Graeme Hall swamp
Just like us, the water breathes. The mangrove is a space where nature is welcoming for everyone. Resident birds and seasonal birds, just like people, all find a space. If you want to remember the feeling of harmony, there is no better place than a mangrove.
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Description
Graeme Hall Wetland is located in the heart of the bustling, highly developed south coast of Barbados between Bridgetown and Oistins. It is the only remaining mangrove forest on the island and was once an estuary connected to the ocean.
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Natural resources
Home for both local and migratory birds, Graeme Hall Swamp is the largest wetland habitat and the only mangrove forest on the island. Graeme Hall Swamp is a proposed Barbados Natural Heritage Conservation Area and is also a declared Ramsar Convention site . The site has been designated by Birdlife International as a Special Bird Area due to its importance to migrating birds. The area is subject to a variety of human impacts that place it at great risk.
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Activities and community
Located in a densely populated area, Graeme Hall Swamp is subject to many land use pressures. Over the years conflicting uses of agriculture, residential development and sewage treatment have caused the area to become degraded and polluted. Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary, which owns 35 acres of the 81 acre wetland, was once a thriving world class sanctuary but due to pollution issues specifically related to the failed South Coast Sewage Treatment Plant, it was forced to close to the public. A collaborative effort is now needed by all involved parties to revitalize, rehabilitate and create a cohesive and inclusive management plan that will secure the future of this unique ecosystem.
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Project
The site has been designated by Birdlife International as a Special Bird Area due to its importance to migrating birds. It has also gained The RAMSAR Convention on Wetlands designation, as a wetland of international importance. A collaborative effort is now needed by all involved parties to revitalize rehabilitate, and create a cohesive and inclusive management plan that will secure the future of this unique ecosystem.