From BirdLife:
Government of Grenada sells off National Park for Four Seasons resort
19-12-2006
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”.
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.
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.
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 Ortho[r]hyncus cristatus and Grenada Flycatcher Myiarchus nugatory.
See also here.
Political history of Grenada: here.
I am Grenadian and of course I want the best for the birds, especially because they are few.
Is there a compromise?
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Hi Kirl, thanks for reacting! Being non-Grenadian, but having the information from BirdLife: maybe a compromise might be building where it does not harm the birds, so not in the National Park?
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Fri, 03 Feb 2006 14:32:59 -0000
From: demaaijer
To: “netherlandsantilles@yahoogroups.com”
Antwoorden aan: “no_reply@yahoogroups.com”
[Netherlands Antilles] What now? Your advice please…
For 3 years now I’ve been paying for rescue and rehabilitation of wild
animals in my island out of my own pocket with no tax refund due to
local tax laws. It did fit in my personal budget in the past 2 and a
half years. But now with a drastic increase of injuries and illnesses
that have occurred in migratory wild birds such as birds of species
brown booby, brown pelican, purple gallinule, royal tern, blue heron,
cattle egret, green heron, and even a manatee, my funds are depleted
for the next 11 months of this year. I am not asking for money from
all you connected with me in this netherlands antilles yahoo group. I
am asking for your advice and suggestions. Furthermore, if you know of
a fund that exists out there in the world that I can apply to for
financial support, please email it to me at marcus@curacaowildlife.com
(marcus-at- curacaowildlife -dotcom) Your feedback will be greatly
appreciated.
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