Newsletter-43

Journal #43

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Newsletter-43

To promote the conservation of the coral reefs and related species

ReCorEa: A Multi-Phase Project

Plongée sur un massif de corail | Diving on a coral reef Diving on

Action CS1, CS3, PR2 et IP6

Updating the cartography
Develop and test the revitalization of coral and related species (priority 2)
Contribute to the rejuvenation of the coral reefs and seagrass beds
Develop and appreciate scientific collaborations (priority 1)

As part of the ReCorEA project launched by the French Office for Biodiversity (OFB) to monitor the resilience of coral reefs and their associated ecosystems (seagrass beds and mangroves), the Réserve Naturelle hired Clément Bonnardel as head of the project. His priorities are the revision and reinforcement of the mooring zone and its lighted buoys. The project comprises four phases.

Preliminary Phase

The first phase is to update the maps, which date from the early 2000’s, of the terrestrial and maritime zones of the Réserve Naturelle, as well as create a map for the adjacent zones outside of the Réserve: Grand-Case, Anse Marcel, Cul-de-Sac, and Orient Bay… The map of these terrestrial and underwater habitats is based on an automated computer program that relies on satellite images. To do so, current field surveys done by the head of the project and the entire management staff will be used to characterize and localize robust samples of the existing habitats: sand, mangrove, coral reef, seagrass beds... These new maps will also indicate the number of boats that visit these zones, as well as the evolution of the coastline, and the existence of turbid zones of murky water caused by runoff from ravines or gray water, diverse pollution, or due to the decomposition of sargassum seaweed.

At the same time, the head of the project will survey marine professionals, recreational boaters and fishermen, in order to grasp their perception and their needs in terms of traffic within the Réserve and the mooring zone. Nautical traffic is also characterized directly on site by monitoring the number of boats by class, size, and the nature of their activities.

The goal is to define a fruitful strategy based on a compromise between the conservation of the habitats, the maximum number of boats (commercial and recreational), and reasonable supervision of users.

Management Phase

As a result of the preliminary phase, the deployment of the new mooring zone can happen: reinforcement of the existing area and installation of new ones. This will be accompanied by a new set of regulations covering practices throughout all protected areas, in order to ensure the effectiveness of the program and the conservation of marine habitats.

Monitoring Phase

Before, during, and after the deployment of the mooring zone, various monitoring systems will be in place to evaluate the initial state and evolution of the three main habitats involved in the ReCorEA project: mangroves, seagrass beds, and coral communities. This will make it possible to evaluate and monitor these habitats over time.

Awareness Phase

An essential aspect of the project, an awareness campaign has already started, most notably during “the day for those who missed out on vacation”, which allowed 300 children from Saint Martin, Sint Maarten, Anguilla, and Guadeloupe to discover the ecological richness in the Baie de l’Embouchure with the Réserve. The campaign will continue in all of the schools in Saint Martin.

The goal is to raise awareness about the richness and fragility of these indispensable ecosystems in order to facilitate acceptance and adhesion to the new management regulations for activities within the Réserve Naturelle Nationale de Saint-Martin. Financed by the French Office for Biodiversity, the ReCorEA project also receives support from the Fondation Véolia Environnement and from Atout France.

Clément Bonnardel, the 25-year-old head of the ReCorEA project, holds an international master’s degree in species conservation biology and specializes in behavioral biology and fauna management. Multilingual, he spent an exchange year in Nebraska and did two internships in Spain, where he studied the Bonelli’s eagle and its territory. He is a level 2B scuba diver and holds a coastal boat license.

Camaraderie With French Guiana

Enquête auprès d’un professionnel | Survey with a professional

Action CS3, IP6 et PR2

Develop and test the revitalization of coral and related species (priority 2)
Contribute to the rejuvenation of the coral reefs and seagrass beds
Develop and appreciate scientific collaborations (priority 1)

Two members of the Study Group For The Protection of Birds in French Guiana came to lend a hand to the management team at the Réserve Naturelle on April 22 and 29, 2023 to achieve two goals related to LIFE BIODIV’OM project.

The first of these goals was to share knowledge between French Guiana and Saint Martin concerning the territorial dialogue, and means of consultation, mediation, and negotiation on environmental questions, and in this case, specifically the Giant Grouper and the Nassau Grouper. The second goal concerned the creation of a questionnaire for professionals involved with groupers. They were given various promotional materials related to the LIFE BIODIV’OM project underway in Saint Martin. Eleven bilateral meetings were held with 16 socio-economic experts on the island: professional and leisure fishermen, diving clubs, tourism operators, restaurateurs...

The local staff was enriched by their exchange with those from French Guiana, where she will soon go for a planning session with all those involved in drafting the best joint management policy for the grouper.

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

Marine Fauna Colonize Biohuts

Une Biohut

Action CS3

Develop and test rehabilitation programs for coral communities and associated species

Action CS7

Develop and test seagrass rehabilitation programs

A total of 40 Biohuts have been installed since 2022 thanks to financing through the France Relance plan at sites ranging from the Port of Galisbay, Fort Louis Marina, and the marina at Anse Marcel. Intended to alleviate the impact of man-made development along the coasts, these artificial habitats serve as nurseries and serve as shelter for fish and crustaceans for the first stages of their lives. This increases their chances of survival and promotes the recolonization of adjacent areas by marine fauna. The interiors of these compartmentalized cages are filled with conch shells, increasing their complexity and creating niches that are favorable for the colonization of post-larvae and juvenile fish. The Biohuts are regularly monitored including 32 underwater visits to evaluate their populations.

Maël Andrieux, a master’s candidate in the study of Water Sciences and Aquatic Ecosystems at the Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour, did an internship at the Réserve Naturelle de Saint-Martin to complete his degree. He was in charge of the project to alleviate the impact of expanded port facilities on the coastal biodiversity of Saint Martin, and he actively participated in the monitoring of the 40 Biohuts, in addition to working on public informational signage at three different sites: Galisbay, Marina Fort Louis, and the Anse Marcel marina. This important step in his curriculum will allow him to integrate aspects of logistical and financial project management into his thesis, as well as lead exchanges with partners managing major economic infrastructures for our region. He presented the fruits of his labor in September 2023, to complete his Master’s.

Mission terminée en baie de Marigot

Un habitat artificiel | An artificial habitat

Action CS7

Développer et tester des programmesde réhabilitation des herbiers

Le 15 février 2023, la réserve naturelle a accompli sa dernière prestation dans le cadre du contrat signé avec le port de commerce pour son conseil et son contrôle concernant l’installation de mouillages en baie de Marigot. Sept sites d’implantation d’habitats artificiels, au milieu des 75 bouées en place, ont été inspectés. Le parc a bien été installé et ces habitats sont colonisés par une douzaine d’espèces, dont des poissons ange et des langoustes royales.

Il convient maintenant de mettre en place un système opérationnel de gestion de ce parc pour en assurer le suivi, la maintenance et proposer à ses usagers un service adapté assurant la pérennité de l’infrastructure.

To promote the conservation of the sea turtle population

Baby Turtles Signal Start Of Turtle Egg-Laying Season

Le site de l’émergence des bébés tortues a été protégé | The site of the baby turtles emergence has been protected

Action CS13

Follow the egg-laying activities of sea turtles (priority 1)

On March 1, the date when the sea turtle egg-laying season starts, the Réserve Naturelle was called to the beach in Anse Marcel, where the emergence of baby hawkbill turtles had been observed. It was necessary to protect dozens of hatchlings trying to reach the sea in a popular tourist area, without touching them but by answering the questions asked by swimmers who were extremely interested in this incredible activity. This beach is an historic site for egg-laying in Saint Martin and is protected by a ministerial decree, just like the turtles themselves. Construction, nocturnal lights, the use of heavy motorized machinery, and general pollution have caused damage to this essential habitat for the reproduction of these animals that are so emblematic in the waters around the island.

In early April, 30 or so eco-volunteers participated in a preliminary informational meeting on the monitoring of sea turtles. They patrol the beaches regularly and try to count the eventual traces as the turtles climb up the beach, and the presence of nests throughout the egg-laying period, which ends on November 30 for certain species: leatherbacks, hawkbills, and green turtles. The months of August and September are generally the most active. Would you like to serve as an eco-volunteer to help protect the sea turtles? Don’t hesitate to send a message to Aude Berger at reservenat.aude@yahoo.com.

One Shark SXM To Better Handle Risks From Sharks

Requin-tigre | Tiger shark

Action CS3

Raise public awareness about shark protection
Supervise uses and attendance on high-stakes sites

Created after two consecutive shark attacks by what seems to be the same tiger shark in St Martin and St Kitts in 2000, the goal of the One Shark SXM project is to better understand the population of tiger sharks around Saint Martin, estimate their number, track their migrations, and catalogue their genetic profile. To do so, during scientific fishing explorations, a tiger shark is trapped, marked, and a sample of its DNA is taken before it is released. The goal, in case of a new incident, is to find the cause and neutralize it. Several scientific captures and DNA samples have been done locally since the start of the project.

A public interest group was created to better confront the risk of sharks. Its members— the prefecture, the Collectivité, the management association for the Réserve Naturelle, local doctors, fishermen, tourism professionals, the gendarmerie, firefighters, Regional Health Agency, maritime affairs—have met three times at the prefecture, on January 2, June 28, and August 22, 2023. Led by Adrien Bidenbach, the director of this group, these meetings cautioned the various parties about the necessity to plan for a rapid response in case of a new attack. For example, the doctors and first responders need a plan to react as quickly as possible.

Informational signage for the public will be installed along the beaches, along with events in the schools, with the goal of raising awareness without being alarmist. The One Shark SXM project is directed by the École Pratique des Hautes Etudes (EPHE), whose objective is to train the researchers through study.

To maintain or improve local conditions for nesting bird populations

The Réserve Supports The Natural History Museum For Nesting Marine Birds

Noddi brun | Brown Noddy

Action PR2

Develop and appreciate scientific collaborations (priority 1)

Action CS23, 24

Study of shore birds and their nesting habits

The Natural History Museum asked the Réserve Naturelle to be their go-between in Saint Martin. Antoine Chabrolle, advisor to the Museum and active with the National Network For Marine Birds, was particularly interested by the data produced concerning nesting marine birds, especially the least tern, the red-billed tropicbird, and the brown noddy. From March through June 2023, the Réserve counted the least terns at the salt ponds, as well as the red-billed tropicbird and the brown noddy at their coastal sites.

The data was sent to the Museum, as a means to augment the information already compiled from sites throughout the Caribbean.

To maintain or improve local conditions for marine mammal populations

The Agreement Is Over But Deratification Continues

Piège à rat automatique | Automatic rat trap

Action CS21

Follow the reproductive success of the brown noddy

An agreement between the DEAL and the management association for the Réserve Naturelle as part of the France Relance project to promote regulations controlling the population of small rodents on the small island of Tintamarre, concluded on December 31, 2022. The project consisted of two phases involving 150 traps (installed, baited, and regularly controlled and rearmed), which covered two-thirds of the island. The total count for the traps was 3,500 incidents, meaning that just about that many of these rodents will no longer impact one of the most fragile ecosystems on the sanctuary for our biodiversity.

However, the operation continues in order to cover more of the island, as well as install a biosecurity system on the beach in Baie Blanche, a busy site, to prevent more rats from arriving by the sea.

If these little invaders are annoying where picnics take place, they are also attracted by all sources of potential nourishment close to points of water, as well as nesting zones for the brown noddies and tropicbirds along the cliffs. When the number of trap incidents decreases on the second third of the island, the traps will be moved to the final third, on the eastern side of Tintamarre to complete the project.

The Réserve Naturelle would like to sincerely thank the numerous volunteers that made the very demanding and time-consuming project possible.

To maintain or improve the ecological health of the salt ponds

The Biodiversity Nursery Project Presented To The Conservatoire du Littoral

Le projet Biodiversity Nursery présenté au Conservatoire du littoral

Actions MS3, IP10, IP11

Study the installation of new walking paths
Restoring the ecological functioning

of ponds
Replanting of damaged wetlands

Invited by the Conservatoire du Littoral, as there is an agreement delegating work on a parcel of land within the Réserve where the mangrove nursery is located in the edge of the Salines d’Orient, the Réserve Naturelle participated in the management board meeting for the local branch of the Conservatoire, in their offices at Hope Estate on March 24, 2023.

Pierre Aliotti, president of the management association for the Réserve Naturelle (AGRNSM), and Julien Chalifour, its scientific director, presented the annual report and status update for the Biodiversity Nursery project, winner of the Palme Ifrecor award in November 2022.

The goal of this project is to restore the wetlands historically filled in to create the road, and to reconnect the marshes to each other, create small islands where mangrove shoots can be planted, and finally create a raised nature path on stilts as well as a bird observation platform open to the public.

The overall cost of the project is 200,050 euros, and is financed by the Fondation de France at 88%, plus 7% by the Rotary, and 5% by the AGRNSM.

Mangrove Nursery: 3121 Seeds Replanted

Ashley Daniel, garde, à l’oeuvre dans la pépinière |Ashley Daniel, ranger, working in the mangrove nursery

Action IP11

Replanting of damaged wetlands

The mangrove nursery, created by the Réserve Naturelle on the edge of the Etang des Salines d’Orient after the damage caused by hurricane Irma, produced 3121 seeds for white mangroves in 2023. These seeds were first allowed to germinate, and their seedlings were planted in the mangrove.

The planting was done in collaboration with the company Seagrape Tours, with whom the AGRNSM signed an agreement in 2022. Two to three times per week, Seagrape Tours took groups of 15 to 20 tourists to discover the Réserve and help replant the young mangroves. These visitors paid a fee of 5 euros each, which helped finance this project.

The SXM Cap project combines business and a social initiative. For each hat sold, the company makes a donation toward the replanting of trees on the island. In this way, the company donated a total of 3,339 euros to the Réserve Naturelle, to fund the nursery and the restoration of the mangrove after hurricane Irma. This donation will finance the rebuilding of the deck at the nursery.

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

Police Blotter

Tintamarre

Action SP2

Pursue and Strengthen Environmental Police Missions

In the first trimester of 2023, Police Department agents did 123 patrols at sea, 13 of which did not comply with regulations: non-declared commercial businesses, nocturnal mooring without authorization, and especially the discovery of six traps full of lobsters.

Note: Recreational boats wishing to spend the night at Tintamarre must request permission from the Réserve two days in advance.

A total of 96 terrestrial patrols also took place, of which nine did not comply: kite surfing on the beach in Galion; fishermen on foot along the coast; and the use of five quads on the Baie de l’Embouchure. Penalized on site, the five tourists were fined between 90 and 135 euros by the gendarmes.

Long Bay: Protection Decree Not Respected

Baie Longue

Action SP2

Pursue and Strengthen Environmental

In early June, an eco-volunteer for sea turtles reported repeated traffic of heavy construction machinery on the beach in Long Bay, the most important site on the French side where the sea turtles lay eggs; a site that has been protected since 2019 by a biotope protection decree.

On the beach, Julien Chalifour and Clément Bonnardel observed this ongoing use of machinery between the public parking lot and a building site to reinforce the cliffs by La Samanna hotel. After verification, it turns out that the project had administrative authorization, but did not have an exemption in terms of protected species that would have permitted the use of such machinery at an egg-laying site, especially at the high-point of the season. Julien Chalifour and Clément Bonnardel also noted that the vehicles were not driving on the wet part of the beach, where nests are never found, nor did they use the same tracks each time. Instead, they were driving on the dry part of the sand, which is better for the nests, and even on one of the rare zones which still has vegetation, an important element for the egg-laying of the hawkbill turtles. Started in June, the work was completed in the month of August, but was subject to a written report, co-edited with the support of the staff at the OFB before being sent to the prosecutor. This case recalls that of Karacoli, on the Grande-Anse egg-laying site in Deshaies in Guadeloupe, which resulted in a conviction in April 2023. Long Bay: Protection Decree Not Respected

Évolution de l’arrêté de chasse | Evolution Of Hunting Laws

Action MS8

Initiate a reflection on the evolution of regulations related to hunting

Julien Chalifour, expert consultant for the departmental hunting commission in Guadeloupe, participated in a meeting on April 16 to discuss current hunting regulations. The goal was to define which species should be taken into consideration by a new decree in order to increase their protection or exclude hunting zones, in a temporary or permanent way. This meeting was also an opportunity to present the work carried out by Vincent Lemoine, commissioned by the LPO as part of the Life Biodiv’OM program on Saint-Martin, to monitor and identify the ZICO—Zones of Interest for Bird Conservation in Saint Martin. Stay tuned.

Ensuring environmental communication, awareness, and education

Big Success For The Pedagogical Department

Le succès est au rendez-vous pour le pôle pédagogique | Big Success For The Pedagogical Department

Action PA5

Achieve pedagogical interventions in the scholastic environment (priority 1)

Victim of its own success, the pedagogical department has established agreements with new academic institutions, but was obliged to refuse some of the demands that flooded in.

The in-school programs are very appreciated by teachers as well as by students, and the school board loves them. Among the 38 themes on the roster, turtles, marine mammals, mangroves, pollution, coral reefs, birds, and exotic invasive species are the most successful. How ecosystems function is a major topic, especially as part of field expeditions at the Baie de l’Embouchure, and the Sentier des Froussards, as well as sites outside of the Réserve, such as Long Bay, for the observation of turtle tracks.

Students Invested In Educational Marine Zones

Conseil de la mer élargi le 31 mars 2023 | The expanded sea council on 31st March 2023

Action PA5

Achieve pedagogical interventions in the scholastic environment (priority 1)

Five classes from three schools are involved in the protection and management of the natural heritage of Educational Marine Zones: CM1 and CM2 classes from the Ecole Clair Saint-Maximin in French Quarter; CE1 and CM2 classes from the Happy School in Grand-Case; and a sixth-grade class from the Roche Gravée de Moho Middle School, French Quarter.

The middle-school class participated in the replanting of mangroves from the nursery run by the Réserve Naturelle along the Spring path, on the edge of the Etang aux Poissons. The same school also created a Terrestrial Educational Zone with a second sixth-grade class, on the site of the famous indigenous petroglyph Moho rock drawing. This class benefitted from a presentation about the history of this Pre-Colombian site by archeologist Christophe Hénocq. Another one of the many activities at Happy School is the creation of a fresco on a wall by the beach in Grand Case, where there is a QR code painted to allow access to an audio message to raise awareness about sea turtles and the dangers linked to human activities. The message was recorded by the students, in French and in English.

Ecole Clair Saint-Maximin worked on a diagnostic of the egg-laying site on the beach at the Baie de l’Embouchure. Plans are for the next Educational Marine Zones to be created in association with the Mont des Accords Middle School. The Réserve Naturelle serves as an advisor for all these activities, in the classroom and in the field.

First launched in Saint-Martin by the Réserve Naturelle in June 2018, with a CM1 class at the Ecole Clair Saint- Maximin in French Quarter, the concept of Educational Marine Zones continues to gain popularity. This label, provided by the French Office of Biodiversity (OFB), recognizes ecological projects that invite students to think about the management and protection of the natural marine heritage. These “junior rangers” are elementary school students up to sixth grade, who are concerned about this aspect of their heritage and take an active interest in properly protecting and managing it. In the same light, the classes at the Ecole Clair Saint- Maximin hosted the expanded sea council organized by the Réserve Naturelle on March 31, 2023, with all the island’s officials: Collectivité, Prefecture, DEAL, Direction of the Sea, Littoral Conservancy, School Board, and the teachers and principals involved, in order to touch on the various problems encountered with their Educational Marine Zones and request the necessary authorization from various services to react in the field.

Morning Activities To Promote Grouper

Plantation de palétuviers | Mangrove plantation

Action PA6

Raise public awareness for the goals of the Reserve and our natural heritage

The Réserve Naturelle organized “Grouper Morning” at the Baie de l’Embouchure, on Saturday, 25th March 2023. The public was invited to a pop-up village with stands built for the occasion. Various activities were on the program: a presentation by Aude Berger about the Giant Grouper and the Nassau Grouper; a bird-watching walk led by Julien Chalifour; planting of mangroves at the Etang des Salines d’Orient with the help of volunteers and intern Maël Andrieux; virtual dives with Vincent Oliva and Maël Andrieux using 360° virtual reality headsets; and to conclude, a big treasure hunt to encourage protection of nature. A terrific morning, which also saw the participation of two students getting their professional baccalaureate in sales at the Académie des Métiers.

Businesses Meet With Réserve Agents

Control at Creole Rock | Contrôle au Rocher Créole

Action PA1

Train commercial operators carrying out their activity on the reserve

52 commercial businesses, 29 French and 23 foreign— primarily daily boat rental companies and dive clubs—have authorization to work within the Réserve Naturelle. On January 10 & 11, a number of these businesses geared to tourism accepted an invitation to meet with agents of the Réserve. The meeting went well, the businesses shared their expectations and their challenges, and the agents answered their questions and explained the rules and best practices within the protected areas.

The French companies pay a fee of two euros per person/per day, and their foreign counterparts pay five euros. In 2022 these fees, used primarily for the installation and maintenance of buoys and moorings at such sites as Tintamarre, Pinel, and Rocher Créole, brought in 155,865 euros for the Réserve Naturelle.

Anyone who wants to partner with the Réserve should make a request in October. Their request will be sent to the Direction de la Mer, in order to verify that all conditions related to their activity have been met, Once this validation has been obtained, the AGRNSM decides on the application. The authorization is temporary and can be suspended or revoked if any rules are broken by the company in question. The partner businesses are the first to share the message about environmental protection by promoting the local natural heritage.

A New App To Identify Local Flora And Fauna

Obsidentify app

Action PA6

Raise public awareness about the goals of the Reserve and our natural heritage

Using the Obsidentify app, it is now possible to automatically identify wild species of local flora and fauna, thanks to a new dedicated module. Created by the Dutch Caribbean Nature Association (DCNA) for all of the Dutch Caribbean islands—Sint Maarten, Saba, Sint Eustatius, Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao—the app is free and available in several languages.

Solicited to promote this new app, as other associations have been, the management association for the Réserve Naturelle organized a hike on February 13, 2023 at the Baie de l’Embouchure, Galion beach, and the Etang des Salines d’Orient, in order to demonstrate the app to the public.

The idea is to take a photo of a plant or an animal, and allow the algorithm to make an identification as close as possible as to the species (which will then be validated by an expert) and eventually create a personal digital catalogue that remains in your online memory, including the date and location of the identifications. This information is available to share, including with scientists.

Obsidentify is an iterative app, which will be enriched over time, as the multiplication of observations is necessary to increase the database.

Fauna Saint Barthélemy-Saint Martin: A Local Portal To Share Your Nature Observations

Action PA6

Raise public awareness about the goals of the Reserve and our natural heritage

Everyone now has the possibility to share their observations of the fauna in Saint Martin and Saint Barthélemy on the platform faune-SBSM.org and the NaturaList app, where one finds the nature lovers of these islands. The site includes a page with news about the fauna of the French West Indies, as well as a gateway to the scientific world, and a database that will be enriched with the addition of everyone’s data. In the field, one simply needs to start the app to enter and transmit their data immediately. If there is no internet connection, the information can be synchronized for later posting. Observe and photograph birds, terrestrial and marine mammals, reptiles, amphibians, dragon flies, butterflies… and share. All the data is validated by a committee of experts whose primary goal is to best protect local species by raising awareness about them.
The Fauna-SBSM platform is coordinated by the French Society For The Protection of Birds (LPO) and financed by the BIODIV’OM LIFE project. It is managed in partnership with, among others, the Réserve Naturelle de Saint-Martin. The data collected in Saint Martin and Saint Barthélemy is sent via the Faune-Antilles portal, which combines the entries from Martinique and Guadeloupe.

In February 2023, ornithologist Vincent Lemoine completed his inventory and monitoring project, which was presented in detail in the preceding issue of this journal. Tasked by the LPO as part of the BIODIV’OM LIFE project in Saint Martin, whose goals include the designation of a ZICO (Zone of interest for the conservation of birds), Lemoine’s goal was to map the species present on the island and create an inventory. His next report, which will list local species and indicate those species that need protection, will help define the zones of interest for the conservation of birds. All of Lemoine’s observations made on the island were entered on Faune Antilles.

Thanks To The EDF Foundation!

Les sculptures animales en cours de finalisation | The animal sculptures under construction

Action MS20

Seeking new means of financing

Thanks to the EDF Foundation and the 11,000€ donation it made in 2022, the Réserve was able to expand its collection of life-size sculptural animals. A gray heron, a black-necked stilt, a great egret, and a brown pelican have joined the marine mammals, turtles, fish, and other birds in this interesting scientific menagerie.

These funds will also allow the Réserve to make new underwater films to be seen with the 360° virtual reality headsets.

Optimizing management means

Welcome Alexina Paya!

Alexina Paya

Action MS19

A Ensure accounting and administrative management

Hired on June 1, 2023 in an administrative management position, Alexina Paya ensures the overall management of the association’s activities. With a Master’s in Aquatic Ecosystem Dynamics, which she earned in 2003 at Université de Pau et des pays de l’Adour, she will participate in scientific activities, as well as terrestrial and marine development projects managed by the Réserve Naturelle. She has a coastal license and a Level-3 diving certificate, and is pursuing CAH1B professional training.

Activities To Promote Team Cohesion

Réserve et douanes à Tintamarre | Reserve and customs in Tintamarre

Action PA6

Strengthen collaboration with institutions in charge of police

Inter-service activities, combining several surveillance structures help promote cohesion between staff members, prove to be essential during joint operations in the field. That’s how the nautical brigade of the gendarmerie and the customs agents work hand-in-hand at the Réserve Naturelle. The gendarmes, in addition to several patrols at sea aboard their boat, have contributed to underwater operations for seagrass beds and coral reefs. The customs agents have participated in multiple terrestrial operations on the islet of Tintamarre, concerning the management and monitoring of non-endemic species.

Mooring Buoys Repaired

Les deux gardes, Christopher Joe et Ashley Daniel / The two rangers, Christopher Joe and Ashley Daniel

Action CI10

Maintain beacons and moorings

On August 23 & 24, the mooring buoys and those that define the boundary of the Réserve Naturelle were repaired with the help of the nautical brigade from the gendarmerie. That includes 13 buoys at Tintamarre (up to 50 feet) and 12 at Rocher Créole (5 up to 50 feet, and 7 up to 35 feet).

Those who use the moorings are asked to respect the rules, such as:

The yellow buoys are for recreational boats, while priority for the white buoys goes to professionals..
Respecting the tonnage indicated on the buoys. Anchoring in the seagrass beds and coral is strictly forbidden.
Not respecting these rules can result in judicial proceedings and a suspension or cancellation of authorization to work in the Réserve Naturelle.

A Perfect Intern

Carla Martinez

Action MS21

A Ensure the recruitment, supervision and training of volunteers and interns

Carla Martinez, a first-year student in a nature management and protection course at the Aix-Valabre High School in Gardanne, France, did a two-month internship at the Réserve Naturelle from May 22 to July 12, 2023. Full of energy, she participated in all the activities of the Réserve, be it the monitoring of sea turtles, birds, and Biohuts, or academic activities in the classroom and in the field. She also worked on the installation of an exhibit of shells, creating informational sheets and kakemono hanging scrolls. The Réserve Naturelle would like to thank her for being motivated, pro-active, and highly professional.

Five interns, from three different middle schools on the island and the Northern Islands High School, got their taste of the professional world within the Réserve Naturelle for a week in January 2023. They learned about the various departments and jobs related to the environment.

Understanding and continual study of the natural heritage

Managing The Green Monkey Population

Singe Vert - Green Monkey

Action PA6

Implement managements actions on stray species, invasive exotic species or their impacts

How many individuals are in the population of green monkeys in Saint Martin? The first report dates back at least 20 years and they have continued to multiply, especially close to urban zones on the Dutch side of the island, near residents of Guana Bay, Pointe Blanche, and Cole Bay. Hurricane Irma increased their dissemination, and they can now be seen throughout the French side from the Lowlands to Anse Marcel. This apparent recrudescence naturally has had an impact on local residents, crops, and our unique island biodiversity. So much so that there is a possibility of updating the regulations concerning this invasive species, as discussed on January 18, 2023 during a meeting at the Prefecture with the DEAL, the Réserve Naturelle, the Nature Foundation of Sint Maarten, the Regional Health Agency, and the Collectivité. The goal would be to improve regulations to manage the population of these primates. The island of Saint Kitts, invaded by green monkeys, has seen its agricultural economy severely impacted for several years, and has long invested in various actions on different levels, yet has not succeeded in resolving the issue due to a lack of rapid action.

In early 2023, the government of Sint Maarten made the decision to euthanize 450 of these animals before 2025, and tasked the Sint Maarten Nature Foundation with the job. A dedicated staff member was assigned to build cages, place them in specified locations, add bait, and finally transport the animal to the veterinarian to be euthanized.

The Réserve Naturelle has discussed the problem with an advisory committee since 2015, at which time the green monkeys were not as present in Saint Martin, but a decision must be made now. Invasive species are the main cause of the disappearance of global biodiversity. In this light, the management’s role is to prevent the introduction of these species and to control those already present within the reserve. The DEAL has been asked to contribute to finding sustainable management solutions for the green monkeys in Saint Martin, in order to coordinate with Sint Maarten. These solutions should help define an adapted approach and estimate the human and financial resources necessary for this struggle, which will be financed by the government.

Green monkeys live in groups of 10 to 80 individuals on a space of approximately two square kilometers. A single adult weighs about 8 kilos with a height of 50 centimeters, and can live up to 13 years. Gestation lasts five and a half months and the female only carries one baby at a time. An opportunistic omnivore, this animal is originally from sub-Saharan Africa, and consumes fruits, vegetables, leaves, insects, lizards, and eggs, based on what it finds in its immediate area. Green

Reinforcing local and regional commitment to the Réserve

Vincent Oliva ESN Board Member For The RNF

Vincent Oliva sur le terrain / Vincent Oliva on the field

Action MS37

Participate in meetings, maintain and strengthen partnerships with regional and national networks

Pedagogical director Vincent Oliva has been solicited by the Association of French Réserves Naturelles (RNF) to join the board for Nature Education and Awareness (ESN). RNF now has an overseas representative on this commission, as it so desired. Vincent Oliva, as well as her counterpart Sarah Sellier, responsible for education and awareness for the Réserve Naturelle in Désirade and Petite-Terre, also serves on the RNF commission for educational zones in the Antilles-Guyane region.

The ReCorEA Saint Martin project presented to IFRECOR

IFRECOR

Action MS36

Meet and discuss with managers of protected natural areas in the Lesser Antilles

On June 13, all of the members of the IFRECOR committee for the Caribbean basin met via video conference. Julien Chalifour represented the AGRNSM and shared the progress made by the ReCorEA program. It was also an opportunity to highlight the specific situation of the Collectivité de Saint-Martin, which has been very active in terms of preservation of its coral reefs, but does not have its own local IFRECOR committee. In fact, in spite of multiple inquiries, there has not been an official request made by the Collectivité, the only institution that can solicit the national IFRECOR committee.

Anguilla Visits The Réserve Naturelle...

La réserve de Saint-Martin a reçu ses homologues anguillais | The Saint Martin reserve received its Anguillian counterparts

Action PR2

Develop and appreciate scientific collaborations (priority 1)

Staff members from the Anguilla National Trust came to meet their counterparts from the Réserve Naturelle de Saint-Martin on March 13 and 14, 2023. Their schedule included a general presentation about the Réserve and a visit to the mangrove nursery located on the edge of the Salines d’Orient, before going to Terres Basses to see the site where the Réserve had recently identified a species that was thought to be strictly endemic to Anguilla: Rondeletia anguilensis, a plant in the Rubiaceae family. The next day, they went with the Réserve to visit Tintamarre, where they participated in rat control. Before returning to Anguilla, they invited the Réserve Naturelle to visit their island.

... And The Réserve Naturelle Visits Anguilla

L’AGRNSM reçue par la Anguilla National Trust The Saint Martin reserve welcomed by the Anguilla National Trust

Action PR2

Develop and appreciate scientific collaborations (priority 1)

Trust, Julien Chalifour and Aude Berger spent four days in Anguilla, June 13-16, 2023. They visited several scientific projects, such as the nursery for melliferous tree species created to preserve pollinating insects; the trees are then offered to the public. Other projects in Anguilla include: the preservation and restoration of salt ponds; removing rats from islets; management of the endemic species iguana delicatissima; and the monitoring of birds. The most important and innovative project, baptized as “Main Island” consists of transforming a tract of land in Fountain Cavern National Park, on the edge of Shoal Bay, into a nature reserve. The job entails protecting approximately four hectares of undeveloped land by installing a fine mesh fence to keep anything from entering or exiting. All of the introduced species—such as the common iguana— will be removed and replaced by native species such as the iguana delicatissima, local grass snakes, and the beautiful Rondeletia anguilensis. The goal is to create and conserve a sample of Anguilla’s natural flora and fauna for the public to appreciate, yet protected from the influence of mankind.

Julien Chalifour and Aude Berger also descended 15 meters underground to visit the Fountain Cavern which gives the park its name. Here, they were able to admire several Amerindian petroglyphs, two pools of brackish water, and numerous stalactites and stalagmites. This unique site is a highpoint of Anguilla’s natural archeological heritage.

Pétroglyphes Petroglyphs

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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