Journal de La Réserve Naturelle Nationale de St.Martin #39

3 Réserve Naturelle SAINT MARTIN éserve aturelle I I éserve aturelle I I As president of the management association for La Ré- serve Naturelle de Saint-Martin since its inception in 1998, Harvey Viotty filled the role selflessly and with great enthusiasm. Stepping into his shoes, I am com- mitted to perpetuating the same spirit that guides La Réserve since its debut: a sense of dialogue, goodwill, comprehension, respect for the specificities of our is- land and its regulations, all of which are the fundamen- tals of success, and deeply ingrained in our ethos. There is an enormous amount of work to do, and we must prioritize in order to relaunch the management plan for 2018-2027, while trying to meet its 49 objec- tives, as outlined in 125 actions. As the management association, we bring our experi- ence and our level of expertise to the development and improvement of the island of Saint Martin. In addition, to best protect it, we need to reinforce our economic model by way of innovative new tools for management, protection, and compensation. Anticipate climate changes, better understand the challeng- es to better control them, be prepared for the risks of a hurri- cane… The work of the staff of the natural reserve goes be- yond that of its management goals. The needs are apparent: - protect the mangrove, and establish the first natural barrier against hurricane swells; - protect the beaches as egg-laying sites for sea turtles, and guarantee that these spots do not disappear due to erosion, rising sea levels, or urbanization; - preserve the integrity of our natural resources, and im- prove the quality of life for the residents of Saint Martin; - protect the marine milieu, the coral, the underwater plant beds, and also support the tourism, hotels, and the nautical sector, the economic pillars of Saint Martin. A rather recent sense of awareness on an internation- al level has shined a spotlight on the fact that the eco- nomic services provided by nature are massive, and that we must do our best to protect it, reinforce it, and insti- tute long-term development programs that respect our eco-systems. New paradigms for growth must be creat- ed at every level of the island. With its years of experi- ence, La Réserve Naturelle is a tool that can be called upon to help the French government, the Collectivité, businesses, associations, and individuals who need as- sistance or an objective opinion on the various develop- ment and improvement programs for Saint Martin. Pierre Aliotti, president of the management associa- tion for La Réserve Naturelle de Saint-Martin EDITO La réserve naturelle de Saint-Martin