By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

LAND development work on Queen’s Highway in Grand Bahama has been suspended because of concerns about the destruction of mangroves in the area.

The Department of Environment Planning and Protection issued a cease-and-desist on Friday after environmentalists raised concerns and released images of bulldozers destroying the mangrove forest.

The East Harbour Expansion Project is underway at Hawksbill Creek off West Queen’s Highway. The Freeport Harbour Company is developing the area for significant expansion.  

Last week, environmental advocate Captain Daniel Murray was distressed to find acres of mature 20-foot red mangroves being bulldozed and covered with tons of dirt and aggregate. He has called for an immediate halt to destroying the mangroves at the site.

Dr Rhianna Neely, director of the DEPP, said on Friday that her department has since received environmental documents concerning the project for review.  

She said the cease and desist order will be in place until the company submits a proper mitigation plan.

She said the area had changed before more stringent environmental laws were implemented, but officials will try to protect remaining species in the area. She said: “From the current images and the current site conditions, those mangroves were remnants of something that used to be there.

“There is a manmade peninsula that is being extended to the road, and so those wild mangroves are protected. A lot of their functions have been impaired in that area and so they will need to present us a mitigation plan for the mangroves’ removal, and then we will move on from there.”

Approximately 70 per cent of mangroves in Grand Bahama were destroyed during Hurricane Dorian. The mangroves off Queen’s Highway are among the few that survived the devastating storm in 2019.

Environmental groups go there to collect seedlings to replant for the various mangrove restoration projects. The area was also once preserved as a nature park and trail for residents, visitors and avid bird watchers.

Captain Murray believes preserving the mangroves is essential due to their role in mitigating flooding and storm surges.

Environmentalist Gail Woon said she was disheartened by the recent removal of the ‘Corporate Lands for Learning and Wildlife Habitat Council’ sign on Queen’s Highway. It was chopped down and removed last week.

Rico Cargill, senior environmental officer at the Grand Bahama Port Authority, said the sign should have been removed many years ago.

He said the power company had undertaken an initiative in 2006 to preserve and conserve the area. While their efforts were positive, he said they did not own the area, and as they started development in the area, the infrastructure became dilapidated and unmanaged around 2011.  

He said an initial request for the sign removal was made before Dorian and just recently in the past two days to avoid any miscommunication to the public. 

“We wanted the sign removed, especially since it was no longer being maintained or upkeep by anyone,” Mr Cargill said, adding that the area no longer reflects the intended purpose and is now being occupied by vagrants.