Connections 3 September2004

An electronic bulletin about interdisciplinary research, teaching and outreach at the
Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies (CERMES)
Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus

The new teaching semester has started and there are
Familiar faces changing places
new faces around CERMES amongst the staff and
At the end of July, Dr. Hazel Oxenford stepped down as
students. Some old faces have also changed places.
Acting Director of CERMES. Dr. Robin Mahon will act
Student round-up
as Director for the next two years.
It is that time of year again when CERMES gears up for
the new academic year of the MSc Programme in
Natural Resource and Environmental Management.
This year we will be welcoming 22 students coming
from Belize, Barbados, Canada, Grenada, Guyana,
Jamaica, Nicaragua and St. Vincent. The majority of
students have backgrounds in natural sciences, but
computer science, administrative management and


social work are also included.
Dr. Hazel Oxenford
Dr. Robin Mahon
To get our graduate students off to a brisk start, we
have introduced a three-day orientation programme. It
Dr. Oxenford is looking forward to returning full-time to
is our aim for new students to use this opportunity to
research and teaching. All at CERMES extend their
meet CERMES staff as they participate in a variety of
thanks and congratulations to her on a job well done.
on and off campus activities. These adventures include
The new Director, Dr. Mahon, shared some thoughts on
an environmental education land and sea tour of the
the direction of CERMES. He said: "I look forward to the
island. In addition, we are also introducing an Aquatic
challenge of facilitating the development of CERMES as
Skills component into the curriculum. This will involve
we enter the second decade of its Master's programme.
students in days of swimming, snorkelling and boat
There is much to be proud of as we look back over the
handling, so that they can later use these skills. Also,
past 10 years, over 200 CERMES graduates now work
this year CERMES will offer a third Specialisation
throughout the region, and beyond, in responsible and
Stream, Solid Waste Management, for the first time.
influential positions. They are making a substantial
To our new students, we would like to extend a warm
contribution to sustainable development in the Wider
welcome. We look forward to the year ahead. To others
Caribbean. In the coming years we will continue this
in the CERMES extended family, we hope that some of
trend as well as place an emphasis on strengthening
our new students will find places with you in research
the networking among CERMES graduates and faculty.
projects and internships as the year progresses.
We also look forward to increasing activity in outreach
and research that will contribute a lot to sustainable
Changing climate at CERMES
development in the Caribbean region and globally."
On Thursday, August 20th, the United Nations
Joining the CERMES team is Dr. Leonard Nurse, the
Development Programme (UNDP) and the UWI Office
former Director of the Coastal Zone Management Unit
of Research signed a Memorandum of Understanding
and, most recently, the Permanent Secretary in the
for the support of the CERMES Master of
ministry responsible for the environment. Dr. Nurse
Science in Natural Resources and
brings to CERMES a wealth of international experience
Environmental Management to increase
in coastal management, planning and climate change.
regional capacity and the further
development of regional professionals in
Holetown Community Beach Park
climate change risk management in the
In our January issue we introduced you to the Holetown
Caribbean. UNDP will provide scholarships
Community Beach Park Project, an activity of the
for four students in the Climate Change stream of
CERMES Coastal Resources Co-management Project
specialisation, and will also support the delivery of the
(CORECOMP). In the site development planning phase
several Climate Change specialisation courses taught
in January 2004, over 100 businesses in the vicinity of
at CERMES.
the Holetown complex were informed of the project.

---

The occupants of the 15 residences adjacent to the
Visit from The Nature Conservancy
proposed community beach park were also visited and
Raquel Seybert, Michelle Libby and Rob Weary of The
invited to take part in the proposed development.
Nature Conservancy visited CERMES in July to discuss
collaboration between
CERMES, TNC and other
partners active in the
Grenadines.
The opportunities for networking with international and
regional NGOs are numerous. For the benefit of coastal
communities it is very important to ensure that there is
adequate coordination among agencies in order to build
synergies among initiatives rather than compete and
duplicate where this can be avoided. Communities have
scarce resources to devote to development projects in
the midst of individuals often struggling to make a living.
Governmental and non-governmental agencies are
prone to squander community participation despite their
genuine interest in assisting local social and economic

development. Coordination pays off for communities.
The site development phase of the project resumed in
International Association for the
July with a visit to the area by residents and businesses
Study of Common Property (IASCP)
interested in the project. There was agreement among
those present that the beautification of the area and the
meets in beautiful Oaxaca, Mexico
creation of a beach park would be a very desirable
From 9-13 August the International Association for the
asset for the Holetown community and visitors.
Study of Common Property (IASCP) held its 2004
conference in the mountain city of
During the meeting, a committee was formed to guide
Oaxaca, Mexico. It was in a monastery,
the site development planning phase, comprising three
taken over by scientists, students and
residents and a restaurant owner from 1st and 2nd
professionals, that Dr. Patrick McConney
Streets, Holetown. To date, BDS$ 11,800 has been
of CERMES gave a presentation on the
raised to fund this phase, with financial contributions
co-management of coastal resources in
from businesses in the area. Ian Morrison Associate
the Caribbean.
Architects has agreed to draft the site development plan
for the Holetown Community Beach Park at no charge.
It was an excellent opportunity to learn
The total project value is just over the $15,000 target for
about the latest thoughts in common
this phase. A meeting with the planning committee,
property theory and research. Property rights regimes
surveyor, coastal engineer and landscape designer will
have not received much attention in Caribbean coastal
be arranged shortly. Keep track of progress in coming
research, but are central to resource management in
issues of CERMES Connections.
many other places.
FAO CITES Advisory Panel
CERMES, CERMES quite contrary,
Dr. Robin Mahon was invited to serve on the FAO ad
"How does your garden grow?"
hoc Expert Advisory Panel for the Assessment of
For a long while the environment around CERMES
Proposals to Amend
hanging over the hill has been fairly "non-green". A few
Appendices I and II of
plants clung tenaciously to the slope. Grass competed
the Convention on
with rocks and rubble on the barren ground. The advice
International Trade in
of UWI plant experts and hobbyists was sought.
Endangered Species of

Wild Fauna and Flora
Now CERMES is eagerly beautifying the surroundings!
(CITES) Concerning
Amidst the pouring rain, three intrepid staff members,
Commercially-Exploited
including the new acting Director, travelled far and wide
Aquatic Species. The
to obtain samples of indigenous plants for landscaping.
Panel met for the first time in Rome, July 13-16, to
To keep it indigenous, sea grape, seaside sage, goat's
consider proposals for great white shark, humphead
foot, prickly wild coffee, carpet daisy and fat pork will all
wrasse and date mussel, and an amendment to the
feature in the work in progress. In a few months we may
listing for corals.
be surrounded by our very own environmental Eden.

CERMES Phone (246)-417-4316; Fax (246)-424-4204; cermes@uwichill.edu.bb; www.cavehill.uwi.edu/cermes
Mailing address: CERMES, University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, St. Michael, Barbados

---