Journal de La Réserve Naturelle Nationale de St.Martin #44

22 Réserve Naturelle SAINT MARTIN Inmid-September 2023, themanager of the nature reserve developed and presented an ambitious advocacy for the restoration of the islet Tintamarre. This natural gem, divided between a part classified as a nature reserve and a private property, is at the heart of a conservation and enhancement project. The initiative aims for complete ecological restoration: removal of invasive alien species, rehabilitation of endemic species, both fauna and flora, and preservation of historical heritage, such as the airstrip and the remnants of the 19th-century Van Drummond agricultural farm. This large-scale program is designed to span at least three years, requiring significant human and logistical investment, as well as substantial fundraising. This project is fully in line with the management plan of the nature reserve and could create a pilot zone for the conservation of Lesser Antillean Iguana populations, a “laboratory” to bring together breeders from different areas, as part of the Caribbean conservation project for this species. The islet has ideal characteristics for the Lesser Antillean Iguana: an adequate area, the ecosystem of a dry forest rich in biodiversity, a variety of nurturing, growth, and breeding habitats favorable to these herbi- vores, and isolation that protects them from competing and predatory species such as cats, dogs, mongooses, green monkeys, and common iguanas. Similar initiatives have already been successful on other islands, such as Redonda Islet, where the regeneration of vegetation has been spectacular since. The advocacy was addressed to the Island Ocean Conservation Challenge – IOCC – an international platform supported by “Re:wild”, an environmental NGO benefiting from the support of committed personalities such as Leonardo DiCaprio. Return To The Wild For Tintamarre Cactus Opuntia triacantha @ Tintamarre Action CS 33 – Promote conditions for the reintroduction of the Lesser Antillean Iguana Action CS 34 – Study the feasibility of an ex situ breeding program for the Lesser Antillean Iguana