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St. Lucia: Making the most out of a mangrove
April 2000

By: Barbara Jacobs-Small, CERN correspondent, St. Lucia

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Mankòtè Mangrove is the largest remaining mangrove forest on the Southeast coast of St. Lucia. It covers approximately 100 acres. It is a protected area as are many of the island's mangroves because of the delicate ecosystems, which they support. Even though Mankòtè enjoys protected status, it is also the main source of livelihood for the surrounding community of Aupicon. This community has proven that with proper management, the mangrove can serve a number of uses, while remaining intact.

Nicholas Samuel, President of the Aupicon Charcoal Producers group in St. Lucia said that each day during the dry season, people from all the rural areas fish in that mangrove. "It is a place where fish grow very fast, due to the nutrients inside the mangrove. It also supplies the coral reef nearby the shore with fish and nutrients."

He could have been describing any healthy mangrove in the Caribbean, for the mangrove ecosystem is highly productive. Mangroves provide the habitat for a wide range of birds, fish and other animals. Mankòtè Mangrove in Vieux-Fort offers a home to migratory birds as well as other animals: the Little Blue Heron, locally known as the Kayal, the Snook known as the Bushay, Kapon known as the Buddy Kai and the Tilapia known as Akison. Land crabs and Smith's Fiddler crabs, or Mafford also depend on Mankòtè for their home.

Apart from the animals, people depend quite a bit on the mangrove. There is a thriving charcoal trade by the Aupicon Charcoal Producers. But that is not all that happens within Mankòtè. Julius James, the Southern Area Manager of the St. Lucia National Trust said: "This project is part of an ecotourism development in St. Lucia. A workshop on ecotourism, organized by the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) and the Trust with a group from York University, concluded that the Mankòtè Mangrove would be a good place to have such a project."

"The York group consulted with CANARI and the Trust, and promoted the project through the Department of Planning."

James is also the Manager of the Maria Islands Interpretation Centre. He explained that the ecotourism component within Mankòtè aims to supplement the livelihood for the Aupicon Charcoal Producers, because the charcoal trade can only take place during the dry season.

He informed that it was decided to have a viewing tower over the mangrove, so that people can watch birds, different species of mangroves and mangrove animals. The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) provided just enough funding to start the project with the building of the tower. Now, though still young, the ecotourism project has begun to move forward.

According to James: "We are making it easier to sell tours locally. We have a signboard at the entrance to the mangrove, and we use every opportunity to advertise those Mangroves tours. We do so through workshops and seminars, distribution of leaflets, we take school children on tours and organize educational activities. Every Sunday we get a great number of visitors to the mangrove. In all, things are beginning to work out and the charcoal growers are happy to see that type of business taking shape."

Samuel added that the people to take care of the project are in place. "There will be properly guided tours. We want to educate the community and in fact the whole country about the mangroves, how they serve the country and what exists inside a mangrove. To have people learn is why it was decided to bring the ecotourism project into Mankòtè."

James draws a picture of a very interesting land and sea mangrove tour. "The tower is probably the first stage in developing ecotourism in the Mankòtè Mangrove. The tower is the focal point of the tour. From there, trails can be taken to other parts of the mangrove. In addition to the mangrove species, birds and animals, one can see shore and large waterbodies where traditional fishing takes place. It is an interesting tour that takes people from the landward side to the sea-end of the mangrove."

According to James, there is even scope for the development of small enterprises. He thinks that if the Mangrove Tours can be developed, then there will be room for others to come in, besides the Aupicon Charcoal Agricultural Producers group. "For example, we are thinking of organizing boat tours in the mangrove, especially during the rainy season. This could be done by other persons who could come up with a boat or raft that can be used for this kind of tour. We also believe that there is room for a small-scale handicraft industry, based on the mangrove."

The story of Mankòtè is a story of extremely effective management of a mangrove, not by government, not by non-governmental organizations, but by the people of the surrounding community.

They were empowered to manage their own resources. Ordinary folk who began as producers of coal for a living have become self-sufficient through the diversification of their economic activity. The Aupicon charcoal producers have branched out into agriculture and livestock, and now into ecotourism.

They have had the help of a number of social partners, NGOs and institutions like the Department of Forestry, CANARI and the St.Lucia National Trust.

According to Yves Renard, Director of CANARI, this is the best strategy in the quest to marry conservation with economics: "Derek Walcot said ‘What is hidden can not be loved'. Indeed, people will not take care of what they don't know. There must be an economic relationship with the resource. When they depend on it, it will be sustained."

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In collaboration with the Caribbean Environmental Reporters Network (CERN), Panos produces a weekly 10-minutes radio series: "Island Beat - News from the environmental frontline of the Caribbean". It documents community environmental themes, in particular highlighting community experiences in finding solutions to environmental problems, reported by journalists from across the Caribbean region. This current print feature has been derived from a radio programme which was produced in August 1997.

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