Mt. Hartman Estate
Mt Hartman Estate is home to our critically endangered national bird the Grenada Dove (only about 110 adults remaining). With its unique dry coastal scrub ecosystem and biodiversity, Mt Hartman Estate is internationally recognized as an Important Bird Area (IBA) and as an Endemic Bird Area of the Lesser Antilles by BirdLife International and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The dry forest habitat is presently being cleared for a new resort development adjacent to the National Park by the Mt Hartman Resort Group Ltd., but this will have severe impacts on the park itself and threaten the survival of the Grenada Dove. The two associated wetlands provide critical habitat for numerous species of resident and migratory shorebirds and waterbirds, including species of conservation concern.
Communications with the Grenadian Government’s Physical Planning Unit indicate that they are apparently unaware of the project and have not given any permission. There is no known EIA in progress. The National Park is an important tourism asset for the discerning high-end tourists, who have been visiting Grenada for the pristine natural assets it still possesses. More importantly, Mt. Hartman Estate provides invaluable ecosystem services to the environment and surrounding communities. Encompassing the largest expanse of black mangroves on the island as well as red mangroves, Mt. Hartman Estate provides a meaningful “nursery” for fisheries stock to the Woburn fishing community. The mangroves and wetlands act as a buffer zone for land-based pollution, a natural filter for water, they provide protection from storms and flooding. Tourist dollars cannot compensate for the mindless destruction of these essential natural habitats and the services and protection they render to our communities.
We demand: Safeguards for Mount Hartman
Prevent any development until full planning permission has been granted, guided by the completion of a thorough EIA and public consultations. The conditions under which the permission is granted need to be made publicly available for viewing and active monitoring protocols must be enforced. Ensure thorough and peer-reviewed mitigation measures are developed and in place to mitigate all threats to the survival of the Grenada Dove and the National Parklands prior to any further development-related activities. Revise the development plans of Levera and Mount Hartman Estate, including removing the marina project from the development, to ensure that our wetlands and mangroves are minimally impacted. Destroying these wetlands is inconsistent with Grenada's commitment under the Caribbean Challenge Initiative to protect 25% of our marine and terrestrial resources.
