Restoration Of Degraded Areas And Populations

Repository of an incredible quantity of debris all sizes and all kinds brought by hurricane Irma, the site of Galion has been undergoing regular cleanup operations since the month of October and is returning to its natural colors. In October, the Réserve dedicated several days to the clean up of the Galion beach and surrounding area. The staff, with the addition of 50 volunteers from the group Clean St-Martin, did a remarkable job in collecting and piling the trash collected on the beach along the side of the road, from where it was transported to the eco-site. The staff of the Réserve would like to thank all those from Verde SXM who took care of all this trash for free, Jardinia who provided a dumpster for the cleanup of Galion then took care of transporting it to the eco-site, and the RSMA of Guadeloupe, who cleaned the sides of the road between the Salines d’Orient and the Etang aux Poissons before leaving the island. In November and December, with the help of the association What De 9 and a public works company from French Quarter, the staff of the Réserve cleaned additional areas around the beach. At the same time, also at Galion, four agents of the Réserve collected close to 20 tons of debris by working full-steam for 19 days. The Réserve hopes to make this public beach accessible to the population as quickly as possible. But people will have to be careful where they put their feet, as there is still a lot of debris under the water.

In mid-December, the Réserve attacked the cleanup of the small island of Pinel, focusing on an area behind the beach to the south where someone had been squatting for more than 20 years with no right to do so. Thus individual was informed that he could gather his personal affairs within two weeks, as the rest of his installation would be burned down. Irma did not spare Pinel: the pontoon and the shelter for the underwater pathway disappeared, as did one of the shelters on the discovery path, the other was essentially destroyed. The first task is to make the site secure by removing the debris that present a danger to the public. In late December, the Réserve went over to Tintamare, where Irma had blown six wooden tables attached to blocks of concrete to behind the beach, causing them to be damaged. The current thinking is to reconstitute four tables using elements that remain from the six original ones.

Comme annoncé dans notre précédente édition, le centre équestre du Galion rouvrira, dans le cadre d’un appel d’offres qui sera prochainement lancé au niveau régional et national. En attendant, le Conservatoire du littoral a décidé de raser le site existant et de transférer le centre équestre sur le site tout proche du refuge pour animaux, illégalement installé sur une parcelle classée en réserve naturelle. Le 10 juin, une société locale de travaux publics a démoli les anciens bâtiments et transporté les gravats, le bois et les métaux à l’écosite de Grandes Cayes, où ces matériaux ont été triés dans les règles de l’art.

The destruction of the former hotel at Galion left a large, open space that the Conservatoire had planned to revitalize for some time.

The idea was to plant various species of trees, before putting in picnic tables, which would benefit from the shade provided by the vegetation. The trees were planted in February and the species were selected from those traditionally found along the edges of the island’s beaches : sea grapes, wild pears, catalpas, and sea-buckthorns.

Caroline Fleury and Ashley Daniel have replanted the mangrove seeds collected in October 2016 by sixth and seventh graders at Mont des Accords middle school at the Étang de la Barrière.

This environmental gesture will help accelerate the restoration of the mangroves, which suffered on the island during the long period of drought in 2015. The collection of the seeds was part of a field trip led by three representatives of the Réserve Naturelle to mark the 25th anniversary of the protection of sea turtles on all of the French Caribbean islands.

Protected legally in Guadeloupe since November 1991 - when they still appeared on the menu in numerous restaurants - sea turtles were in the spotlight during the 25th anniversary celebration of this protective order, which is in effect in all the French Caribbean islands.

In Saint Martin, on October 19, at The Sandy Ground Cultural Centre, the Réserve Naturelle invited the population to «Kozé Toti,» a conference led by Julien Chalifour, head of the Réserve’s scientific department, and Sophie Bedel, from ONCFS Guadeloupe (National Office For Hunting and Wildlife). Students were not excluded from the events: on October 18-21, three representatives met with 6th and 7th grade students from the Mont des Accords middle school, first in their classrooms, then for two field trips on the beach in Galion. These youngsters learned all about the season in which different species of marine turtles lay their eggs and the importance of protecting their nests. The problems in protecting the sites where the eggs are laid were explained to the students: too much light, parking of vehicles, construction that can prevent the turtles from returning to lay their eggs. These field trips concluded with a beach cleaning exercise and collecting of mangrove seeds. These seeds, currently germinating at the Maison de la Réserve Naturelle, will be replanted along the salt ponds on the island, where certain mangroves have suffered from the consequences of El Nino in 2015.

The ruins of the old hotel near the beach at Galion will soon be nothing but a disgraceful memory.

The demolition process is underway with two companies doing the work. The first is in charge of removing asbestos from the site, and will come from Martinique. This work, which should take about two months, will begin in April, and the asbestos debris will be sent to France by boat for recycling. The second company will continue the actual demolition by the end of the summer in order to clear the entire site by the end of 2016. The goal of the Conservatoire du Littoral in this project is to restore the damaged areas on this magnificent site and maintain its natural assets, while also planning on improvements to welcome the public. During the work, the Conservatoire will meet with the Collectivité and various users of the site, in order to establish partnerships. A first authorization for temporary occupancy was signed by the Collectivité for the installation of a first-aid station near the floating swimming pool.

Work continues in three nurseries for coral that were created in the spring of 2015 in the waters around Tintamare, Caye Verte, and Pinel. It will be a year before it is possible to measure any significant growth of the cuttings, which well secured to their supports, survived the passage of several recent storms without flinching. Generally speaking, after a critical acclimation period of approximately two weeks, the survival rate is 100%. Beforehand, the Réserve carefully selected samples of coral - Acropora sp. and more specifically «staghorn» (Acropora cervicornis) and «elkhorn» (Acropora palmata) - at several sites to ensure good genetic diversity and favorite the resistance of the young colonies. Similar initiatives are taking place in Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Saint- Barthélemy, which is collaborating with Saint Martin in a technical exchange concerning good practices for the health of these nurseries. Lastly, Nicolas Oury, a student at Intechmer in Cherbourg and a future senior oceanographic technician, recently supported his thesis on this subject, which he knows rather well, after spending a five-month training period dedicated to the creation of these nurseries..

Just this once, the rangers from the Réserve Naturelle intentionally set a fire on the island of Pinel,
with special authorization from the prefecture. The fire was necessary to burn the excess vegetation collected after the passage of hurricane Gonzalo in October 2014, as the debris was too massive – around 100 cubic meters – to allow natural deterioration. With firemen at hand, and help from local restaurateurs, this impressive monticule was reduced to ashes.

Since last August, the Conservatoire du Littoral has been the owner of a piece of land at Galion Bay, where a project is advancing to demolish a hotel that is ruins. Before demolition, an RFP will be issued in the first quarter of 2015 for the removal of asbestos in the various structures. The development of this site, which has an extensive ecosystem but it also very popular with the public, includes parking for a large number of vehicles without impacting the environment. Recreation and fun will not be forgotten, with the installation of picnic areas as well as a fitness trail on the point at the north end of the bay and sports facilities for such activities as beach tennis. The restaurant will be replaced with a smaller and lighter structure.

Finally! Almost 20 years after it sank not far from the Coralita site, a sailboat damaged by hurricane Luis in September 1995 has been dismantled and transported to the eco-site at Grandes Cayes. It was necessary to wait for the death of the owner, who had been ordered by the court to remove his boat but didn’t have the means to do so, allowing the Conservatoire du Littoral to legally proceed in removing the remains of the vessel. With a hand from Verde SXM, the management company for the eco-site, a 22-ton mechanical shovel was used to cut the boat in two before it could be removed. A much-needed cleanup of the beach, which had been polluted, followed this maneuver.

In November 2013, there was once again a situation involving pollution at the Grand Etang, and once again, it was in the same spot on the road where La Samanna Hotel faces the salt pond. Local residents notified the Reserve and the Conservatoire of the profuse amount of untreated sewage pollution that was overflowing onto the road, instead of pouring into the public sewer system. A flushing was conducted and has stopped the problem on a short-term basis, but more substantial work to upgrade the system is vital. On two occasions, in February 2012 and February 2013, the Saint-Martin Water and Sanitation Division (EEASM) presented the hotel with formal notices to proceed with the upgrading of their system; both were unsuccessful in getting any results. The work required consists of installing a waste water pretreatment unit, as the hotel’s waste water contains fibers from the laundry service and fat from the restaurant, which are both perfect for clogging a drainage system and causing this recurrent overflowing. The Nature Reserve, on its side, has drawn up two official statements against the hotel, both in 2009 and in 2013. Several meetings with all the key players have also failed to put an end to this ongoing situation, to the detriment of the salt pond and also the health and safety of the public. The local residents, who are deeply involved in this affair, deplore this pollution that is dragging on. Let us remember that the 14 salt ponds, protected by the Conservatoire du Littoral, managed by the Nature Reserve since 2007, have been designated Wetlands of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention.

The unfortunate salt pond in Chevrise had just withstood a proliferation of green algae due to previous
pollution, when it then had to deal with a fresh sewage spill during the long weekend of May
8th. The leak came from an overflowing sewage pipe from a private network along the road to Mont
Vernon. Alerted by , the Reserve and the Conservatoire du Littoral, immediately gave formal notice to
the managing syndicate of the development and the reserve guards made sure the repair was done
quickly. The leak was stopped, but serious vigilance is still to be taken around this wet area that has
already been weakened several times in the past.

Nicolas Maslach, the Reserve’s Conservationist, accompanied by Julien Chalifour, Head of the Scientific Department, participated in a video conference in Guadeloupe, with the Ministry of Environment. The agenda was dedicated to the progress of the National Plan for the restoration of marine turtles, and to its actions. The conference was held in the presence of DEAL Guadeloupe (Environmental Management Body) and the National Office for Hunting and Wild Fauna (ONCFS), who are responsible for monitoring this plan in Guadeloupe. On the other side of the Atlantic, in their office in La Defense, near to Paris, a representative of the Ministry and marine turtle specialists listened to Eric Delcroix, Project Manager of marine turtles for ONCFS Guadeloupe, who explained that the plan at present has been 50% completed. It includes raising awareness of the public, police actions to control and fight against poaching, the promotion of alternative fishing techniques to limit unwanted turtle captures, efforts to involve fishermen in the implementation of the plan, media publication of information, and finally monitoring stranded turtles in trouble (see article following page). Monitoring the quality of the sites is part of the plan and takes into account the environmental condition of the site; if vehicles are traveling near it or not, if there are spotlights, if the upper beach has vegetation... For Saint-Martin, our representatives explained the difficulties particular to our island, such as the sustainability of the Eco Volunteers Network, composed largely of teachers who leave for other destinations at the end of their three or four year contract. Also, health care for injured animals is sorely lacking, just as the administrative complications for species with an endangered status make it almost impossible to transport an injured turtle to Guadeloupe. A request for technical and financial assistance has been put forward in the form of setting up a primary health care center in Saint-Martin, with a local point of veterinary assistance. This establishment would allow a recovered animal a place in captivity to receive an initial diagnosis, to stabilize its condition, and then to decide on whether or not to send it to Guadeloupe, or to release it at sea, possibly after a period of care.

Killed by a boat propeller

On March 20th, 2013, an injured Green Turtle was rescued in Marigot by the Reserve team and Claire Saladin, veterinarian, thanks to the vigilance of passersby and employees at the Marina Fort Louis. This juvenile turtle - under 25 years old - showed signs of a violent collision with two boat propellers. Its fractured left shell revealed a gaping wound on its back. Despite the care provided by the mobilized team, «Marigot» was to die from a cardiac arrest the following week. The accident meant she would never get to reproduce, and this loss is invaluable when you know that less than one egg in a thousand, for these endangered reptiles, reach 25 years old, the age when a turtle has its first chance to reproduce and come and nest on our beaches.

It took four days for 10 agents from the Collectivity, three rangers and the director of the Réserve Naturelle to get to the bottom of the trash dumped at Galion, but the result was worth the wait.
The Collectivity provided a truck with a crane and a backhoe in order to clean the entire site, comprising the beach, the area behind the beach and the dirt path that leads to French Quarter.
Those on the clean-up squad worked like demons to collect 20 tons of diverse trash—forgotten items from picnics, old cans, appliances, rubble, car bodies, building materials, old furniture—that was accepted free of charge at the eco-site at Grandes Cayes. Large volcanic rocks have been put in several places to impede future access by vehicles.
 

Officially they are well protected - they are the beneficiaries of a biotope protection order, they belong to the Littoral Conservancy, are managed by the Réserve Naturelle, and since May 1, 2012 are even listed under the Ramsar Convention - and yet the 14 ponds are still, in reality, under an enormous amount of pressure and threats: depositing of debris as well as assorted trash and refuse, untreated water from septic systems, unauthorized cutting of the mangroves...
In fact, just during the first quarter of 2012, the Salines d’Orient, the Etang aux Poissons, the Etang de Grand Case, The Etang de Chevrise and the Grand Etang des Terres Basses were all victims of recurring pollution, primarily due to malfunctions in public and private septic systems, some of which caused the death of hundreds of fish.
Reason enough for the Littoral Conservancy and the Réserve Naturelle to implement a strict, but necessary, surveillance.
Each time they see that polluting waters flow into the ponds, a well-defined procedure is put into place immediately: identification of the sources; analysis of the water if necessary to define the origin of the pollution; seeking out of those responsible, public or private; and rapidly finding a way to put a stop to the cause of the pollution.
If those at fault turn a deaf ear, the next step is a formal letter with a precise deadline to fix the problem. And if nothing is done by the time of the deadline, the matter becomes a legal issue with an official report presented by a warden of the Réserve Naturelle in the name of the police of the waters.
In 2011, eight instances of pollution were followed up on, three of which resulted in formal letters and official reports.
Since the beginning of 2012, five ponds have been polluted; six formal letters and two official reports were presented.

The 14 ponds in Saint Martin, which constitute part of the wetlands in the Réserve Naturelle, were included in the Ramsar Convention in recognition of their international ecological importance, such as, for example, the Camargue in France and The Everglades in Florida.
This international recognition confirms the importance of our island’s natural heritage, which includes the ponds and wetlands.
It also illustrates the huge responsibility of the Réserve in terms of the protection and promotion of these zones.
With this in mind, the Littoral Conservancy and the Réserve Naturelle are creating a trail to explore the mangroves in the Etang de la Barrière in Cul de Sac.