorary Presidents, Atwood and Gibson represent BirdLife International's Rare Bird Club at the highest level, advising in the growth and development of the Rare Bird Club and engaging members in supporting programs for the benefit of bird conservation, BirdLife International and the Club members.

*******************************************

David C. Wege

Caribbean Program Manager/ Jefe, Programa del Caribe

Caribbean Program - Americas Secretariat

Programa del Caribe - Secretariado de las Américas

BirdLife International

Wellbrook Court, Girton Road

Cambridge CB3 0NA, UK

Tel: +44 (0)1223 277318

Fax: +44 (0)1223 277200

Email: david.wege 'at' birdlife.org <mailto:david.wege@birdlife.org>

Web: www.birdlife.org/regional/caribbean <http://www.birdlife.org/regional/caribbean>

[njlarsen]

The below message comes from Leo Douglas, Chair, Media Working Group, Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds (SCSCB). IT is asking that we all send letters (ASAP) to the Grenada Government petitioning them to reconsider the sale of Mt Hartman National Park. Possibly for those of you that are overseas relative to Grenada could personalize the form letter into stating things like Quote from another board member of the SCSCB): "especially with regards to nature tourism and people's desire to see native, rare and endemic birds. I think people also appreciate visiting islands that are "unspoiled" - where care has been taken to preserve the natural
flora, fauna, culture, historical sites, etc. that make the island unique and special (rather than islands that are covered in mega-resorts, golf courses, marinas, etc. that all look alike)."

Thanks
Niels

Included message:

To: All supporters of Caribbean biodiversity conservation.

From: Leo Douglas, Chair, Media Working Group, Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds (SCSCB).

Dear Friends,
Attached is an important letter of petition that requires your URGENT attention.

This letter is directed to the Prime Minister and all the Ministries of the Grenadian Government in an effort to successfully oppose the pending destruction of the Mount Hartman National Park.

Kindly add your name and the name of your organization, and either
fax or email the letter (preferably both) using the contact
information (also attached) to the ministries of the Grenadian
government. It is critical that you do this by tomorrow (Thursday)
evening as most government ministries will close early on Friday
for several days of Christmas holidays. In addition to the letter,
kindly append to the petition the attached Media Releas e that has
been previously circulated by BirdLife International.

Please take a few minutes to look over the letter of petition and
make any modifications that you believe will either make it more
personalized or powerful. You may also consider sending it on the
letter head of your local conservation organization if this is an
option.

Please copy me into any emails sent: lrd2107 (at) columbia.edu

Kindly let us know how you used the letter, and in the event that
you received a response, we would appreciate hearing about it.

Thanks for making the effort. We are looking forward to hearing
better news out of the Grenadian Government based on our collective
action.

Summary:
1. Add the date and name of the Minister/Ministry at the top of the letter.
2. Modify 2nd paragraph by either adding your name or the name of
your organizati on (change ‘we’ to ‘I’ as appropriate).
3. (Optional) Personalize letter as desired.
4. (Optional) copy letter to your letterhead.
5. Sign the letter.
6. Attach the BirdLife International Media Release.
7. Email and Fax by Thursday December 21st – that is tomorrow.
8. If you are unable to send tomorrow - please do so when next it is
possible. It is important that the government receives as many
letters as possible. Regular mail also an option.
9. Kindly let us know how things went.

[Rediscovered]

Still bad news:
http://www.birdlife.org/news/news/20...ve_update.html

You can send an email to protest here:
http://www.grenadadovecampaign.com/default.html

[njlarsen]

Even more bad news: the onslaught has already begun. The below text appeared on a Caribbean mail server (BirdsCaribbean@yahoogroups.com). I have chosen to anonymize the sender and to not include the pictures here. Those interested can go to the Yahoo group. I believe the text talks for itself making it even more adamant that as many as possible go to the link provided above (http://www.grenadadovecampaign.com/default.html).

cheers
Niels

Included text:

Please note that I have added two images of Hog Island. It shows the
side facing Mt.Hartman ('mainland') with a section cut out which is
presumably an access road.

The second is a cropped version of the view (tried to upload a large
res version but it was too large) showing the same access road w/ a
bulldozer type vehicle on the site.

On Jan 10/11 thereabouts I flew in on a small aircraft right over the
island, the side opposite that shown in the images has already been
cleared. I believe this may be the north facing end and my best guess
is that half of it has been cleared of vegetation, though the top soil
would seem to have been left on.

Please note that I will be away for the weekend and may not be able to
check my email to answer any questions, my apologies in advance.

[Isurus]

Niels - I know its not preferable to stopping the development but di you know is there a captive back-up flock of this species?

[njlarsen]

Hi Isurus,
I have not heard anything about the presence of such a flock. The way I see this, it is survival on Grenada or no survival, and it seems that both the Grenada Government and the Four Seasons chain is doing their best to overlook that. It is strange that they ignore the threat that hurricanes make to any island endemic, and that as many different spots as possible are necessary for long term survival: the last big hurricane hit Grenada only three years ago.

Niels