Newsletter-41

Journal 41 - 2022

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Newsletter-41

To promote the conservation of the coral reefs and related species

Action CS 3 Develop and test programs to restore coral communities and species that depend on the reefs (priority 2)

Sylvère Robin, 23 years old, in a gap year between his Master 1 and Master 2, has decided to become an agricultural engineer specialized in fisheries. He is studying at the Agrocampus Ouest in Rennes and is certified as a professional diver.

Two Projects In The France Relance Program

Two programs proposed by the Réserve Naturelle were selected as part of the France Relance program, as financed by France and Europe for one year. The first project concerns the submersion of artificial “Biohut” habitats as part of the port infrastructure in Saint Martin. Sylvère Robin, an intern at the Réserve between February and July 2022, was responsible for managing the installation of these artificial nurseries whose role is to promote recolonization by underwater flora and fauna. He worked in collaboration with the operators of the Port of Galisbay, the Marina Fort Louis, and the marina at Anse Marcel, all of whom approved the project. A linear module of 6 Biohuts was submerged at Galisbay and two linear modules of 6 Biohuts at Anse Marcel and Fort Louis. The structures are provided by Ecocéan, a company specializing in the ecological restoration of the aquatic milieu. They were on the island in July 2022 to build and install the Biohuts, filled with empty conch shells. These artificial habitats serve as nurseries and are intended to shelter fish and crustaceans during the very early stages of their life, to give them a better chance of survival at this critical stage. An initial investigation of the sites was done before installation of the habitats to allow for a comparison during the first follow-up, planned for October.

See the second France Relance project concerning the regulation of small rodents page 19.

Action CS 3 Develop and test programs to restore coral communities and species that depend on the reefs (priority 2)

Le lambi, que l’on a tendance à imaginer sédentaire, peut se déplacer sur plusieurs kilomètres, à raison d’un kilomètre par jour et être présents jusqu’à 100 mètres de profondeur. Par ailleurs, ses larves sont emportées par les courants, ce qui complique encore la mission de l’OFB.

Conch, which we have a tendency to consider sedentary, can travel for several kilometers, at the rate of a kilometer per day and can be found at depths up to 100 meters. However, its larvae can be carried away by the currents, which complicates the missio

The Fight Against The Illegal Sale Of Conch

After his first visit to Saint Martin in 2020, Julien Lopez Pardo, agent of the OFB (French Office of Biodiversity), made a second visit to the Réserve Naturelle in April 2022, in order to present the first results of his work. His mission, related to the illegal sale of conch in the Caribbean, is based on the development of a tool that will help the police to determine the origin of this protected species, which is now endangered, and the fishing and importation of which is subject to regulations in France. And which leads to trafficking targeted by environmental customs inspectors. The idea behind the project is to see if there exists an imprint—perhaps genetic or isotopic (based on the energy signatures of the atoms)—specific to the conch population for each of the French islands. It turns out that the first samples collected in Saint Martin and Saint Barthélemy are quite distinguishable, which is not the case in Martinique and in Guadeloupe, where the imprints overlap and tend not to differentiate. The project continues in the hope of refining the results and confirming that creation of this control tool is effectively viable.

Action CS 3 Develop and test programs to restore coral communities and species that depend on the reefs

Bateaux à l’ancre à l’îlet Pinel – Boats anchored in Pinel

Ecological Moorings To Protect Coral Reefs

During the summer of 2022, the scientific department of the Réserve worked hand-in-hand with Fleur Wintzer to refine a project under consideration by the French Office of Biodiversity (OFB), whose goal would be to reinforce the number of ecological moorings—at Rocher Créole, Tintamarre, Pinel, and Caye Verte— and the maritime buoys of the Réserve. This project was previously submitted to the OFB by the Réserve, in response to the call for de ReCorEA projects for the rehabilitation of coral reefs and their associated eco-systems. It was submitted a second time to the ReCorEA jury in a more detailed version: preparatory diagnostics on zones frequented by boats, definition of a deployment strategy for mooring zones with lighted buoys, and awareness activities for a better acceptance of this program by boaters. This fits perfectly with the approach initiated by the Port Authority of Saint Martin, for the placing of lighted buoys in the bays of Marigot and Grand-Case. On September 8, Julien Chalifour defended this project, which had been validated by the management council presided by the prefect, via video conference before the ReCorEA jury. The jury, which once again has the support of its members, only asked a few questions and requested just for one small modification before granting their acceptance.

As part of the definition of the strategy to reinforce the mooring options for recreational and professional boaters, preliminary studies are planned to support the discussion. The first consists of updating the cartography for the under-water and terrestrial habitats in the Réserve, integrating zones close to the Réserve in Grand-Case, Anse Marcel, Cul-de-Sac, and Orient Bay. Also planned is an analysis of the flow of boats in and out of these zones, a study of turbid water plumes (containing troublesome particles that can be provoked by ravines, pollution, or sargassum…), as well as an observation of the eventual evolution of the coastline, due to erosion of the littoral. All of this information will help better define the propositions of the project, with demarcation, regulations, and equipment adapted to the needs of the boats, such as a sufficient number of buoys to meet the needs of boats of different sizes.

To promote the conservation of seagrass beds and related marine plant species

Action CS 3 Develop and test programs to restore coral communities and species that depend on the reefs (priorty 2) Action CC2 Publish and distribute communication materials about our natural heritage (priority 1)

Launching Of “See A Grouper” Project

The LIFE BIODIV’OM project promoting the conservation of the Nassau grouper and the Goliath grouper continues. Aude Berger, head of the project, organized the creation and installation of four large informational panels put into place at Marina Fort Louis, the marina at Anse Marcel, and the Baie Blanche beach on the small island of Tintamarre. The idea is to encourage the population at large to participate in the “See A Grouper” observation program (see article below for further details). In early January 2022, an ichthyological dive did not permit the observation of any groupers at that time, even though these fish are seen regularly during dives throughout the year.

20 pages in favor of the grouper population

A collaboration with socio-professionals is on the docket for 2022 concerning the LIFE BIODIV’OM. The idea is for the Réserve Naturelle to work with the professional and recreational fishermen, restaurateurs, and operators of touristic activities to envision the best solution for the management of the grouper population in Saint Martin. A 20-page bilingual awareness brochure provides complete information for all of the professionals as well as the general public, as everyone is invited to participate in the “See A Grouper” project. What you do is send an email—lesyeuxdesmerous@ yahoo.com— or call (+590) 690 347 710—and indicate the following information about seeing a Nassau grouper or a Goliath grouper: the date, time; and place of the observation, the species, and approximate size, as well as a photo if possible. Everyone is welcome to participate!

Action CS 3 Develop and test programs to restore coral communities and species that depend on the reefs

La Ligue pour la protection des oiseaux (LPO), qui coordonne le programme Life BIODIV’OM en faveur des mérous, lui a donné une large place dans son magazine “L’Oiseau Mag Junior”. Une chance pour les écoliers de Saint-Martin, la LPO ayant offert 900 de ces magazines à la réserve naturelle.

The league for the protection of birds (LPO), which coordinates the LIFE BIODIV’OM project for the protection of Grouper, gave it a large spread in its magazine “L’Oiseau Mag Junior”. The LPO donated 900 of these magazines to the Réserve Naturelle to be d

The LIFE BIODIV’OM Project Advances

On January 14, 2022, the scientific committee for the LIFE BIODIV’OM project met to examine the recent advances made. Amandine Vaslet, an expert ichthyologist, Antoine Lechevalier, an expert geographer, Margot Mesnard, an environmental expert, and Sofia Rockomanovic, an expert biologist, validated the documentation and the strategies to put into place. They also provided their advice to adapt and optimize the actions already deployed. The next committee meeting will be held at the end of 2022. On July 12, the 2022, the LIFE BIODIV’OM steering committee validated all of the work done by the Réserve as part of this project. This committee comprised members of the Réserve Naturelle’s advisory board, presided by the prefect of Saint Martin.

Action CS 3 Develop and test programs to restore coral communities and the species that depend on the reefs

Oursin diadème – Crowned sea urchin

Crowned Sea Urchins Victims Of An Epide

Completed in early 2022, after a few months of bad weather, the first underwater study done by the Réserve Naturelle revealed that the crowned sea urchins present at specific sites were not impacted by the epizootic disease that has periodically affected this species since the early 1980’s, from Bermuda to South America. Sadly, since April 2022, this epidemic has once again been causing devastation to the sea urchins near the reefs on the French side of the island: the spines of the animals break off and their death follows. Sint Maarten and Saint Barthélemy had indicated this regrettable phenomenon as of the month of March. Since this sea urchin is the principal regulator of algae on the reefs, its growth has been out of control since the beginning of the epidemic.

Action IP6 Develop and test programs to restore coral communities and species that depend on the reefs Action PR2 Develop and value scientific collaborations (priority 1)

A seabed with Thalassia testidinum A field of Halophila stipulacea

An Invasive Algae Subject Of A Thesis

Kimani Kitson-Walters, on the staff at the Caribbean Netherlands Science Institute (CNSI), has published a thesis on the arrival of Halophila stipulacea, a species of exotic, invasive algae that comes from the Red Sea, and which arrived in the Caribbean Sea during 2022. To write his thesis, titled “The loss of biodiversity loss in Caribbean seagrass ecosystems may be exacerbated by invasive algae”, the scientist requested the support of Réserve Naturelle in studying the native sea beds at Grand-Case and Orient Bay, rare sites where the sea beds are in good health, and are composed of Thalassia testidinum and Syringodium filiforme, but lack Halophila stipulacea. At the same time, Thalassia, which is known as “turtle grass,” favors the development of diverse and numerous fauna, but is giving way little by little to the invasive Halophila. Shorter and with shallower roots, Halophila grows more quickly than the native seagrass. It also is less nutritional for herbivore species and its shorter height is not good for the fauna that like to hide there. On March 29, 2022, Kimani Kitson-Walters had the help of the Réserve to carry out his study.

Action IP6 Contribute to the rehabilitation of coral reefs and sea grass beds

Improving The Quality Of Sea Water

The quality of the coastal and sea water is one of the preoccupations of the European Union, and benefits from a water framework directive (DCE), whose goals should be directed by all members of the union with an eye toward improving these waters. At the request of the DEAL (Direction for the environment, development, and housing) in Guadeloupe, the scientific department of the Réserve Naturelle participated on June 9 and 10, 2022 in a series of dives to evaluate the state of the health of the local coral and sea beds. On the coral reefs at Chico and Rocher Créole, the divers identified living species: coral, sponges, crustacean, sea urchins... And did the same for the animals living in the sea beds at Rocher Créole and Tintamarre. These evaluation dives are scheduled to take place regularly, on the basis of once per year . On the same dates, to test the physico-chemical quality of the water, the agents of the Réserve lent their logistical support for the collection of samples analyzed on-site and in the laboratory: temperature, salinity, PH, oxygenation, turbidity. These analyses will be renewed every two months. At the same time, the DEAL conducts conformity controls for water treatment plants, under the laws on water and the management of habitats and protected zones.

To promote the conservation of the sea turtle population

Action PA2 Educate the population about the protection of sea turtles (priority 1)

La piscine en chantier The swimming pool under repair

Construction Site Lectured On Protection Of Sea Turtles

At the request of GTM, the company in charge of the construction site for the renovation of the collective swimming pool at the Mont Vernon Residence, located in direct proximity to the egg-laying spot for sea turtles at Orient Bay, Julien Chalifour intervened again at the site to lecture the crews about the protection of sea turtles. The goal was to explain how the fragility of the island’s biodiversity could be impacted by this construction site and to suggest implementing a procedure and instructions on how to limit the assault on the flora and fauna at the site. He listed the precautions to take to prevent having turtles enter the site and to start ongoing surveillance to indicate the presence of turtles or traces of egg-laying activity. A point person was designated to stay in contact with the Réserve Naturelle.

Action CS13 Monitoring Sea Turtle Egg-Laying Activity (priority 1)

Eco-Volunteers Answer The Call To Duty

More than 40 eco-Volunteers participated on April 15, 2022 at the first informational meeting about the study of sea turtles, as led by Julien Chalifour, head of the scientific department at Réserve Naturelle. The beach patrols are already and regularly on watch along the beaches, where they are looking for eventual tracks of sea turtles who came to lay their eggs, and the presence of nests throughout the egg-laying season, March 1 to November 30, according to the species: leatherback sea turtle, hawksbill sea turtle, or green sea turtle. At the end of September, there were 417 patrols and the observation of 146 traces of egg-laying activities.

To promote the conservation of nurseries for sharks and rays

Action C17 Follow the juvenile populations of rays and sharks

An Inventory Of Sharks

On January 18 and 20, the Réserve hosted Océane Beaufort, coordinator of ReGuar, a network for sharing information about sharks in the French West Indies, for a second data-gathering campaign about these animals in the coastal waters of Saint Martin. The goal was to create an inventory of these large fish by way of videos created by cameras that were installed, then recovered, at several sites. Various species were observed, including a hammerhead shark in the waters in and outside of the Réserve. The results, financed as part of the Pou Pwoteksion Rékin Karib program with European support (BEST4Life), will be evaluated as part of a program funded by the prefecture to manage the risk of sharks in Saint Martin.

To maintain or improve local conditions for nesting bird populations

CS21 Monitoring the reproductive success of brown noddies

Un piège à rats Installation d’un piège à rats

Regulation Of Small Rodents on Tintamarre

The goal of the second France Relance project is to fight against the proliferation of rats on the small island of Tintamarre. The rat traps being used have the advantage of being automated and killing the rodents immediately, in contrast to the kind of traps used in the past. Each baited trap is designed for one rat to enter and be immediately bludgeoned by a small hammer that is released by compressed gas in a cartridge. The rat then falls on the outside of the cage, which is once again back in operation by rearming itself up to 24 times per cartridge. 150 traps were set in the month of June 2022 on a third of the surface of the island, with the help of Axelle Verdière, an intern at the Réserve from February through July 2022. The results are verified every two weeks, in order to eventually replace the gas cartridges, rebait the traps, and count the number of times the hammer was triggered, as indicated on an integrated counter. 400 to 450 times over a 14 days period: a big number even if it has to be reduced somewhat, as other animals—hermit crabs, lizards—might trigger the trap. The 150 traps will later be moved to the other two thirds of Tintamarre, and several will be placed in a cordon sanitaire behind the beach at Baie Blanche, for a year.

The rat, which feeds on turtle eggs, small reptiles, and by nibbling on grains and young plant sprouts, has a very negative impact on our biodiversity. At the same time, the Réserve was getting regular complaints from campers, bothered by starving rats, who for example managed to put a hole in the thick plastic cover of a hard plastic cooler. The good news: the most recent campers questioned during the month of August, did not see any rodents.

Maintain or improve local conditions for nesting bird populations

Axelle Verdière

Axelle Verdière, 24 years old, studied biological sciences at the University of Louvain in Belgium. With a Master 2 degree, she specialized in organism biology and in ecology. She did an internship at the Réserve at the end of her studies.

Alice Aune

Alice Aune, a Master candidate in environmental studies as well as student at the political science institute, served as an intern at the Réserve Naturelle in June and July 2022, to work on the two France Relance projects. She has worked on the definition of ecological preservation professions and measures that should be put into place for the management of protected zones. This is a field of particular interest to her, in terms of her professional future.

Flora Pouzeau

Flora Plouzeau, a 21-year-old student, spent her summer vacation with the Réserve Naturelle, while getting her undergraduate degree in the management and protection of nature at Cours Diderot in Montpellier. Her task was to take the reins from Alice Aune to work on the France Relance project for the extermination of rats on the island of Tintamarre. She went on the field, prepared digital dossiers to manage the data online and analyse the statistics, with Aude Berger, head of the project.

To maintain or improve the ecological health of the salt ponds

Action IP 10 Restore and maintain the natural ecological functioning of humid zones Action IP 11 Replant damaged terrestrial sites and humid zones

Une mare à Cul-de-Sac

Restore And Maintain The “Mares”

How to maintain and/or restore a “mare”, or waterhole in a tropical* context? This question was the object of a mission commissioned by the Humid Zones Department as part of the REMA project—Restoration and Maintenance of “Mares” In The Antilles. Two experts were mandated to evaluate the current state of such waterholes in Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Saint Martin, where they were working on February 14, 2022. Their goal was to select a group of test sites, which will serve as examples to illustrate a guidebook for the management of waterholes. These specialists observed the absence of waterholes within the Réserve Naturelle and only retained two sites on the French side of the island. The first is the waterhole located in front of the fire station, which has been quite impacted and covered with water hyacinths, water lilies, and water lettuce, and which is swarming with guppies. According to the Collectivité, this waterhole is intended to be filled in and will thus disappear. The second waterhole is found in the Millrum area, across from the central kitchen. A repository for used water from the treatment station of the same name, its evaluation is underway.

The REMA project, which runs for 26 months, hopes to provide those working in the environmental sector a tool that will provide concrete answers to the technical questions that arise in terms of improvements, maintenance, and follow-up after restoration. More than 3,500 waterholes have been counted in Guadeloupe and approximately 1,100 in Martinique.

*A zone regularly subject to periods of intense drought and biological invasions.

What is a “mare” or waterhole?
A waterhole is a shallow layer of 100% fresh but stagnant groundwater. It is not necessarily permanent or natural. It might be a hole dug to hold rainwater and serve as a watering hole for livestock.

Keeping an eye on the regulations and the level of human activities compatible with the goals of La Réserve

– Action SP2 Continue and Reinforce Missions by the Environmental Police – Action SP3 Reinforce Collaboration Among The Various Police Forces – Action PA 2 Educate The Population About The Protection Of Marine Turtles

Sindextour: Charges Dropped By The Court

On May 19, the correctional court finally dropped the charges against the representative of the company, Sindextour, accused of destroying essential habitats for sea turtles on the beach in Orient Bay, during the post-Irma reconstruction of restaurants, as well as the collection of sargassum seaweed. The case was originally based on constatations made by official agents of AGRNSM (Association for the management of the National Réserve Naturelle of Saint Martin), by requisition of the vice-prosecutor of Saint Martin with the support of the Research Section of the gendarmerie, in June 2020.

Ensuring environmental communication, awareness, and education

Action PA5 Achieve pedagogical interventions in the scholastic environment (priority 1)

The Education Department Continues To Grow

Between January and June 2022, the Réserve signed three new agreements: two with elementary schools Marie-Emilie Leydet and Jean de la Fontaine; and the third with the association Cobraced. When school started in fall of 2022, 17 schools and nine associations had ongoing agreements with the Réserve Naturelle. These agreements align these partners with the Réserve, which in turn presents free presentations, in the classroom and in the field, both for students and socially troubled youngsters. These presentations are then, on the other hand, billed to the training centers which made the request, except in the case of disadvantaged populations.

In the first six months of 2022, the education department provided 200 academic presentations.

During the last advisory committee meeting, Vincent Oliva expressed his concern about the high level of requests for these programs, as he is the only person to present them. The DEAL suggested that he submit a request for a supplemental post, which could be split between the educational and scientific departments.

Action PA5 Achieve pedagogical interventions in the scholastic environment (priority 1) Action MS20 Seeking new means of financing (priority 1)

Double Funding From Te Me Um

The 20,000 euros of funding allocated to the Réserve Naturelle by Te Me Um in 2021 for a project on “the reappropriation of Saint Martin’s natural heritage by its children,” allowed the Réserve to augment its teaching materials: activity notebooks for the students, baseball caps, T-shirts, and most importantly anatomic sculptures of several species on sharks, which are frequently used in classrooms. Te Me Um, a program designed to support the operations of the biodiversity sector in the French overseas islands, is backed by the French Office For Biodiversity (OFB). At the same time, a micro-project concerning the study of invasive exotic species has benefitted from a second grant from Te Me Um, for the sum of 4,300 euros. This will allow the Education Department to purchase a GPS, a new camera, digital tablets, and to print certain invasive exotic species in 3D.

Skyepharma, a company that financed a first activity notebook for the CE1 to CM2 students in 2020, has renewed its funding and will underwrite the printing of 300 new notebooks.

Action PA5 Achieve pedagogical interventions in the scholastic environment (priority 1)

“Discovery Workshops” at The Réserve

Once again this year, the Réserve Naturelle hosted several interns, notably tenth and eleventh grade students for “discovery workshops”, in which they spent a week learning about Réserve and what it would mean to work there. The result is positive; the students found the experience enriching as did the Réserve, which can see the benefits of these regular academic interventions. These workshops also provided an occasion for the students to learn that it is possible to work professionally in the environmental field.

The Réserve Naturelle Honored By The Guadeloupe School Board

The Réserve Naturelle de Saint-Martin won the “EDD Academic Prize” awarded by the school board in Guadeloupe for its academic activities and outreach in terms of being an exemplary educational marine zone for the Northern Islands. Like a diploma to recognize the collaboration between the schools and the Réserve Naturelle over the past four years.

Action PA6 Raise public awareness for the goals of the Réserve and our natural heritage Action MS20 Seeking new means of financing (priority 1)

EDF Guadeloupe Supports The Réserve

In 2022, the Réserve Naturelle signed a new agreement with EDF Guadeloupe for the organization of the “Fête de la Nature”, which features explorations of marine eco-systems and milieux. This agreement is matched by a donation of 3,000 euros, destined for the purchase of pedagogical materials, such as a 3D printer, which will facilitate the fabrication of small animal figurines—sea turtle, dolphin, conch—that the students will be able to paint and keep.

May 18, 2022, Fête de la Nature at Galion, with a presentation of the Réserve’s eco-systems for 14 participants.
May 21, 2022, a morning hike on the Sentier des Froussards for a presentation on the wild flora and the invasive exotic species which are now present there.
May 21, 2022, to mark the 30th anniversary of LIFE BIODIV’OM, an afternoon presentation about the grouper protection project and underwater diving with virtual reality masks for 21 participants.

Agreement With The EDF Foundation

The EDF Foundation, whose objective is to support projects with a local impact, signed an agreement with the Réserve Naturelle, after the Réserve had submitted a dossier on the discovery of the coral reefs of Saint Martin. This donation, for the sum of 11,000 euros, will allow the Réserve to purchase new virtual reality masks, a camera with a 360° lens to create new videos, and new anatomic sculptures of sharks and other fish this time.

Action PA6 Educate the public about the goals of La Réserve and our natural heritage

Le stand de la réserve naturelle à la Fête de la baleine The Réserve Naturelle stand at the Fête of the Whale

The Réserve Naturelle At the “Fête Of The Whale”
The Réserve Naturelle accepted the invitation from the association Métimer (nautical professionals) to participate in the “Fête Of The Whale”, on Sunday, April 3, 2022. A total of 198 visitors stopped by the Réserve’s stand and especially liked the dives using a virtual reality mask into the underwater world of Saint Martin. The AGOA sanctuary for the protection of marine mammals was there, of course, and allowed people to listen to the songs of humpback whales The association, “My School, My Whale”, invited younger kids into their tent for various games featuring marine mammals. As for the Observatory for Marine Mammals of the Guadeloupean Archipelago (OMMAG), they made their documentation available to the visitors and responded to their questions. A conference, also for the younger kids, was led by Amandine Vaslet, representative of “My School, My Whale”, in Saint Martin, at the La Chapelle Theatre spectacles. Michel Vély, president of the association Megaptera, hosted adults the same evening in the same theatre for a lecture where the humpback whale played the starring role.

Action PA6 Raise public awareness for the goals of the Réserve and our natural heritage

Two Exhibits At Grand-Case Airport
The Réserve Naturelle organized two exhibits at the Grand-Case airport in 2002. In January and February, in the check-in area, passengers were able to encounter marine mammals through a display of anatomic sculptures and kakemonos. And in the arrival hall, a presentation by Life BIODIV’OM informed travelers about the protection of two grouper species. In September and October, an exhibit in the departure hall was dedicated to coral reefs and their habitats, while there was a display about sea turtles in the arrival hall. At the end of September, both of these two exhibits will be on display again at the airport, as part of an event organized in conjunction with the Tourist Office and the Collectivité.

Action PA6 Raise public awareness for the goals of the Réserve and our natural heritage Action MS20 Seeking new means of financing

Tourism Within The Réserve

The Réserve Naturelle continues its exploration on the development of eco-tourism activities, a study launched in 2021. The challenge is to give visitors access to learn about the natural sites in Saint Martin and showcase the destination differently, by highlighting the specificities of the island’s natural resources. As a result, since 2021, the Réserve has been leading narrated tours of the marine milieu for the clients of La Samanna hotel, which gives their ccustomers access to a rental boat, to go out with two agents from the Réserve. The highpoint of this project is the observation of sea turtles at the sites where they are frequently found. The only restriction: the sea must be calm in order to best observe these animals in conditions that are respectful of the environment. Another activity is the exploration of the salt ponds, the mangrove, and their ornithological richness, on the site of the Salines d’Orient, in cooperation with Seagrape Tours. In order to enrich the content of the message communicated during these visits, the agents of the Réserve spent a weekend with the guides from this commercial tour company, in a classroom and in the field. Their goal was to present the Réserve Naturelle, with the wetlands as a highpoint of the visit, and a look at the restoration work done in the mangrove by the management. The visitors are asked to contribute to this restoration by transplanting mangrove seedlings that come from the Réserve’s nursery. This exploration of the mangrove in Saint Martin, and its management tools, is addressed as much toward the residents of the island as to its visitors. The latter also contribute to the conservation of the mangrove by paying a fee for commercial activities within the perimeter of the Réserve Naturelle.

Action CC8 Communicate about the missions and activities of the RNN in the media (Priority 1)

An American In Saint Martin

At the request of the Tourist Office, the Réserve Naturelle hosted an American journalist who wanted to discover Saint Martin beyond the beaches and off the beaten track, in order to better write about the undeveloped side of Saint-Martin, its salt ponds, its mangroves, and its rich bird life. At the Réserve office, she enjoyed a presentation led by the staff on the management and conservation of biodiversity. Then to get a real-life look at these topics, she went with the staff to visit the Baie de l’Embouchure, where she was able to see how easy it is to observe birds from the shore, and also understand the efforts put forth by the Réserve to restore the natural zones damaged by hurricane Irma, especially the creation of the mangrove plant nursery. She returned to the United States satisfied with her visit and surprised that these natural assets are rarely promoted in the press.

Optimizing management means

Action CS35 Promote The Acquisition of Knowledge at the RNN (priority 1)

Récréafish: An Update

Launched in August 2021, the Récréafish program came to an end in August 2022. In spite of bad weather conditions that limited the number of fishing trips operated by the participants, 13 panelists from Saint Martin participated, of which only three were actually active. Saint Barthélemy saw participation of 42 fishermen, with 50 excursions reported and 400 fish caught during the same period. This project took place at the same time throughout the French Antilles, and was coordinated by IFREMER at the request of the OFB, allowing for a better understand of recreational fishing and the size of the catch on these islands.

Better Knowledge About Protected Areas And Protected Species

LIFE: A Project Protecting Land Lizards

L’anolis d’Anguilla The anole from Anguilla

Every year, Europe asks its member to suggest projects that can be supported by LIFE, a financial instrument to fund initiatives that are positive for nature, the environment, and the climate. Since the summer of 2022, the scientific department of the Réserve has participated in video conferences—most notably with the National Forestry Office (ONF) and the Herpetological Society of France (SHF), as well as other partners on other islands— whose goal is to present a proposition to the LIFE program for the protection of protected land lizards in the French West Indies. These reptiles include the skink, the grass snake, the iguana delicatissima, the anole, the gecko... The idea is to contribute to the conservation of these populations by creating actions for increasing knowledge, management, and regulation of invasive exotic species, as well as creating public awareness for those who disregard and underestimate the value of our natural heritage. The LIFE funds provide a unique opportunity, without which such major and decisive actions for nature conservation would not be possible on the territorial level.

Réserve Naturelle Nationale de Saint-Martin

3 rue Barbuda, Hope Estate- 97 150 Saint-Martin
Tél: 05 90 29 09 72 Fax: 05 90 29 09 74

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Reserve.Naturelle.StMartin

Direction: direction@rnsm.org
Pôle police de la nature et logistique 06 90 57 95 55 reservenat.franck@yahoo.fr
Pôle scientifique 06 90 34 77 10 science@rnsm.org

Partenaires techniques et financiers de la Réserve naturelle

Partenaires techniques et financiers de la Réserve naturelle : Préfecture de Saint-Barthélemy et de Saint-Martin, Direction de l’environnement, de l’aménagement et du logement (DEAL), Collectivité de Saint-Martin, CAR-SPAW, Agence des aires marines protégées, IFRECOR, TE ME UM

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