On February 25th, The Bahamas National Trust (BNT) received several reports from concerned citizens about suspected environmentally harmful activities happening in the Bonefish Pond National Park area. The reports included an eyewitness account of fill being dumped into the wetland.
Following these reports, BNT teams immediately conducted aerial and on-the-ground patrols, confirming the activities were not occuring within the park boundaries. However, there is still concern about its effects on the fragile coastal wetland and marine environment at Bonefish Pond National Park. The BNT will continue to monitor the situation closely, and is in communication with nearby landowners who provide reports of suspicious activities in the vicinity of the park.
“We humbly thank our park stakeholders and concerned citizens who reported the activity and voiced their concerns for Bonefish Pond,” said Chantal Curtis, BNT Parks Planner and New Providence Parks Manager. “Because of their vigilance, we were able to quickly investigate the matter at hand. We’ll continue our weekly patrols to safeguard this precious national park.” BNT Executive Director Lakeshia Anderson-Rolle said, “Although the area where the incident has taken place is outside of the park’s boundary, the concerns expressed by citizens show an increased awareness of the importance of conserving our wetlands, and the integrity of Bonefish Pond.
“The recent show of community stewardship inspires us, as local community support is an essential component of effective national park management and protection. It is our collective responsibility to ensure the protection of our nation’s natural beauty and biodiversity for future generations.”
