Reef Relief Bahamas Programs Achieve Local Management

Reef Relief is pleased to announce that its Bahamas Programs have achieved sustainability and are now locally managed by residents of Abaco, Bahamas.

In January, 2009, operation of the Captain Roland Roberts House Environmental Center in New Plymouth, Green Turtle Cay, together with its programs and exhibits, were transferred to the local Architectural Preservation Foundation, which owns the house. The foundation intends to keep the center open utilizing some of Reef Relief's great volunteers, but mostly with local volunteers, led by Sally Anstey.

Sally has been the de facto on-site manager for many years and her leadership is a tribute to the strong local support that makes this possible. David Bethel and Susan Roberts, and other members of the foundation board, exhibited strong and consistent support for Reef Relief programs throughout the past ten years and are to be congratulated for taking this final step to true stewardship of Green Turtle Cay's coral reefs. Abaco Yacht Services donated free boat storage for the Reef Relief workboat. Many local businesses and residents supported coral reef protection programs such as the aluminum recyclling program and the green bag project. Amy Roberts Elementary School was a great partner on school programs for local students. Volunteers have helped splice mooring buoys and deploy them. All of these programs were made possible through the generous financial support of many visitors, residents, foundations, and Reef Relief members.

"We are grateful for the community support that has enabled Reef Relief to protect the Abaco barrier coral reef over the past ten years," noted Executive Director DeeVon Quirolo. "The reef mooring buoy program, officially owned by the Town Council, has prevented untold damage to the beautiful coral reefs near Green Turtle Cay. The operation of the Capt. Roberts House Environmental Center is a lasting tribute to the value and importance of environmental education for visitors and residents of the area. The Coral Survey images of the area's coral reefs will be a permanent part of Reef Relief's Online Archive at www.reefrelief.org. It all started with installing reef mooring buoys that still do their part to prevent anchor damage to the reef. Thank you all for your role in this wonderful project."

View of Green Turtle Cay from the harbor
Photo compliments of Dave Redding

Millard McCleary, Reef Relief's Program Manager and his daughter recently visited Green Turtle Cay. Emily, Millard's daughter, in pictured here in the upstairs library of the Capt. Roberts House Environmental Center.

The center is open and during August, 2008, you will meet Katie Charron, our docent for the month. Drop by and say hello to Katie; she is from Mansfield Massachusetts and a graduate of Bentley College also in Massachusetts.

Visit the Blue Jones Native Medicine Garden in the back yard of the Capt. Roberts House. It features native bush medicine plants and there is also a guide you can read to find out what valuable medicinal remedies they provide.

The Island Roots Festival Welcoming Reception at the Captain Roland Roberts House was a fun event, with costumed royalty, David Bethel and Docent Rick Rickard hosting the refreshments, Sir Peter Anderson-- Secretary-Treasurer of Reef Relief--welcoming everyone, and general revelry!

You're cordially invited to the
 Welcoming  Reception
Island Roots Heritage Festival
Thursday, May 1st 6pm-8pm
At Captain Roland Roberts House Environmental Center
All are welcome* Refreshments* Join Reef Relief

Info:  telephone 242-365-4014 or drop by the Capt. Roland Roberts House, Parliament Street, New Plymouth, Green Turtle www.reefrelief.org

Docent Joanie Freeman hosts a class for students from Nassau.

COME ONE! COME ALL!

YOU ARE INVITED TO THE DEDICATION OF THE

RICHARD (BLUE) JONES BUSH MEDICINE GARDEN

FRIDAY MARCH 28TH TIME: 5:30 TO 6:00 PM
PLACE: CAPTAIN ROLAND ROBERTS HOUSE

Preserving Bahamian History

Bush Medicine Garden Guide

Docent Manager Joanie Freeman going wireless on the porch of the Capt. Roberts House

Entrance to the Blue Jones Bahamas Bush Medicine Garden at the rear of the Capt Roberts House

Close up view of Blue Jones Bush Medicine Garden at Capt. Roberts House

Joanie Freeman speaking at the Opening Event for the Blue Jones Bush Medicine Garden March 28, 2008

Blue Jones, the local Green Turtle resident and Bahamas Bush Medicine Man who designed and created the Bush Medicine Garden at Capt. Roberts, speaking at the Opening Event

Visitors to the garden during the Opening Ceremony March 08

Blue Jones, creator of the Bush Medicine Garden

Close up view of Blue Jones Bush Medicine Garden at Capt. Roberts House

Alton Lowe (right) Docent Manager Joanie Freeman (center) and BLue Jones (left) at Medicine Garden Opening Event

Kelsi Farrington retrieving a life raft on the beach

Amy Roberts Primary School students after the clean-up

Students preparing for the clean-up

On the way to the clean-up

Common garbage found on Green Turtle Cay's ocean beach

Kelsi Farrington, Breanna Lowe and Margo Lowe at clean-up

The Curry family--Randy, Karen, Kirsta, Michaela, and Steven clean up!

Green Turtle Cay Clean-Up by Kelsi Farrington

My name is Kelsi Farrington, I am a grade 12 student at Forest Heights Academy and have written this article about the island wide cleanup that was held on March 15th, 2008 on Green Turtle Cay. The cleanup was organized by the Reef Relief members on the island, Ms. Joanie Freeman and Mr. Dave Redding.

As spring has begun to slowly appear on Green Turtle Cay, you will see very few pieces of garbage on the sides of the road and beaches. The town on New Plymouth was thoroughly cleaned by the very enthusiastic students of Amy Roberts Primary School ranging in age from 5 to 11 years old on the 12th of March. They were taught the valuable lesson of where to put their trash either in the nearest garbage can or hold it with them until they find somewhere to throw it away. They are also being taught to be proud of the environment in which they live.
Local cleanups occur on the island although not in quite a while has one been as successful and with such helpful volunteers as this latest one.

On the 15th of March various local businesses and organizations cleaned specific areas of the island. Members of The Anglican Church led by Father Ottrey cleaned Gilliam Bay which is a beautiful beach that is sadly eroding quite rapidly. The Miracle Church of God was led by Bishop Johnny Lowe and Rueben McIntosh who cleaned up a portion of Ocean Beach which is on the Atlantic Ocean side of the island and is constantly littered by trash that is washed up on the beach. The local Anchor Club students of Forest Heights Academy: Margo Lowe, Breanna Lowe, and myself cleaned the middle part of Ocean Beach. Between us three girls we gathered about 12 bags of trash in about 2 hours. Mr. Hubert Pinder, a local hairdresser along with his faithful dog Champ, cleaned the last section of the beach and we thank him very much for his great job of picking up trash. A very special thanks also to Mr. Jonathan Curry for gathering the multitude of garbage bags the three groups of Ocean Beach filled and carried them to the dump in the back of his truck all on his free time.

The Gospel Chapel led by Mr. Randy Curry cleaned the main road of the island very successfully as not one piece of garbage can be seen even now. Long Bay Beach and community basketball court was cleaned by the GTC Community Fellowship Church led by Mr. Jr. Roberts and his group whom were also very enthusiastic to clean the area. The island off of Green Turtle Cay, named Munjack is a popular place to go picnicking for all Green Turtle Cay inhabitants. Brendal's Dive Center takes tourists on trips to Munjack and has done a lot to keeping it as clean as possible. The owners Brendal and Mary Stevens took garbage cans there and put up signs around the island which clearly say: "Whatever you bring here, take back with you" quite some time ago. They also cleaned up Munjack on the 15th of March and we wish to thank them so much for constantly maintaining Munjack, a small gem of Abaco few know of but many enjoy.

We also have to thank Green Turtle Club who placed garbage bins along the Atlantic Beach a few years ago and every week they ensure that they are emptied.

Reef Relief who organized the island cleanup day is encouraging Green Turtle Cay to "keep it up" and for the local adults to "pass the torch to their children and other kids of the island to make our island even more beautiful." Toursists often comment that Green Turtle Cay is a paradise and is always so clean so Project Tourism has introduced Reef Relief's new motto for Green Turtle Cay: "Keep Paradise Clean" which is a good phrase to abide by. As a graduating student I truly hope that the other local teens and kids will continue to give a helping hand to the environment and realize that it is necessity to keep your island clean. It is our home and we must keep it spotless for our own enjoyment as much as for tourists. This day of cleaning made me feel proud of Green Turtle Cay as we turned it a day but full of fun and a coming together as a community. It was a day joined by all who took part and for some was a family affair, a Saturday when the community came together for such a good cause is beautiful in itself. As for the results, we can say are truly astonishing since we managed to gather so many bags of trash on such a small island and I have never seen it as clean as it is today. Congratulations to everyone who helped on the island cleanup day whether big or small you made the day more enjoyable.

Invitation to Island Roots Festival May 2-4th, 2008

Recent docent Jean Archibald managed affairs at the Captain Roland Roberts House Environmental Center for the month of January, 2008. Here she is in front of the alumunum recycling bin. The program is a big success; but the job of bagging and shipping them is a chore! Thanks for all your hard work, Jean. Usually island children help bag the cans that are delivered to the mainland to be recycled.

Kelly Goodale, a student from State University of New York, was the July -August 2007 docent at the Captain Roland Roberts House Environmental Center.

While in Green Turtle Cay the summer of 2007, Reef Relief Docent Kelly Goodale organized a tee-shirt painting project. Local children painted marine life themes on their tees. See the results below.

Nicole Macias, an educator from Ft. Lauderdale, was the docent at the Capt. Roberts House during June, 2007. Here she is with her favorite local students from Green Turtle Cay.

Coral Reef Mooring Buoy Program - Green Turtle Cay, Abacos, Bahamas

º Mooring Buoy work, May 2004

In May, 2004, Carter Sarrett of Alpharetta, Georgia, was an intern at Reef Relief with Craig Quirolo. He is pictured here with a newly-spliced buoy component. They have been inspecting and replacing buoys in the 18-buoy Green Turtle Cay Mooring Buoy system. This shows the self-cleaning buoy invented by Craig Quirolo. An additional line is spliced to the top and bottom outside of the buoy float. The motion of the ocean moves the line on the buoy, preventing nuisance algal growth.

º Printable Brochure with Map of Mooring Buoy Locations

º History of the Green Turtle Cay Mooring Buoy Project -- with Picture Gallery